An 8-year-old boy who underwent 13 unneeded surgeries while in his mother's custody will be spending Christmas and beyond with his father.
"Christopher will be home with his father for Christmas," said Jeff Branch, the attorney for the boy's father, Ryan Crawford.
"That's the point of why we wanted to be here today. Reunification is very important. We're extremely ecstatic for Ryan, our client, and for Christopher," Branch added after a court proceeding Wednesday which awarded custody to Crawford.
Crawford has been fighting for custody of his son for eight years, and was prevented by the court from speaking about the custody order.
The boy's mother, Kaylene Bowen Wright, is charged with injury to a child after taking Christopher to doctors more than 300 times, and persuading them to perform 13 major surgeries.
She is free on bond, but was not in the courtroom for Wednesday's custody hearing, and will not be allowed to visit Christopher.
Bowen also lost custody of her other two children, each with different fathers than Christopher.
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"We're just so happy. This is a day that we'll never forget and celebrate," said Christopher's grandmother, Nellie Crawford. "Rest assured, he's going to be well taken care of, 'cause he is loved."
Both Christopher and his father will go to family and individual counseling.
The court set a status hearing set for Jan. 29 at 11:30 a.m.
