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Dad Files $130M Suit, Alleging His Son Was Unknowingly Put
Up for Adoption
By ADITI ROY | Good Morning America – 2 hours 40 minutes ago
An unmarried Utah father has filed a $130 million federal lawsuit against his son's biological mother, claiming she put their son up for adoption without his knowledge.In a complaint filed in U.S. District Court Friday, Jake Strickland alleges the boy's mother, Whitney Pettersson Demke "essentially kidnapped" his son shortly after birth three years ago. Strickland alleges Demke, the adoptive parents and the adoption agency conspired in an "illegal, deceit-ridden infant adoption" that deprived him of his son, according to the suit.
"My son doesn't deserve to go through this. I don't deserve to go through this. This has been very heart-wrenching for everyone involved," Strickland says on GetBabyJack.com, a website explaining his fight to gain custody of the son that he has never met.
Pettersson and LDS Family Services, which facilitated the adoption, didn't respond to ABC News' request for comment.
Strickland and Demke met in 2009 but broke up before the baby was born in December 2010, according to court documents obtained by ABC News. But Strickland contends they remained friendly and agreed to share custody. Strickland says they even decided to name the baby boy Jack.
"I helped her with as much as I could. Gave her money whenever she needed it," Strickland explains in a video posted on the website.
The baby was born Dec. 29, 2010 and was put up for adoption the next day by Pettersson, Strickland says in the suit.Pettersson, according to Strickland, didn't tell him about the adoption until one week later.
"She had my son without telling me and put him up for adoption the next day," Strickland explains in the video. Days later, Pettersson confessed that she had been planning to put Jack up for adoption from the beginning, according to Strickland. "The moment that I found out, I filed for paternity, which was already too late. I know I should have filed earlier, but I trusted her," Strickland says.
But there was still another surprise waiting for Strickland, who thought Pettersson was divorced. But, in fact, she was still married to her estranged husband, who under Utah law, was presumed the father of Jack and had the right to give custody away.
Soon after Strickland learned the adoption was completed, he filed a paternity claim. That battle is still being fought in Utah's 2nd District Court. Strickland's suit is challenging the boundaries of an unmarried father's rights in Utah."Under current Utah law, if you are the biological father, and have not filed every paper required, you could permanently lose your child," said Utah attorney Mark Wiser, who is not affiliated with this case.
Strickland continues to use the website to send messages to his son, who just turned 3 years old Sunday, and hopes to someday deliver them in person.
I am sorry that your son was taken from you in such a deceitful way. Were the adoptive parents informed right away of your filing for paternity? Here's my concern: your son is now a child who has only known one set of parents, one home. By pursuing custody at this point in his life, you are risking him developing Reactive Attachment Disorder. If you are truly wanting what is best for him, how about approach the situation this way, get visitation rights. Build a relationship with him without disrupting his world. Of course you are extremely angry at your ex-girlfriend and have every right to be. Please do not take that anger out on this precious little boy. The adoptive parents should have given him back as soon as they heard about your petition. However, having said that, my husband and I adopted our youngest daughter through an open adoption and it would have taken an act of God to pry her out of my arms. For those who have gone through all the emotional ups and downs prior to even making the decision to pursue adoption and then (we had two birth mothers change their minds immediately prior to placement before our daughter's birth). You don't know what this couple was told about you and that bond can come immediately. Please step back and rethink your course. Again, I am so sorry that all involved were deceitful.
ReplyDeleteSo the almighty adopters got to deceitfully make off with someone else's child so just let em keep the child? Hogwash. You are an adopter and have the moniker BeeMommy? Is that a way to denegrate the natural mothers of this world, ADOPTER?
DeleteDo not listen to this bozo. She has a vested interest in keeping children away from their rightful families because she is part of the problem instead of the solution.
Go to hell you witch.
Anyone reading here might find this interesting--and pathetic and sad.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.firstmotherforum.com/2014/01/fathers-are-they-necessary.html
I admire what you have done here. I love the part where you say you are doing this to give back but I would assume by all the comments that is working for you as well. Do you have any more info on this?
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