Dad fighting wrongful child support begins 165-mile walk

HOUSTON, Texas (WPVI) -- A father who is paying child support for a kid who is not his began his walk from Houston to Austin this week to raise awareness about his situation.

Gabriel Cornejo has planned to march 165 miles from Harris County Civil Court to the Texas State Capitol.

It will take him days to complete the journey, but he says it's worth it to prove a point.

RELATED: Court claims man who isn't father of child still owes child support payments

Cornejo owes $65,000 in child support. More than a decade ago, his ex-girlfriend told the state he was the father of her child.

But just last year, a DNA test proved the child wasn't his.

Cornejo claims he never knew about the debt racked up, and for years, the state never tried to find him.

While he knows his demonstration today won't immediately drive change in the law, he says taking the first step is the goal.

"The purpose of this walk is not to accomplish anything with this court," Cornejo said in front of the civil courthouse. "It's to raise awareness. To let people know that, you know what, it doesn't matter who you're fighting. If you take step by step, you can win the battle. It doesn't matter how long you have to travel. It doesn't matter what you have to face. If you put your mind to it and you come together, you can accomplish it."

Cornejo's case is back in court at the end of the month.

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