A year-long investigation by ABC Action News has resulted in two couples each receiving $1500 refunds from a bay area adoption agency, and the state expanding its own probe of the agency.

A boy was adopted in Sept. 2006 by a bay area couple, Dawn and Lee. For privacy reasons, they don't want their last names used. The boy they named Landry was adopted thru an agency based in a small, un-marked office in Largo, called "Adoption Advocates", run by Kathleen hayes and her daughter, Tara. Another couple, Doreen and Kevin Whisler (formerly of Tampa, now residents of Charlotte, N.C.), originally contracted with "Adoption Advocates" but backed out at the last minute, worried that the baby might have health problems, which he doesn't.

Their contracts show that both couples paid "Adoption Advocates" more than 30-thousand dollars for the same baby.

But "Adoption Advocates refused to return any money to  the Whislers until ABC Action News Investigative Reporter Matthew Schwartz brought it to the attention of  the Florida Department of Children & Families. This past April, prompted by questions from ABC Action News, DCF started investigating "Adoption Advocates...and required the agency to refund the Whislers about eight-thousand dollars.

Six months later, DCF has now determined that "Adoption Advocates also double-billed on a fee, for what's called "termination of parental rights."

Department of Children & Families spokesman Andy Ritter told Matthew Schwartz, "It said in the 13-thousand dollar initial fee that they were charging families, that legal fees were included in that. And then later in the contract it stated that they were going to pay, or have to pay, 15-hundred dollars for the termination of parental rights, which is a legal fee. Therefore, we felt as if they were double-billing on that." 
DCF ordered "Adoption Advocates" to refund both couples 15-hundred dollars.

The adoptive mother, Dawn, says, "We are so appreciative of ABC Action News for continuing this investigation, continuing to poke and prod at whoever, DCF, other families who've adopted, to uncover the mistakes, the double-billing, whatever you may call it.

Her husband, Lee, added, "This never would have happened had ABC Action News not gotten involved, no doubt about it."

"Adoption Advocates" has refused repeatedly to talk to us. Because of our investigation, DCF says it is now reviewing dozens of adoptions by the agency as far back as 2000...to determine if other couples may have been charged more than they should have.

Investigator Matthew Schwartz asked Ritter, "How would you describe 'Adoption Advocates' bookeeping and expense accounting?" Ritter replied,  "Not very good."

Nevertheless, DCF has extended the adoption agency's provisional license until next July.