In 2019 Payton Childers, 21-years-old, was incarcerated for the third time for grand larceny in Wayne County, West Virginia. In the course of her addiction to methamphetamine, Childers stole vehicles and sold them to get money for drugs. The final time, she appeared before Judge Darrell Pratt, who offered her the chance to participate in drug court and a rehabilitation program at Marie’s House Recovery Program in Wayne.
In May of 2020, she had not used drugs in 10 months, and she had finished her first semester at Mountwest Community and Technical College with all As. She was studying Behavioral Science with hopes of one day working with children and making a difference in someone’s life. Childers said that one of the things she learned along the way is that labels only have power if you let them. Women living with substance used disorder need to know that there is hope and good life beyond addiction.