Child trafficking is OK if you are a Christian

[jjmennonite]

If you are a Christian family, then it is OK to break the law . . . Lots of people will help you. Well, maybe if you get caught, the baby will be rescued, but nobody will be charged. . . Especially if the baby is a Native American, that is pink enough to 'pass' in your Christian family. Bonus babies go to couples in their 60s whose adult children can testify to their childhood abuse.

A Christian couple in their 60s nearly adopted a Native baby, despite the fact that the whole thing was illegal on many counts: transporting across state lines, a native baby taken away from the tribe . . . They had only had boys, and had always longed for a girl. One of their adult sons says they were abusive. But they are Christian, and have always longed for a girl - that should trump any law, shouldn't it? GRRRRRRRRRRR

Not breaking the links, as it is a news site.

http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.c ... nts-151775

http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.c ... ina-151963

I see "Nightlight Christian Adoptions of Greenville, South Carolina" have been on freejinger before. Nightlight is a good name for them, but not for the reasons they think.

Imagine, for every case like this that gets busted, there are likely 10 that go on, dimly lit by 'Nightlight' so nobody ever knows about the injustice, least of all the poor abused, brainwashed, trafficked child.

So sad.

[chaotic life]

Nightlight and Goodwin have been trafficking Native children into SC under the guise of religion for quite awhile. SCOTUS aided them in their last high profile snatch and run, also heavily coated with religious undertones and classist prejudice. As angry and I am for Veronica and Desarai, I'm more concerned with the ones that have flown under the radar. Nightlight is owned by Goodwin's wife. She ropes in Christian adopters who can't pass home studies easily and he trafficked vulnerable Native infants to them for a price.

[Peas n carrots]

I'm glad the baby WAS removed from the Bixler's custody. It sounds as if the adoptive mother is a complete nutter

In particular, Diane was “obsessed†with having another girl, says Josh, and even decorated a nursery in the couple's five-bedroom home in Irmo, South Carolina, outfitting it with baby furniture, clothes, toys, a changing table and a rocking chair. Even as two of her sons shared a room, Diane kept the nursery vacant—hoping, waiting, praying, Josh says. But that baby never came. As the years went by, the Bixler children grew up and left their family home, but the “baby's room†remained untouched for over a decade, Josh recalls.

[Lillybee]

Why and how can any adoption agency help a couple in their 60's adopt a newborn? This agency definitely needs to be investigated.

I hope that Boob and Michelle don't hear about them. That would be a nightmare.

[lilwriter85]

Why and how can any adoption agency help a couple in their 60's adopt a newborn? This agency definitely needs to be investigated.

I hope that Boob and Michelle don't hear about them. That would be a nightmare.

I have heard of couples in their late 50s/early 60s adopting infants. My mom is 63 and about five or six years ago, one of her high school classmates adopted a baby with his second wife. It was a private adoption and the birth mother is a distant relative of the wife.

I agree, it is a bit scary that adoption agency would help a couple in their 60s adopt a newborn.

[thoughtful]

I'm glad the child was taken away from those assholes -- here's hoping she's not just handed over to another couple in that state, just because they are white and Christian.

[JesusFightClub]

You know I'm starting to think that non-white or ethnic minority people sometimes aren't even regarded as having rights to their own kids any more?

There have been recent high-profile cases of Roma families having their children snatched by state forces because they looked "too white" so the Roma must have stolen them (in one case the child was not biologically from the parents but had been unofficially adopted, in the others children were taken from their biological parents because someone had reported the parents to the police for having white children - in all cases the kids were Roma). It really reminds me of my SIL. She was visibly mixed race and ended up with a child who looks mixed race and a child who looks very white (albeit with African features). When taking the latter kid out, she complained of two things "People look at me like I stole her" and "People think I'm her childminder". Nowadays they could report her to the polis who could make her submit to DNA testing to prove she was the mum.

When a white woman is out with kids who don't look the same as her we think "What a selfless lady to be adopting these children" or where the case is not so clear we just assume that the dad isn't white and the kids are hers. One of the things which struck me as well about the Roma cases which is like this case is that even when it was shown the children had a right to be with their families people still said "But wouldn't it be kinder to take them away to give them a proper family?" No-one says that about ethnic minority children with a white caregiver.

[Vex]

You know I'm starting to think that non-white or ethnic minority people sometimes aren't even regarded as having rights to their own kids any more?

There have been recent high-profile cases of Roma families having their children snatched by state forces because they looked "too white" so the Roma must have stolen them (in one case the child was not biologically from the parents but had been unofficially adopted, in the others children were taken from their biological parents because someone had reported the parents to the police for having white children - in all cases the kids were Roma). It really reminds me of my SIL. She was visibly mixed race and ended up with a child who looks mixed race and a child who looks very white (albeit with African features). When taking the latter kid out, she complained of two things "People look at me like I stole her" and "People think I'm her childminder". Nowadays they could report her to the polis who could make her submit to DNA testing to prove she was the mum.

When a white woman is out with kids who don't look the same as her we think "What a selfless lady to be adopting these children" or where the case is not so clear we just assume that the dad isn't white and the kids are hers. One of the things which struck me as well about the Roma cases which is like this case is that even when it was shown the children had a right to be with their families people still said "But wouldn't it be kinder to take them away to give them a proper family?" No-one says that about ethnic minority children with a white caregiver.

Oh god yes.

Those cases have been featured very heavily in the media here and I am absolutely nauseated by it! They reported the Roma because their kids were 'too white' to have Roma ancestry. Dipshits, you do realise that both adoption and recessive genes exist, right? No? Okay then.

Basically it's just down to the extreme prejudice against gypsies in Europe, be they Roma, Irish, English, whatever. They are utterly reviled and there is intense and open prejudice against them. Establishments regularly (and legally) deny service to gypsies. Events they hold are disproportionally heavily policed, their communities are constantly disrupted and scattered. It's really disgusting. The discrimination is just so blatant and overwhelming. People really do think they have no right to have children. There are major issues within the various gypsy cultures, but the sexism and lack of education exist in plenty of other cultures that are not so viciously despised.

[jjmennonite]

It looks like there are some similarities between how the Roma are treated in Europe and hoe the NAtives are treated here.

[tigerchild]

What burns me is that there are on a fairly regular basis reports/reporting on the stealing of Native American kids in particular. People boohoo, and yet do nothing to stop it. NPR did a great in depth report on South Dakota paying big bucks to a private foster care/adoption organization (Children's Home Society) and declaring all NA kids "special needs" to boost the profits of that organization (the state pays more for the care of special needs kids), documented evidence of native american foster care homes sitting empty and relatives being denied relative care priority so that the children (especially the young ones) could be scooped up by white families.

This really makes me want to hurl.

[Arete]

This may sound extreme to some, but I think private adoption should be illegal in the US. Shut them all down. Adoptions only done by state social services with lots of federal oversight. Adopting Native American kids out of their culture is already illegal on the federal level in the US, but as long as their are private adoption agencies with lots of money to be made, this is going to be a problem. Too bad, so sad if people in their 50s and 60s would then be unable to adopt. Some people who want to parent are not going to be able to. Life is unfair. It should 100% be about what is in the best interest of the child.

As to the disgraceful conduct of the Greek police I will say this: No, they did not consider adoption, because adoption is rare in Greece. Kids without parents are taken in by families. Women will abort before facing the social stigma of single parenthood. The level that goes into the Greek police is so low I would not take any bets they understand recessive genes either. What they do understand though is the absolute contempt that Greek society across the board holds the Roma in. THAT is the reason that child was taken. Pure, unadulterated racism against the Roma. That simple, that sad.

[Terrie]

Doesn't sound extreme at all. In fact, that's how it's done in some countries. I agree that adoption totally needs more oversight. There was a news story recently about the "rehoming" underground movement, where some "parents" shuffle kids around with nothing but a guardianship agreement, without any oversight from anyone. No background checks, no references, just "Well, you said you'd take my kid, so here's the kid and here's the form."

[tigerchild]

This may sound extreme to some, but I think private adoption should be illegal in the US. Shut them all down. Adoptions only done by state social services with lots of federal oversight. Adopting Native American kids out of their culture is already illegal on the federal level in the US, but as long as their are private adoption agencies with lots of money to be made, this is going to be a problem. Too bad, so sad if people in their 50s and 60s would then be unable to adopt. Some people who want to parent are not going to be able to. Life is unfair. It should 100% be about what is in the best interest of the child.

Many times the state governments are in collusion, though. State governments (especially poor ones, like South Dakota) "save" money by contracting social services to private organizations. The Native American children being taken from SD NA families are removed by the state, have the parental rights detonated by the state, nothing happens without the state sign off. I am not sure in the case of Native American kids that eliminating private adoptions would help, as it's the state government that's perpetrating it in the first place.

[LeatherCouch]

I agree with AreteJo, I also think private adoption should be illegal.

I'm on my phone and it's a PITA to type on it, but I have some first hand experience with the ICWA as it pertains to foster children. I've only worked with the Cherokee, Creek and Choctaw Nations. Each of those tribes has its own child welfare department (ICW). Their ICW works in conjunction with the state child welfare. Any time an Indian child is taken into foster care the tribe is immediately notified and if it is determined that the child should stay in foster care at the adjudication hearing, then the child is assigned both a state CW worker and an ICW worker.

In some tribes the ICW does monthly or every three month home visits, and the state CW worker does monthly. In some tribes we only see the ICW worker at court.

Every time there is a hearing (typically every 3-6 months, depending on how things are going) the ICW worker has to approve of the child's placement. If the child is not in a NA home then the judge will ask if the tribe has found a NA placement. If yes the child is moved, if no the tribe can leave them where they are, or they can move them to another non-NA placement if they feel like they are not in a good home.

The ICW has ultimate say so over where the child is placed. The state does all of the leg work, but the Tribe owns the child and makes all of the big decisions. In 12 years I never once saw anyone in the state child welfare try to skirt the ICWA, and in most cases the state and tribes work together very well.

As far as the adoption of Native kids by a non-Native family; it is a misconception that it is illegal. It happens rarely, but usually in cases where the child is difficult to place due to age or disabilities, and always after many attempts to find the child a Native American home. If it's not possible to find an Indian home, then the tribe can agree to let the state try to find a non-NA placement at a Good Cause hearing. Then at finalization the tribal worker has to sign the adoption decree along with the judge and again give permission for the adoption under oath.

Any time a Native child is adopted the BIA is made aware, and any Indian child who is adopted by a non-Indian family retains their CDIB cards and tribal membership under their biological family's lineage. That link is never broken, though the CDIB card is reissued under the child's new legal name.

[jjmennonite]

Leathercouch, it sounds like you are working somewhere where the rules are being followed. The case I cited in the OP appears to have the same laws in place, but 'Nightlight' colludes with Christian judges to break the law. This is based on the fallacy that a Christian home is better than anything else.

This is what I find so alarming.

As a child, I really did believe that Christians were better than anybody, so I can see how this can happen, if you never educate yourself out of this belief.

[singsingsing]

There are other problems inherent in secret adoptions. For example, my grandfather was adopted and the social services can't legally give us the identities of his birth parents. So theoretically (and of course this is unlikely, but still) I could accidentally marry my second cousin because I'm not allowed to know that part of my ancestry.

[chaotic life]

Goodall is continuing his normal patterns of unethical adoptions. The hearing on Desirae has been moved to a different jurisdiction in a different county without proper notification. The tribe, the birthfather and his mother are having to fight VERY hard to just to keep track of all the dirty tricks Goodall's team are playing.

What is truly scary is that Veronica's case brought this to light, even though her kidnappers now have full custody of her because her father let go for her sake. In the midst of Veronica's case, Desirae's came to light. As this continues, it's being determined that these lawyers have been doing this for twenty years and have spirited away more Native children than can be accounted for. Goodall bragged at having stolen 50 native children from North Dakota in the last twenty years.

[LeatherCouch]

Leathercouch, it sounds like you are working somewhere where the rules are being followed. The case I cited in the OP appears to have the same laws in place, but 'Nightlight' colludes with Christian judges to break the law. This is based on the fallacy that a Christian home is better than anything else.

This is what I find so alarming.

As a child, I really did believe that Christians were better than anybody, so I can see how this can happen, if you never educate yourself out of this belief.

Right, I know, but I wanted to give my experience in light of tigerchild's "state governments" post, though I didn't address him/her directly. A lot of people seem unclear on the ICWA regarding foster children, and while my field of experience is narrow, in my narrow field I have a lot of experience.

To add to what I said before, and to kind of fill in the holes, in my state when parental rights are terminated on any foster child it is in a county court, presided over by the judge and the state's child welfare and the DA or ADA. If the child is Native American the child's ICW worker will also be present and heard from, having submitted his or her own report and recommendations to the judge. However, the termination is done by the state in all cases, as that is the legal process, and always in a hearing. There are no secret, closed chambers terminations for foster kids. The Tribe can block termination, but the ICWA is not about keeping kids with shitty parents, it's about keeping kids with their Tribes. I've never known an ICW worker to object to parental rights termination in the case of a foster child. By the time we get to that point the parents have proven themselves incapable of caring for the child(ren) over a long period of time. In my experience, most parents get about 2 years to try to get themselves together, though the law allows for termination after 12 months of failure to work their plan (Which consists of things like drug/alcohol counseling, rehab, parenting classes, applying for any aid they might qualify for, living in acceptable accommodations without and criminals or drug addicts also living there, getting a job if they are able, etc. The standards are low and easily attainable and there is help along every step.). The only cases I know of where termination happens faster than 2 years is when the parents have voluntarily given up rights on previous children and have not changed their living conditions.

Termination of rights is separate from adoption. Termination comes after the reunification of the family has failed and is not dependent upon having a family to adopt the child. Once the parental rights are terminated the child is free for adoption and THEN the ICW and state work together to find an adoptive home, with the ICW leading. At that point all the state CW does is the leg/paper work to get the adoptive family approved for adoption and monitor the situation until finalization. The ICW, depending on the tribe and situation, may do several, or just one final home visit, or they may not be seen again until the hearing for finalization. If no family is found for the child they wait in foster care or group homes until they get a family or they age out.

This is all regarding foster care in my state, and has nothing to do with private adoptions, where the laws are being skirted, bent and ignored, not just for Native American kids, but all kids. In private adoptions of the past and still too often today the children and biological parents get the shaft while the system benefits the adoptive parents and lawyers. Nightlight is one of the worst and should be shut down immediately and Goodall needs to spend some time behind bars. I very much hope that Deseray gets to go home to her father and grandparents soon.

[patsymae]

The foster system is just as corrupt in some cases, as it's more profitable to have foster children adopted than to provide families with needed services.