I have been posting about this adoption case in our state for the last few months. See my posts dated 10/8/2007 and 11/13/2007 for background. Especially the one on 10/8 gives a full background. Child custody case in our state's foster care system, where the child would be sent to a country he's never known, to people he doesn't know, taken from the only family he's ever known. Plus, he's an American citizen and our state system has footed a lot of money for his biological parents in jail, Gabriel's foster care, etc. It's time for him to be with a family that won't rake the system anymore.
I have been on pins and needles with this for the last few days for two reasons.
1) A state mediator was assigned to this case to find a solution. I don't have much faith in anyone working for the state in a situation like this.
2) The paternal grandmother of this little boy flew in from Mexico for a sit-down to fix this. I was worried that would not go well, and heels would start digging in.
I thought wrong. The sit down went well. In fact, Gabriel is staying in the United States, to be adopted by the brave and courageous Brandt family. Click here for the details. Congratulations to the Brandt family!
The terms of the adoption are fairly typical open-adoption kinds of things.
a) Gabriel will keep in regular contact with his paternal grandmother. Part of that will require him to learn Spanish, and the Brandt's have agreed to get that going.
b) Regular visits to take place in Oregon, not Mexico. Smart family, those Brandts! Why is this point important? Mexico and the United States do not have a child custody kind of agreement to return children taken by parents, etc. So if Gabriel left the US for a visit to Grandma's and she suddenly decided to not return him, etc. Mexico has no agreement or obligation to return Gabriel to the US. Smart! I saw that one coming, and I am glad the Brandt's did too.
I am in tears and so happy for them! I was ready to hear yet another news report giving adoption yet another black eye. Plus, this little boy will continue to grow in the security of his home and family that he has always known.
God bless you, Brandt's, and Merry Christmas!
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