Chris Walker, 24, and Deeahana Gholston, 25, have been together for eight years, and have three children. Due to a non-violent felony drug conviction, Chris has been part of a probation program called Drug Court for two years, designed to help participants stay ‘clean and sober’ and to help them build a foundation for a healthier life after graduation.

Deeahana is on probation as well, for bad checks exceeding the amount of five hundred dollars. Having dealt with drug abuse herself, she tired of sneaking around her parole officer and two weeks ago admitted to the abuse of prescription painkillers. Her intention was to get help. “It just got to that point where you’re sick and tired of being sick and tired,” says Deeahana, “and I asked for help.”

The response was one nobody expected. Deeahana couldn’t find room in a treatment center, but at Drug Court on Tuesday this translated into the accusation that she was not seeking help at all, and living with her was deemed a bad environment for Chris. He was given an ultimatum: move out of your family’s home, or be thrown out of the Drug Court program and go to jail.

For Chris, this gesture is futile, but also seems to cross the line. “They can tell me to move, I can sleep somewhere else,” Chris says, “but I’m gonna be there to put my kid on the bus.” Both Chris and Deeahana believe that the Drug Court program is a good one in theory, but to them, breaking up a family is beyond the reach of what it is designed to do.

“Everybody’s got a past,” says Deeahana, “The point is now we’re trying to do better – not even for us, for our kids.”

Deeahana’s parole officer told her yesterday that she has a spot at a treatment center starting this month.

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Chris Walker stands outside of his home in Macon, Missouri with two of his children: Kaleigh, 3, and Kilian, 4. Each morning, Chris keeps an eye on the kids as they each head out to their various school programs, a few hours apart from each other.