Afinalistforthe2023NationalBookCriticsCircleAwardtheLosAngelesTimesBookPrizeAWashingtonPostbestnonfictionbookof2023WinneroftheCarnegieMedalforExcellenceinNonfiction“Arivetingindictmentofthechildwelfaresystem...[A]bracinggutpunchofabook.“--RobertKolker,TheWashingtonPost“[A]movingandsuperblyreportedbook.“--JessicaWinter,TheNewYorker“Aharrowingaccount...[and]apowerfulcritiqueof[the]fostercaresystem...WeWereOnceaFamilyisawrenchingbook.“--JenniferSzalai,TheNewYorkTimesANewYorkTimesBookReviewEditors’ChoiceOneofPublishersWeekly’sbestnonfictionbooksof2023Theshocking,deeplyreportedstoryofamurder-suicidethatclaimedthelivesofsixchildren--andasearingindictmentoftheAmericanfostercaresystem.OnMarch26,2018,rescueworkersdiscoveredacrumpledSUVandthebodiesoftwowomenandmultiplechildrenatthebottomofacliffalongthePacificCoastHighway.Investigatorssoonconcludedthatthecrashwasamurder-suicide,buttherewasmoretothestory:JenniferandSarahHart,itturnedout,wereawhitemarriedcouplewhohadadoptedsixBlackchildrenfromtwodifferentTexasfamiliesin2006and2008.Behindthefamily’slovingfacadewasanallegedpatternofabuseandneglectthathadbeenignoredasthecouplewithdrewthechildrenfromschoolandmovedwest.ItsoonbecameapparentthattheStateofTexasknewalltoolittleaboutthetwoindividualstowhomithadgivencustodyofsixchildren.Immersivejournalismofthehighestorder,RoxannaAsgarian’sWeWereOnceaFamilyisarevelationofprecariouslives;itisalsoashatteringexpos矇ofthefostercareandadoptionsystemsthatproducedthistragedy.AsajournalistinHouston,Asgariansoughtoutthechildren’sbirthfamiliesandputthematthecenterofthestory.WefollowthelivesoftheHarts’adoptedchildrenandtheirbirthparents,andthemachinationsofthestateagencythatsentthechildrenfaraway.Asgarian’sreportinguncoverspersistentracialbiasesandcorruptionasyoungpeopleofcolorareseparatedfrombirthparentswithoutpropercause.TheresultisarivetingnarrativeandadeeplyreportedindictmentofasystemthatcontinuestofailAmerica’smostvulnerablechildrenwhileupendingthelivesoftheirfamilies.
