A two-year-old girl has finally been adopted through a virtual hearing ceremony during lockdown after spending 700 days with the same family.
Isla Moody was taken into care by the Moody family since when she was seven days old, according to a report by CBS News.
While the family said they submitted the paperwork for adoption before coronavirus hit the US, once the pandemic escalated the state's courts were forced to close in line with stay-at-home orders, and the adoption was put on hold.
The court had been closed for more than six weeks when the Moody's were told that they had re-opened and an adoption hearing could go ahead virtually via a video meeting.
A week later on 30 April the family officially adopted Isla, her mother, Cayla Moody told the broadcaster.
Community members planned a socially distanced celebration to mark Isla's official welcome to the family.
“I thought we would plan a party to thank everyone who loved her after social distancing restrictions were limited,” Moody told CBS News. “But, I also knew that they truly wanted to be a part of the day.”
Residents and friends decorated their cars with balloons and banners and drove past the Moody's house to congratulate the two-year-old.
“We were blown away at how this group has loved us so well along our journey!” Ms Moody said.
The family is involved in a foster care community in Jacksonville called Fostering Hope which has been supporting foster children and their families throughout the pandemic
They have been working to deliver "Bags of Hope", freezer meals and kind wishes to foster families in their area.
“They loved our foster children and welcomed them as a part of our family,” Ms Moody told the outlet. “We need great families coming alongside these children and their parents to support them during very challenging times.”
