The assumption behind child-placement is that the safety and living conditions of a child improve. These cases demonstrate that this assumption is often invalid.
Adoption is assumed to be the result of a choice made by the parents of the child. These cases demonstrate women are pressured to give up their children.
Adoptions before 1997, didn't automatically lead to naturalization. As result, people adopted from outside the outside US that ran into problems with the justice system face deportation to their country of birth.
Although the adoptive family is called the "forever family" by the adoption industry, adoptions can end in disruption. These cases demonstrate that the "forever family" is sometimes only temporary
Children in foster care can have serious mental health issues. Too often these children are given large doses of psychotropic medications, just to keep them quiet.
The removal of children from their family's should always be a last resort. These cases demonstrate that Child Protective Services sometimes remove children for all the wrong reasons
18 month old boy, adopted from Guatemala, shaken 6 weeks after arriving in his new home by his mother Jennie D. Malak, an LPN. His adoptive father was not charged. The parents are estranged. The boy is now living at home with his adoptive father, where he is still recovering from various physical and neurological injuries.
Jennie or Jeannie Malak had been treated for psychiatric disorders for several years prior to the adoption. Malaks presented a forged letter from her doctor attesting that she was mentally fit to adopt the children.
Cameron was adopted from Aktobe, Kazakhstan in April 2001 by Michael & Jodene Van Hyning. Michael was the primary care-giver. One month home, Michael nearly beat 15 month old Cameron to death in several incidents over a two week period. VanHyning is serving a 28-year prison sentence for aggravated domestic battery.
At least 3 of 4 children in care of Lottie R. Beasley and her husband were beaten with broomsticks, extension cords and plastic tubing. Boys ages 11 and 10, girls aged 6 and 3. One of the children was adopted, and 3 were in foster care with the Beasleys. Mrs. Beasley, the foster or adoptive mother was sentenced to 2.5 years in jail after pleading to third degree assault. The father was not charged.
5 developmentally disabled children removed from their adoptive home where they were locked in their barren rooms for 14 hours/day. Two young foster children were also removed.
4 year old boy adopted by special education teacher and former state social worker Wanda Bennett, who beat the boy regularly with shoes and tied him up with old socks to keep him from eating. The boy weighed 35 pounds when police removed him from the home. At All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg, doctors reported finding six recent fractures and cigarette burns on his back. Wanda Bennett had 4 adopted children.
21 days old premature infant shaken to death by adoptive father Bruce Keintz. Alexis was only 5lbs 13 oz and was brought home 2 weeks earlier by Bruce and his wife. Bruce was convicted of reckless conduct. Alexis was one of twins, the other twin is in AZ with the birthfamily. Keintz' also had a 3 yo adopted child.
