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Michigan woman defrauds three adoptive couples
Filed under: Adoption, Divorce & Custody
This is the kind of story that puts fear into the hearts of every prospective adoptive family.
It turns out a Michigan woman defrauded three(!) adoptive couples out of thousands of dollars as she is accused of promising them they would be able to adopt her unborn child. The couples each paid money to her for rent, utilities, and cellphone bills. The child was eventually born and placed with a fourth couple.
The accused culprit, Heather Roshelle Collins, allegedly made things even worse by telling the couples that her baby would be born last October when it actually was born in August. So, for a period of three months, she continued to accept money from these couples while her child was already out of her custody.
Collins has now been charged with two felonies and released on $20,000 bond. Preliminary hearings are scheduled to take place next week.
Obviously, we all know that birthmothers do have the right to change their minds and keep their babies--all of us who have adopted domestically know the risks. However, birthmothers don't have the right to play with peoples' emotions and prey on them for bottomless financial support. That's why it is crucial that prospective adoptive parents get legal representation immediately so their rights will be protected.
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ReaderComments (Page 1 of 1)
2-14-2007 @ 5:32PM
Ann Adams said...I can't imagine the heartbreak those families must be feeling.
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2-14-2007 @ 5:43PM
Christine said...Absolutely. Dont hand out your cash freely use a reputable agency. Please note that mothers who change their mind are not birthmothers but simply mothers.... as well as those who are considering adoption. Birthmother does not come into play until rights are relinquished because prior to that she is simply the only mother the child has.
In any case... please note that while what she did was wrong... totally and completely.... so is throwing money at a mom simply because you want her to give you your baby. If you feel the need to do that.. you might want to try a little more counselling. Wait for the right match and if you pay bills... use a lawyer or pay the bill directly.
We see these stories all the time and it makes us (biomom's; firstmoms; birthmoms) look like the bad guys all the time... when in all actuality there are plenty (PLEANTY) of cases where the adoptive couple defrauded the bioparent and made commitments that they never intended to keep in order to convince her to choose them (only her cost isnt monetary; it is her child). It is a two way street... everyone needs to watch for red flags!!
And of course, be aware that these stories are not the norm.. they are the publicized exception.
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