Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
Samantha Hayes reporting A practice, sometimes called Baby Brokering, is the darker sider of the adoption process. But as Samantha Hayes found out, it's not unheard of.
A California couple was planning to adopt a baby from a woman with ties to Utah. They spent several thousand dollars to accomodate her, but ended up without a baby or their money.
Robert Temple/ Victim of Adoption Scheme: "All you are really trying to do is make this woman happy and make her think you are going to provide a good life for her child."
Mary Anne Johnson told Robert Temple and his wife that they could adopt her baby. She also told several other couples that.
Robert Temple: "We paid her rent, utilities, sent her money for food. We paid medical bills, physical therapy, airplane fare, hotels. All together I think that was $9,000."
But when Johnson had a miscarriage, she didn't tell anyone.
Robert Temple: "She finally had to admit she was lying to police and she made a full confession and said she was doing it for the money."
People who work in legitimate adoption agencies say the process can be tedious and emotional, and sometimes a couple's desperation to become parents opens them up to being taken advantage of."
Kathy Searle/ The Adoption Exchange: "They are not able to do what everyone else is able to do and it's their hearts' desire to parent a child."
Kathy Searle with the Adoption Exchange says birth mothers can be desperate too. Some look at adoption as a way to make money and essentially shop around for the best deal.
Kathy Searle/ The Adoption Exchange: "We have people who are so badly taken advantage of by people who have reduced it for money, and it's really sad for the kids in our nation."
More often than not, licenced agencies have many success stories.
Beth Beck/ Children's Service Society: "It's a wonderful process when it's done right, and with people who have the best intention for the child in mind."
Robert Temple: "We are going to finish this story with a happy ending. We are going to have a baby in this family."
Robert Temple said Johnson had a boyfriend in Utah but claimed the father of her baby was a soldier who died in Iraq, which also turned out not to be true.
