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Children's book author ran house of horrors, adopted kids were starved, locked up and beaten

Children's book author Jennifer Wolfthal and her husband, Joseph Wolfthal were jailed for severe abuse of their adopted kids

 


A Florida-based children’s book author and her husband have been sentenced to 10 years in prison after they pled guilty to abusing their three adopted children.

 


The author of “A Real Friend" Jennifer Wolfthal and her husband, Joseph Wolfthal, an engineer for Lockheed Martin, were charged with child abused and neglect.

Eight Sri Lankan adoptees appeal against State for adoption fraud

Eight people who were adopted from Sri Lanka between 1983 and 1990 are appealing their case against the Dutch government. The court previously ruled that there were irregularities in these adoptions, but that the State is not liable.

The eight disagree. They refer to, among other things, the report of the Joustra committee from 2021. It states that the State was aware of structural abuses, but did not take responsibility and failed to meet obligations.

The eight Dutch people were all adopted through Stichting Flash. This agency, which was closed down in 2010, has been linked to abuses surrounding adoption on several occasions in the past. The government should have seen the signs of fraud and baby trafficking and the errors in files and should have intervened, their lawyer told the ANP news agency.

He clarifies what the errors are. Four of them were supposed to be half of a twin, but this turned out to be incorrect after DNA tests. Names, dates of birth and details of biological parents were also incorrect. As a result, the adoptees have incorrect details in their passports or do not know where their biological family is, says the lawyer.

The court previously ruled that these errors "are not so serious that the State should have recognized them." But the adoptees want the court to determine that the State is liable. Then they can get help in finding family members, changing their name or date of birth and the costs they incur in doing so. Such a ruling would provide satisfaction and recognition, the lawyer explains.

Lawsuit alleges Vermont tracks pregnant women deemed unsuitable for parenthood

https://apnews.com/article/pregnancy-child-welfare-lawsuit-vermont-2fb1e1b3f89883ecb86b090ac22bf54c?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR1Qaiidhy3y4Rtu52zqmvMaVGx01GIJWmY1DWW_tD4hxlkwZfyv3X1NHSs_aem_DCRRzYiO57LRlfbnE9WEZQ#qclzvlokxhn21uazkl9xekxqbydmcnj

 

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — Vermont’s child welfare agency relied on baseless allegations about a pregnant woman’s mental health to secretly investigate her and win custody of her daughter before the baby was born, according to a lawsuit that alleges the state routinely targets and tracks pregnant women deemed unsuitable for parenthood.

The ACLU of Vermont and Pregnancy Justice, a national advocacy group, on Wednesday sued the Vermont Department for Children and Families, a counseling center and the hospital where the woman gave birth in February 2022. The lawsuit seeks both an end to what it calls an illegal surveillance program and unspecified monetary damages for the woman, who is identified only by her initials, A.V.

According to the complaint, the director of a homeless shelter where A.V. briefly stayed in January 2022 told the child welfare agency that she appeared to have untreated paranoia, dissociative behaviors and PTSD. The state opened an investigation and later spoke to the woman’s counselor, midwife and a hospital social worker, despite having no jurisdiction over fetuses and all without her knowledge.

Northwest Indiana foster mom sentenced to 5 years in prison for death of 10-year-old boy

PORTER COUNTY, Ind. (WLS) -- A Northwest Indiana woman charged in the death of her foster son was sentenced to five years in prison on Friday.

Dakota Levi Stevens, 10, died last April after a medical emergency at a home in Porter County. His death was eventually ruled a homicide.

 

 

 

Merely Submitting Adoption Plea Wouldn't Confer Any Rights To Unilaterally Take Child's Custody Without Following Procedure: Madras HC

Merely Submitting Adoption Plea Wouldn't Confer Any Rights To Unilaterally Take Child's Custody Without Following Procedure: Madras HC


The Madras High Court has observed that merely submitting an application seeking adoption of a child would not confer any rights on the parties concerned to take custody of the child unilaterally without "scrupulously" following the due procedure.

A division bench of Justice SM Subramaniam and Justice M Jothiraman noted that the procedures contemplated under the relevant statutes have to be scrupulously followed and the committee constituted must assess the couple, including their mindset, capacity, family setup etc.

Mere submission of an application seeking an adoption would not confer any right to take custody of a child unilaterally and declare the said child as an adopted daughter. Pertinently, the High Court cannot deliberate on these issues, since it involves the 'best interest of the child'. The assessment of the couple seeking adoption, their capacity, mind set, family setup, circumstances, all to be examined scrupulously by the committee constituted for the purpose of making such assessment. Therefore, the procedures as contemplated under the relevant statutes are to be scrupulously followed for the purpose of adoption of a child,” the court noted.

The bench was hearing a habeas corpus petition filed by a couple seeking the custody of a 1 ½-year-old child. The couple informed the court that they had been married for 20 years and since they had not been blessed with a child, they submitted an application seeking adoption in the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA), Ministry of Women and Child Development.

Ethiopia: Adoptions by Parents of Ethiopian Origin

The Office of Children’s Issues (CI) and the U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa confirmed the following with the Ethiopian Federal First Instance Court (FFIC):

  1. U.S. citizens of Ethiopian origin may be able to complete intercountry adoptions from Ethiopia. U.S. citizens who cannot satisfy the FFIC that they are of Ethiopian origin are still subject to Ethiopia’s 2018 adoption ban (see CI’s 2018 Adoption Notice.)
  2. If the FFIC determines that a U.S. citizen prospective adoptive parent (PAP) can adopt:
             a.The case is no longer subject to the Pre-Adoption Immigration Review (PAIR) process
             b.PAPs who adopt from a public or private orphanage must obtain a best interest determination (BID) letter, while PAPs who adopt a child that is not in an orphanage do not need to obtain a BID letter.

Updated Process For Ethiopian Adoptions

The FFIC will determine on a case-by-case basis whether it considers PAPs to be of Ethiopian origin (diaspora adoptions). The FFIC has not provided definitive criteria it will use to determine which prospective adoptive parents are considered to be of Ethiopian origin, but did indicate that PAPs must be able to demonstrate strong ties to Ethiopia, such as being born in Ethiopia or previously holding Ethiopian citizenship. PAPs will need to provide evidence to the FFIC when applying for an adoption order, such as an Ethiopian birth certificate, Ethiopian passport, or an Ethiopian Origin ID Card (also known as a Diaspora Card or Yellow Card).

Prior to 2018, adoptions from Ethiopia were subject to the Pre-Adoption Immigration Review (PAIR) process.  Under PAIR, USCIS reviewed the child’s eligibility to immigrate before PAPs adopted the child. The FFIC has indicated that this process is not necessary for diaspora adoptions, and accordingly, the PAIR process is no longer applicable to adoptions by PAPs who have been confirmed by the FFIC to be of Ethiopian origin. PAPs of Ethiopian origin may file Form I-600 petitions with USCIS or in-country with Embassy Addis Ababa (note: you must have a valid Form I-600A to file in-country; see our website for more information).

Navigating Life as a Birth Mother

As I walked into my son’s elementary school holding bags of treats for his class, another mother passed by and while smiling asked, “Oh, wow, how many children do you have?”

It’s a simple question for most, but for someone like me—someone who wears the badge of “Birth Mother”—it was triggering. I was taken back as my 4-year-old daughter blurted out, “She has three, but my sister doesn’t live with us. She gave her away.”

Okay, those may not have been her exact words, but it’s how I felt at that moment. There I was, the PTA President, fumbling for a response while gently nudging my daughter along. I quickly replied that my husband and I have two children and moved on, never looking back to see the other mother’s reaction. I couldn’t help but wonder, “Does it ever get easier?” Maybe. Maybe not. It depends on the day.

As I walked into my son’s elementary school holding bags of treats for his class, another mother passed by and while smiling asked, “Oh, wow, how many children do you have?”

It’s a simple question for most, but for someone like me—someone who wears the badge of “Birth Mother”—it was triggering. I was taken back as my 4-year-old daughter blurted out, “She has three, but my sister doesn’t live with us. She gave her away.”

ING Bank under scrutiny in money laundering case of former EU Commissioner Didier Reynders

Didier Reynders © Marzia Cosenza / European Commission

Day before yesterday · clock 2 MIN

ING Bank under scrutiny in money laundering case of former EU Commissioner Didier Reynders

Simon Van Dorpe

Contributions

Submission of interim report from the investigation committee for foreign adoptions

On Wednesday 22 January, Minister for Children and Families Kjersti Toppe (Sp) received an interim report from the committee that investigates adoptions abroad.

The investigative committee was appointed by the Støre government on 20 June 2023, and will find out whether Norwegian authorities have had good enough control over foreign adoptions, and whether there have been illegal or unethical conditions in connection with foreign adoptions to Norway. The committee must now deliver an interim report which, among other things, contains preliminary findings on adoptions from Colombia and Ecuador. The committee will deliver its final report in December 2025.

See the committee's mandate.Committee leader Camilla Bernt, professor of jurisprudence at the University of Bergen, will present the interim report.After the presentation, there is an opportunity for an interview with the Minister for Children and Families and the head of the selection committee.Time: Wednesday 22 January at 10:00–11:00. Registration from 09.30. Bring your press card and valid ID.City: The auditorium in R5, Akersgata 59.Registration: Press wishing to cover the meeting can register before 12.00 Tuesday 21 January to media@bfd.dep.no.The event will be filmed by the Danish Security and Service Organization (DSS) and can be followed directly on this page.For questions from the press, contact communications advisor Amalie Knudsen by email: Amalie-fosse.knudsen@bfd.dep.no or phone number: +47 926 66 262.

"We were starting to get suspicious" | Former 2nd Milk donor speaks out after founder's arrest

"I was telling anybody and everybody that they need to support 2nd Milk, so I felt like it was my responsibility to find out the truth," Nellya Canfield said


SPRINGDALE, Ark. — Following the federal indictment of the founders of 2nd Milk, a Springdale-based nonprofit aimed at helping orphaned children in Africa and elsewhere, a Tennessee woman involved with the group is coming forward with details of her experience. 

Nellya Canfield said she met Jason and Lacey Carney in 2021. She said she and her husband were in the process of trying to adopt a child from Malawi, Africa when the adoption agency put her in contact with 2nd Milk. 

“Jason really helped me in that," Canfield said. "He's an adoptive dad. He's an adoptee himself, and I think what really put our walls down was the fact that he actually started off as a missionary in Malawi, Africa, so we really felt like he checked every single box to be able to run an ethical nonprofit.” 

It was after meeting, Canfield said, that she and her husband began donating $400 a month to 2nd Milk for several months in a row.