Is anyone following the Veronica Rose story?

[tammymacb]

http://www.saveveronica.org/

...............................................

The family involved live close to us, and though I don't know them personally we have several friends. The case was recently heard by the SC Supreme Court and we're hoping for a judgment to send Veronica home.

I was just curious if anyone else was following this story and what your thoughts about it were.

 

[CathrynRose]

I had heard nothing about this. Thanks for sharing.

So sad. Yikes.

 

[CathrynRose]

And I'd break up your Org Post. It's hard to read the way it is, making people skip it. I only clicked your link.

 

[cornflake]

I'd like to see an actual news piece laying out the details of that case, because that mess reads so awfully it honestly makes me assume they're shady and lying or why wouldn't they just lay out the facts.

Most of those cases are about someone protesting or changing their minds within a legallly acceptable period and the adoptive parents refusing to relinquish the child and dragging it out and THEN years later going on about how could you rip the now years-older child away from the only home he or she has known. That is what this sounds like, so... yeah.

 

[CathrynRose]

I'd like to see an actual news piece laying out the details of that case, because that mess reads so awfully it honestly makes me assume they're shady and lying or why wouldn't they just lay out the facts.

Most of those cases are about someone protesting or changing their minds within a legallly acceptable period and the adoptive parents refusing to relinquish the child and dragging it out and THEN years later going on about how could you rip the now years-older child away from the only home he or she has known. That is what this sounds like, so... yeah.

Click the link. There's lots of news stories, as well as the FB page with links and links.

 

[disney4us2002]

I work for a public agency that works with foster care and adoption and I will be shocked if Veronica's adopted family wins. Don't misunderstand that to mean I think she shouldn't be returned; I just don't think it'll turn out the way they want. I've been in this field too long and know of many heart-breaking stories.

 

[ClarabelleCowFan]

I have been following it since it happened in my hometown of Charleston, SC. What a very sad story for little Veronica.

Here is the facebook page for those interested:

https://www.facebook.com/SaveVeronicaRose

 

[CozumelDisneyFan]

Why does the dad think that he can come in at this late hour? If he had cared about the baby, he would have cared for the woman carrying her...

Will cross my fingers!

 

[cornflake]

Why does the dad think that he can come in at this late hour? If he had cared about the baby, he would have cared for the woman carrying her...

Will cross my fingers!

He filed when the baby was 4 months old and he was apparently deployed at the time.

He's under zero obligation to care about the mother, has nothing to do with what he feels for or wants for the child.

Thanks for mentioning there were some news stories at the link. I suspect they were picking and choosing but they're actual outlets so fine.

Interesting he found an outlet with the federal law, just in a general sense.

Wonder what his story is about why he waited four months and didn't file sooner.

 

[mvazul]

He filed when the baby was 4 months old and he was apparently deployed at the time.

He's under zero obligation to care about the mother, has nothing to do with what he feels for or wants for the child.

Thanks for mentioning there were some news stories at the link. I suspect they were picking and choosing but they're actual outlets so fine.

Interesting he found an outlet with the federal law, just in a general sense.

Wonder what his story is about why he waited four months and didn't file sooner.

According to the articles, he was not deployed at the time the mother was expecting. He chose to not support her, therefore it was considered abandonment of the child. Under South Carolina law, his parental rights should have been terminated. He found a loophole - for whatever reason - with the Indian Child Welfare Act.

I have friends who adopted twin girls last year. The birth mother chose my friend and her husband to adopt the girls. Just after their birth, the mother chose to use the Indian Child Welfare Act to keep her girls. She kept them for five weeks and called my friend to come and get them. Thankfully, in my friend's case, the adoption is now complete and legal. The girls just celebrated their first birthday a couple weeks ago.

Saying a prayer for Veronica.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Matt and Melanie were not aware Veronica was considered an Indian child during the initial stages of their adoption. They knew she was more Hispanic and Caucasian than anything else so when they learned of her small percentage of Cherokee heritage it came as a surprise. Regardless, they remain committed to raising Veronica in a healthy, loving environment with full understanding and appreciation of all her heritages – as Veronica is a multiracial child. But there is a law in the United States that claims Indian heritage is more important than any other heritage and that tribes are allowed to determine where a child is placed regardless of the birth parents wishes.

Since Veronica has ‘one drop of Cherokee blood’ this federal law known as the Indian Child Welfare Act would apply to her adoption case. Ultimately, the misuse of this law required Matt and Melanie to return Veronica to her biological father even though this federal act was originally established to protect families and children – not tear them apart. More importantly, if a child’s birth family maintains no affiliation with the Indian culture or tribe to begin with, Veronica would not be raised in a setting that would reflect the “unique values of Indian culture” to begin with.

Wondering if this should have been an issue forseen by the attorney who arranged the adoption?

 

[cornflake]

According to the articles, he was not deployed at the time the mother was expecting. He chose to not support her, therefore it was considered abandonment of the child. Under South Carolina law, his parental rights should have been terminated. He found a loophole - for whatever reason - with the Indian Child Welfare Act.

I have friends who adopted twin girls last year. The birth mother chose my friend and her husband to adopt the girls. Just after their birth, the mother chose to use the Indian Child Welfare Act to keep her girls. She kept them for five weeks and called my friend to come and get them. Thankfully, in my friend's case, the adoption is now complete and legal. The girls just celebrated their first birthday a couple weeks ago.

Saying a prayer for Veronica.

According to the Reuters article the law requires either pre-birth support or steps to be a father, and I assume the pre-birth support is directed toward the prospective child, same as steps to be a father (like making intent clear, buying appropriate infant care items, etc.), not supporting another adult. I realize it's South Carolina but even their law cannot be so backwards as to require someone to support a functioning adult against their will in order to retain parental rights.

Regardless, yeah, does hang on whether the federal will supercede the state. Which is hard to argue against in a general sense, but the particulars of the Indian Child Welfare Act in this case would seem to have some room - interesting argument there.

 

[CPT Tripss]

These adoption problems always trouble me . . .

In this one it looks like the father began his legal action in very early 2010 . . . give or take two years later (new years eve 2011) the child was removed from Matt and Melanie's home.

No one looks good in this kind of protracted battle over a child.

 

[PaulaSB12]

I hope the biological father wins, if they had done the right thing when his daughter was 4 months there would have been no trauma for the child. By dragging it out the adoptive parents have been the cause of the trauma. For the sake of the child parent bond they shouldn't see her again. It is going to sound cruel but if you find you are unable to have a child you should only be allowed to adopt if BOTH parents agree if one changes his or her mind and closes to raise the child that is how it should be.

 

[duffy]

I hope the biological father wins, if they had done the right thing when his daughter was 4 months there would have been no trauma for the child. By dragging it out the adoptive parents have been the cause of the trauma. For the sake of the child parent bond they shouldn't see her again. It is going to sound cruel but if you find you are unable to have a child you should only be allowed to adopt if BOTH parents agree if one changes his or her mind and closes to raise the child that is how it should be.

I agree. At four months, the child would not have been traumatized, having to go to her biological parent. Yes, the adoptive parents would have been devastated. That is a risk of adoption.

 

[Heidict]

Such a sad story and in the end the little girl is the one who is really going to be damaged and the one losing in all of it. Being ripped back and forth has to be so confusing for her.

In the original OP it mentioned that if the birth parents had returned the child at 4 months when the father petitioned for custody that she would have been placed in foster care. Why? If the father is granted custody of his daughter, why would he not take her home? If, for some legal reason she did end up in foster care, I don't believe it would have been for very long at all and in the end would have been less traumatic for her.

Adoption is a risky road and having one or both of the parents change their mind is a risk that comes with it. I can't imagine how painful it must be to have that happen, but I think fighting it and dragging it on for years is only going to make it even more difficult.

I don't like why they throw in the fact that he was going to be deploying to Iraq shortly after petitioning for custody. What does that have to do with anything? Are we to assume he will be a horrible parent because he will be off fighting for his country? I'm sure he had suitable arrangements for her care in his absence (probably his parents?). That shouldn't even be part of the story.

 

[dogluva]

I'd like to see an actual news piece laying out the details of that case, because that mess reads so awfully it honestly makes me assume they're shady and lying or why wouldn't they just lay out the facts.

Most of those cases are about someone protesting or changing their minds within a legallly acceptable period and the adoptive parents refusing to relinquish the child and dragging it out and THEN years later going on about how could you rip the now years-older child away from the only home he or she has known. That is what this sounds like, so... yeah.

I agree.

 

[tammymacb]

Op here. I deleted the story and left the link up because I agree, it was very worthy.

For the record, I don't believe for a second that that baby should have been taken away from her family.

Her father never lived on a reservation, he didn't "belong" to the Cherokee Nation until prior to using that argument for filing his suit.

Past court cases have sided with the adoptive families over this law, and I'm hoping the SC supreme court follows. If he hadn't been 1% Indian, he would have lost custody a long time ago and Veronica would be home right now.

 

[TheSchragFamily]

Op here. I deleted the story and left the link up because I agree, it was very worthy.

For the record, I don't believe for a second that that baby should have been taken away from her family.

Her father never lived on a reservation, he didn't "belong" to the Cherokee Nation until prior to using that argument for filing his suit.

Past court cases have sided with the adoptive families over this law, and I'm hoping the SC supreme court follows. If he hadn't been 1% Indian, he would have lost custody a long time ago and Veronica would be home right now.

I don't understand how this works. I have WAY more native american blood than this guy, but I fail to see how my kids could be considered part of a tribe...don't live on a reservation, not registered, no paperwork saying that, etc. Did someone in his extended family have papers and that's how they figured it out? I can't believe this guy took 13 months to decide he wanted to be a father...maybe his family pressured him to take the little girl, after all...but apparently the law is that he should have her back. Fighting that has really created a problem for the poor child. Adoption is not without risks and I can't understand how this couple thought they could prevail over the law.

 

[PaulaSB12]

The father said he wanted to raise the child, at that point the couple should have handed her over. As has been said that is the risk you take going for an adoption. For these who say a man needs to show care before the baby was born, what happens is he isn't told before and finds out at birth? I do feel sorry for couples who so desperately want a baby, but having a baby isn't a right and if one or both of the parents change their mind then back the child goes. Not fight and fight until the child reaches an age where it could cause problems. And they call the father selfish!