Proceed With Caution on Adoptions : A Recent Scam Illustrates the Need for Patience and Business Sense

The story of Angela Andrews, who gave birth to her child in Burbank last year, is every adopting parent’s nightmare. Andrews promised her baby to five couples and an adoption agency, raking in at least $65,000 for doctor bills and living expenses. But the money was spent on a 52-inch television set, a living room set and nights out on the town. Andrews has since confessed to multiple counts of theft and fraud and she is serving a nine-year prison term.

Fortunately, relative to the 60,000 cases of adoption that occur in this country every year, such wrenching examples are rare. But there are certain things to avoid in these matters. Perhaps the most important is the kind of impatience that can lead to rash decisions. Depending on the kind of child you want to adopt, experts say that the process can take five to seven years.

For one thing, it pays to be wary of those who demand large sums of money upfront. “That should send up a red flag to adopting parents,” said Steve Humerickhouse, coordinator of legislative affairs for a group called Adoptive Families of America.

There are also different laws in every state governing what adopting parents can and cannot pay for, generally limited to matters directly related to the child’s health.

Much more protection is to be found in the use of intermediaries or third parties, such as an attorney specializing in adoptions, state and local government agencies, and private agencies.

For the latter, Adoptive Families of America is a good place to start. Its telephone number is (612) 535-4829, and it maintains a list of certified agencies in each state. Keep trying; the number is frequently busy. The American Academy of Adoption Attorneys provides a directory of lawyers whose special expertise is in the field of adoption law. You can receive that directory by mail from the following address: P.O. Box 33053, Washington, D.C. 20033-0053.

“People too often rely on their emotions. You have to use your business sense as well. You have to be a smart consumer,” said Humerickhouse. That sounds, to us, like excellent advice.