05/25/2026
There have been so many twists and turns in recent weeks that it’s hard to catch our breath. Our hearts are still breaking, our minds still trying to process, but as we face the week ahead, here’s where things stand.
Lee remains detained in Italy. He has a hearing scheduled for Tuesday, 5/26. At this time, we don’t know the nature of the hearing, but his Italian attorney has indicated she is working to have him transferred to an immigration detention facility while he continues seeking asylum.
Meanwhile, according to recent reports, the Italian government has still not received a formal extradition request from the DOJ. The deadline for that request is mid-June, meaning precious time is slipping away. We are doing everything we can to make sure the urgency of this situation is understood. To everyone who has helped raise awareness: thank you. Your voices matter more than you know. We are especially thankful to SC Senators and who are working to push for action.
This Friday, 5/29, the postponed family court hearing will take place. This will determine whether the current order requiring the children to return to Texas becomes final, forcing the Bauers to uproot their lives once again, or whether the court will reconsider its ruling.
Since Christa’s death, the Houston community has surrounded the Bauers with extraordinary love and support. But the painful reality is that neither the children nor the Bauers have family in Texas. The last remaining connection tying the children to Texas was their father — a man who has since fled the country, just prior to his trial for the murders of their mother and unborn sibling.
We are asking you, once again, to stand with us. Keep sharing Christa’s story. Keep speaking her name. Every person who learns about this case brings more light to it, and light is what we desperately need right now.
Some days this fight feels impossibly heavy. But your support reminds us that we are not carrying this alone. Together, we will continue fighting for Christa and the children she loved so deeply. đź’ś