Clermont County couple gets 6 kids back after homelessness, drug addiction

A Clermont County couple has the comeback story of a lifetime: Two years ago, they were homeless, drug-addicted, their six children living in foster care. Today, they've come full circle. (Robert Schubert and Christina Northern)

MILFORD, Ohio (WKRC) - A Clermont County couple has the comeback story of a lifetime: Two years ago, they were homeless, drug-addicted, their six children living in foster care. Today, they've come full circle.

In 2017, meth addiction took over for Robert Schubert and Christina Northern. They lost their house and lived in a van behind the Subway in Milford.

"But once we lost our kids, it's like our whole world fell apart. Our marriage almost didn't make it through. It was a horrible time," said Northern.

Schubert and Northern were reluctant to come to Family Recovery Court in Clermont County. They knew the work they would have to do is hard. But, they soon realized their success there was the way they could save their family.

"We jumped through every hoop that they asked. We had to go through anger management family counseling," said Schubert.

For the last two years, the couple worked at that Subway. They saved up enough money for an apartment. Both have been clean for 18 months after outpatient rehab and recovery meetings. Their motivation has always been their six children.

"It takes a lot of work and a lot of perseverance. There's some days you don't want to get up and do it, but you have to. There's not one day that you can just quit," said Northern.

On Thursday, the couple completed their biggest milestone yet. On a Zoom call for family to watch, they graduated from Family Recovery Court.

"We wanted to at least be in front of Judge Shriver and physically thank him for, you know, starting that program and being there all the way through," said Schubert.

Behind the sandwich shop now, things look different than a few years back. Mom and Dad are getting the kids packed up to head back home as a family.

"Every day I look at my kids, it makes it all worth the while," said Schubert.