Heather,
Your instincts are correct - they cannot simply 'give' you the baby, there are steps that must be taken.
First, the biological parents must either relinquish their parental rights or have them terminated involuntarily by the court system. There is NO WAY the grandmother can simply 'give' the baby to someone to raise legally without the biological parents' consent. She has no legal rights.
Consider that if you accept placement without this critical step being taken - termination of parental rights - at any time the child could be removed from your care by the biological parents or the state with no recourse on your part.
Now if the biological parents do abandon the child, then legal responsibility goes to the state, who then seek a placement for the child - either with relatives or with foster-to-adopt parents. Note that involuntary termination of rightrs is a lengthy and unpredictible process.
My best advice would be for you to first, contact this young lady and her family and speak to them directly. They may not have seriously thought about the implications of what they are saying or planning.
If they would consider a domestic parental placement, then get in touch with an attorney who specializes in adoption. The American Academy of Adoption Attorneys keeps its' member list online at
www.adoptiontattorneys.com. Call a few and compare experience, fees, and services.
At that point your attorney can contact this family to again discuss plans, as well as guide you towards meeting the requrements for your state - namely a complete home study.
Best of luck,
Regina