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Teen taken by CPS reunited with family

Posted at 12:22 PM, Jan 22, 2016
and last updated 2016-01-22 13:29:19-05

After spending 80 days away from her family at Oakland County Children's Village, the state is allowing a teenager to finally go home.

Related: Mom says CPS took her daughter because of medical mystery

7 Action News cameras were there as 17-year-old Leiani McMichael exited the Oakland County Courthouse a happy teen, ready to go home.

Edwin Santana, her step-father, is happy to finally have her back.

"She's like, she's like my own daughter," Santana said. "She's been with me since she was 6 1/2."

Santana will have limitations when it comes to Leiani. Under an agreement with the state, Santana will share guardianship with a state appointed attorney. The attorney will have exclusive medical decisions over Leiani.

Child Protective Services took Leiani to live in Children's village in early November after accusing her mom of failing to give Leiani proper medical care.

Leiani's doctors contacted CPS concerned her mother, Rebecca Campos, was causing the teen to suffer from Conversion Disorder.

“Up until February 2015, Leiani was completely healthy, an amazing, thriving child,” said Rebecca.

Then, she started complaining that her stomach hurt. Doctors then diagnosed her with hernias, cysts, and removed her appendix. When she couldn’t keep food down, they gave her a feeding tube.

“Nobody could answer. Nobody knew why it got so extreme that a feeding tube had to be in place,” said Rebecca.

Then there was a problem with the feeding tube as Leiani visited her father who lives in California. Leiani needed surgery.

"After surgery Leiani didn’t wake up. She went into a coma,” said Rebecca.

She remained unconscious for days. When she did finally wake up, mom says Leiani was weak, needed a wheelchair, had memory problems and started having seizures.

She took her to doctor after doctor searching for answers. Then, one doctor at the University of Michigan diagnosed her with conversion disorder. The doctor said Leiani didn’t need a feeding tube or a wheelchair. The problem was in her head.

"My wife was the one being accused of taking her to too many doctors appointments I guess, or not enough doctors appointments, it just snowballed," said Santana. 

The family believes the state went too far and their attorney agrees. 

As part of today's agreement, Leiani's mother and her younger sister must move out of their home, into an extended stay hotel.

"I don't like it but, it is what it is. As long as my girls are safe and they get to be reunited again and take the proper steps to bring them both together, my wife and I as a family then that's all that matters," said Santana.

The court has ordered a therapist help reintegrate the family that will now be split a second time by the state.