[DeeVee]

I still don't understand how DNA can be falsified. And of course the writer talks about the "quick easy corrupt system." But it's worth reading.

Latin America World News - To save adopted girl, Calif. couple gives her up

[mturner]

I just read this article on comcast. Unfortunately, we know that DNA tests have been done like this and that there are corrupt Drs. in Guatemala who are willing to lie for a price. I feel awful for this family and child, but they did do the right thing. I hope in the long run, that they are able to adopt the child, they obviously love her.

[jimanddarla]

Oh my goodness. Jennifer is brave for doing the right thing. I would like to think we would all make the morally correct decision, but this part really bothers me:

Crying and shaking, she said Hazel had open sores on her face and a cut on her head. Within hours, she managed to persuade authorities to transfer the girl to a better nursery while the case is resolved.

I'm sure Jennifer and Todd are second guessing their decision in light of this harsh reality. I cannot imagine Abraham in this situation. Obviously we need to remember that there are thousands of Guatemalan children in similar situations. Maybe just a little more help (donations) to the proper charities might help them out a little. Beyond that, I hope international adoption opens once again with an efficient and moral system.

As far as faking DNA: I guess if the doctor has the DNA of a woman and her child and sends it to the lab, the lab and the embassy have to take his word that is really is the DNA of the correct people.

The thing tha bothers me is that, no matter what the process is, there is always the potential for dishonest people to make money from a decent process. No matter if it is run by attorneys or government officials.

All I can say is that, if Maria Eugenia's mom is looking for her, she is found soon and reunited.

[robandjulie]

Dee - DNA can be falsified in a few ways. For one, the doctor (if s/he is in on it) could allow a decoy woman to pretend to be the mother and slip her child's DNA in as the child's DNA. Naturally it would be a match and then the catch at the 2nd DNA would be that they'd have to get that same decoy child's sample for the 2nd DNA. This requires corrupt doctors and attorneys, but sadly that's not impossible to find in any country.

The attorney/doctor could also bribe the DNA lab to just lie about the results, but I doubt that works as well. Still, it's a possibility.

The attorney could bring in a decoy mother and decoy child and the doctor didn't even know, although not sure how easy it is to get it past the MD.

This seems easier when the kids were getting 1st DNA very young (first weeks/months of life) because--let's face it--babies generally look pretty similar until about 6-8 months and so passing off a decoy baby in a photo taken at 2 months as the same baby at the embassy at 4-6 months might be pretty easy. For us, Jorge was over a year at 1st DNA and was 20 mos at the embassy so it would have been harder (though certainly not impossible for a determined sneak) to find a close enough match.

The article is sad in so many ways.

[DFNY]

Interesting article. I, too, don't understand how the DNA could be falsified considering it's being sent to the US lab--that is, unless they're suggesting that the US lab is also involved in fraud. Yikes!

Edited to add: Now that I read some of the other posts, I can see how the DNA is falsified. Of course, then the same child has to be used for the 2nd DNA but I guess if you're bent on doing it, you can. Man, it's so scary to think that that could have happened with even a few kids. Our DD was 3 months old when the 1st DNA was done; 3 yrs later, she had the 2nd DNA. I can't wait to get that confirmation next week. I'm not really worried, considering how many times the birthmom had to appear but I'll feel better when it's on paper.

Thanks for sharing.

Damaris

[EZ2Luv]

Kudos to the amom for not looking the other way. Kind of makes you wonder how many unsuspecting APs have trusted agencies, lawyers and facillitators and to this day not know if theirs is one of these cases that slipped through the cracks. No one wants to believe it is possible, but the sad reality is this has been going on for a long time. Guatemala did try to reduce corrupt adoptions by imposing the second DNA, but those effortsovbiously didn't stop things because there were ways around that too as this story shows.
I cannot imagine how corrupt things were before the second DNA test was imposed. YIKES! So VERY sad


I don't care how ethical an agency is, the bottomline is in a country like Guatemala or any poor country there is a price for alomost anything sadly, babies too.
It isn't just agencies, it was doctors lawyers, facillitators and foster parents, all in on it.

Well one thing is for sure if and when Guatemala reopens they will know what safe guards to take to prevent such tragedies.

Also, for those who think this is not possible. What is to prevent a mother and baby having their DNA taken which would be an obvious match and sent to the lab with the names of the baby to be adopted and some woman claiming to be the bmom? I am sure that if the price was right some woman needing money would be willing to do this. Anything is possible.

EZ

[DeeVee]

Ok, now I understand how DNA could be falsified. I guess I assumed the MD would be there, but if the doctor is in on it too... yikes.

I hope this little girl has a forever family soon, and my heart breaks for the PAPs. They did the right thing, but oh how heartbreaking!

[SKL]

I was told that there are only 4 doctors that the US embassy has approved to take DNA samples, and the samples are always sent to a US lab. At the time the samples are taken, polaroid photos are taken of the birth mother with the child and attached to the DNA sample paperwork. These photos can be matched with photos of the mom (her CV or whatever they all have to carry) and the later photos of the child at the time of the 2nd DNA. (And nowadays I guess they'd catch that during the birth mothers' interviews.) The US lab, which presumably wouldn't be bribeable for any small sum if at all, sent me copies of the photos that were taken when the samples were collected. I could tell they weren't imposters, but even if I couldn't tell, the second DNA along with the second photo (with an older baby) would prove if the first DNA was of a different child. I would like to hope that the 4 doctors the US approves are not on the take, though that could be possible.

Sorry, I didn't read the article yet, but wanted to mention the safeguards I'm aware of, since they haven't been discussed on the forum for a while.

[Quesita]

I went with Liana to her second DNA (which was actually her fifth DNA) and I can honestly say that it would not even need to be a doctor, but a member of the doctor's staff switching a the names on a sample. There were a lot of people running around the office. Someone weighed Liana and measured her, someone else took her paperwork, someone else brought us into the room. The doctor took the sample, and handed it to someone who eventually put it together with her paperwork, and shipped it off to the lab.

Honestly, when Liana's first DNA test came back with such an odd number, I immediately suspected fraud. Could it be the sister of the birthmother? A cousin? As it turns out, Liana has a genetic mutation in one of the markers that they tested. They did another test, and another, and another... each time testing more markers. And each time, every one matched, except for that one. So I KNOW that Liana's DNA was genuine. I talked with geneticists, here in the US for an explanation. Some forum friends helped me out wiht info as well. Liana's foster mom talked about all of the tests she had taken Liana too. The foster mom talked a great deal about Liana's birthmom. The foster mom also told me things that the lawyer had not wanted me to know about... such as Liana's hospitalization for rotovirus just at the time that I was getting the referral and asking about gaps in medical info. So she was clearly not telling me what the lawyer wanted her to tell me.

But I know in my heart, that if I had been in the same situation as this family, I would have done the same thing. When I suspected that the odd DNA results could mean that my case could be fraudulent, every inch of my body hurt. But I was determined to find out the truth, and do the right thing.

The last month of my mother's life I was haunted by my fears, and i burdened her with those fears during her last weeks on earth. She was sure that everything was alright, and the more information I got, I became convinced as well. But as she was showing off the pictures of "her granddaughter" I told her to wait. Not to call the beautiful child her granddaughter. Until we found out for sure. The day before she died, the lab confirmed a genetic mutation.

When my mother died, I was 99% sure. Maybe a little more than that. I put a picture of Liana in my mother's hand, where it remains forever. But if the final results had indicated some sort of fraud, I would have proven my love for this little girl by using every bit of strength I had left to return her to where she belonged.

Congratulations to this family for their strength. May they find peace knowing that they did the right thing. And may there be a child out there who will fill the emptiness that has been left in their home and their hearts.

[JoshGuat]

hmmm, what would one do if we were suspicious and our child is at home already? The article mentioned that the DNA may be worthless. Well, what could we possibly do at this point to find out? Interesting. Thanks for posting

[HopeandaPrayer]

Let's be honest-if someone is determined enough they will always, always find a way to circumvent the legal process.

With that said, I believe that the vast majority of Guatemalan adoptions are above board and legitimate. However, NO system is perfect and when large amounts of money are involved there will always be the chance of corruption and dishonesty. Yes, the story is sad and disheartening but I just can't accept the proposition that this is a widespread and endemic problem. I am definitely NOT a naive person. I am an attorney with almost 15 years of insurance defense experience and believe me I have dealt with my share of dishonest people so I know that they are out there in full force. I guess I am just tired of being the "whipping boy" of international adoptions. I don't think you can or should condemn an entire process if you do find isolated instances of abuse. Yes, each case should be scrutinized, evaluated, vetted whatever you want to call it but please, please let's not forget that MOST adoptions from Guatemala are, honest, legal and legitimate. I for one do not have ANY doubts about my child's adoption but I pray that if I saw the glaring red flags that the PAPs in the story saw that I would have the strength and courage to do what they did. I hope it all works out for them.

Off my soapbox now,

Terri