Couple who lost adopted son to biological parents files suit
By Michael N. WestleyThe Salt Lake Tribune
Article Last Updated: 04/20/2007 06:30:24 AM MDT
Posted: 6:30 AM- Facing the possibility of losing their adopted son - whom the courts returned to his biological parents - a Riverton couple is blaming the adoption agency that botched the deal. In their 3rd District Court lawsuit, Matt and Toni Worthington are seeking unspecified compensation from the adoption agency, Families for Children, its officer, Suzanne Stott, adoption attorney Les England, and notary public George Bradshaw. The child involved, Anthony, who turns 3 in July, has been in the Worthingtons' care since October 2004, but has been ordered returned to the custody of his biological parents as soon as the court can agree on the new custody terms. Adding to the Worthingtons' frustration, they say, is that the only tie Anthony's biological parents have to each other is a surrogate agreement and the child's biological father is currently in prison. The latest ruling, handed down by the Utah Supreme Court in October, has created a "situation akin to a wrongful death of their child and at a bare minimum, creat[ed] a situation of extreme emotional distress caused by the looming possibility that they may lose their son and that their son may go through the trauma of being ripped out of his home and placed with persons who have not raised him as their child," according to the lawsuit. The Worthingtons claim Families for Children and Stott were negligent in their duties to obtain proper relinquishments and/or terminations of parental rights for Anthony's adoption. At the core of this negligence, according to the suit, are Stott, as agent for the adoption agency, England and Bradshaw, who notarized official documents without the birth mother present - a lapse that the state's high court ruled voided all adoptive efforts. The high court ruled that Stott's behavior was "reckless, indifferent and in conscious disregard to the parents who place their trust in her to properly carry out adoptions," according to the lawsuit. In addition to emotional distress, the Worthingtons are seeking damages for negligence and breach of contract, according to the lawsuit. mwestley@sltrib.com
7 comments:
yay!!!! i have been waiting to see this one go thru!!!! anthony needs to be home! isnt it great that the apars are suing the agency? i personally adore it! win win wnd lose here folks...mom+ baby win, the apars can either do their thing and submit profiles elsewhere or whatever but the agency...they just get bad publicity...no matter how you shake it!!! we reap what we sow eh????
laffin..a lot!!!
Great Blog!
I'm the Mama.......and I have to say......I'm not happy about the wording in their "lawsuit"........."Akin to the wrongful death of a child"......so sick, so wrong. Anthony is alive, well, and wonderful. As many people know I am an active participant in the anti-adoption community. I have been so busy, (and quite stressed out with legal bulls***), in the last little while, that I have allowed my participation in the community to lapse. What makes me want to make sure to remain an ACTIVE participant in the community are the stories of those who matter most......children of "adoption", "TS", etc.
Yes.......we won. How many other women and children are out ther losing? I swear on my life.......I will help in any way I can.
Thank You.
~Rachel~
This one has always acted with arrogance. Making decisions that benefit her own agenda without consideration for the law.
Finally it has caught up with her and the agency.
It's karma at work.
Rachel, You're Anthony's mom? I've never heard of your case. Where can I go for background on this? Does Anthony know you? Have you been allowed visitation during these past 3 years?
Congrats Rachel!!!!!!!! I am so very happy for you!!!
love,
angele
Hi! Thanks for sharing! True as the saying goes, "Life must go on..", yes the Riverton couple most likely have been heart broken for losing their adopted son to his biological parents. Indeed, there's no guarantee that we will get what we always wanted. Letting go is hard and the next thing to do is to at least try to move on...Thanks again! :)
She has given this child up twice. So I don’t think she has rights to this child. she has no bond what will she do if she gets the child back sell it or give it up again when she doesn’t want to deal with the child. I am just glad that there are people like Matt and Toni out there that will take on this situation and love this child like there own and they have proven this over and over again by standing up for their love for this child. And this child is Matt and Toni’s. Just because this biological mother gave birth to this child does not make her a mother, any women with good female organs can make a child. What Matt and Toni have done is give this child a life and love and experiences that he cherishes and is happy why would anyone want to destroy a child and give him back to some one he does not even know or have a connection to. Matt and Toni are who he needs to be with forever and ever.
Post a Comment