‘I love them to life’: Central Florida Foster mom adopts teen siblings after group home closes

ORLANDO, Fla. — Two foster kids from Orange County officially became a family Thursday with the woman who’s been caring for them.

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Ladonna Comer was a group home mother for a local youth foster care when she met 14-year-old Christian Sotomayor and his 15-year-old sister Arielis four years ago.

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The Siblings’ adoption home closed six months ago, but after a juvenile court hearing Thursday, the two were officially adopted by Comer.

“They’ve been with me for more than four years, so they were already like family, and now they’re even more,” Comer said after the hearing. “I love them to death...well I love them to life...it’s an amazing thing and I’m very proud of them just asking me, but at the same time just the resiliency they have just to continue to hold on.”

After learning about the heartbreaking closure of their foster home, the siblings asked if they could go and live with “Miss C.” Without hesitation, she brought them into her home.

However, Arielis says she was worried they might not be able to stay together.

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“It felt like I could lose at any moment,” Arielis said. “So now that it’s finally set on paper, I feel stable.”

Arielis says she was told by other kids in her group home that most people aren’t eager to adopt older kids, but now she wants to give hope to those kids who are still waiting for an adult to be the difference maker in their lives.

“There are people out there. You just have to give them a chance,” Arielis said. “Love can be scary. Family can be scary if you’ve never had it before, but just don’t close those doors.”

“About time,” little brother Christian said. “I’ve been waiting for this for a while.”

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Now that things are official, “Miss C.” and her two kids say they’re going to plan a much-needed family vacation.

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