Gary Staton's oldest daughter spoke Thursday with Channel 6 News about her father's decision to turn her nine brothers and sisters over to authorities under Nebraska's new Safe Haven Law.

Amoria Micek was not abandoned last Wednesday because she's 18 years old. She sat down for the interview with her maternal grandparents, Jack and Joanne Manzer.

All three said they hold no ill will toward Staton and want to move forward and do what's right for all the children involved.

Amoria still keeps in touch with her dad. "I wouldn't call it tough, outsiders might call it tough. I speak to him almost on a daily basis and it's not really anything major, just make sure he's doing okay and everything's working out."

The family lost their mother more than a year ago. "Very close," says Amoria. "I think after mom died I was kind of brought up as the ‘female figure’ I guess. You just help out around the house, you cook, you clean, you make sure everybody does chores, you help with homework and I mean that's what family does. You get things done."

For Gary Staton, things weren't getting done when it came to finances and he felt like the Safe Haven Law was the answer.

"He explained to me why, the reasons for it and I accepted it and said okay," says Amoria. "That he felt like he couldn't provide for them and rather than having the kids homeless or without utilities, he decided he would take up on the Safe Haven act."

It left this large family in limbo, full of confusion and a little anger, though Amoria says there's no hate. "We don't hate him. We dislike what he did, but we still love him, we still care."

The three believe the next trip to court will result in an aunt getting custody of the children because, according to Jack, "Everything is set up for the kids now".

Joanne says she "wants them (the children) to stay with family, someone they know," and all three want the nine to know they are loved.

Asked about the situation, Amoria, Jack and Joanne agreed they don't like the fact Staton turned the children over to the state, but they understand his situation.

"We wish that he would have been able to come to us with this, but we don't hate him," says Joanne.

"Those kids love him and we don't want those kids to think we hate their father, we don't. We know he was overwhelmed and stressed, we wish he would have come to us, but he didn't. So now we have to move forward and do what's in the best interest of the children."

Amoria says what's important now is to move forward and not to dwell on the past. She's made sure her siblings know that. "Everything's going to work out and they know that."

The next juvenile court hearing for the Staton children is scheduled for next week. Seven children were in the care of a great aunt in Lincoln, but a Douglas County judge ordered them back to foster care, in part because of sleeping arrangements.

The state has appealed the order, saying it's in the children's best interest to stay together with a relative.