Tuesday, January 30, 2007

Free Evelyn Bennett

According to The Akron Beacon Journal, Stephanie Bennett of Canton, Ohio signed adoption surrender documents on the second meeting with a representative of "A Child's Waiting" adoption agency. She had been introduced to an agency representative by her high school counselor on the grounds of her public high school, Glen Oak High School in Canton. Stephanie, who was 17 at the time, was advised by the adoption agency representative to run away from home and sign documents in another county.

Stephanie Bennett's parents went to court in Stark County and were awarded custody of their grandchild, Evelyn, but the adoption agency refuses to return Stephanie Bennett's baby.

If you are so inclined, you can add your voice to the growing number who demand the immediate return of Baby Evelyn to her legal and natural family by signing the petition below.

I personally believe that until there are adequate legal safeguards written into law that clearly define such behavior as kidnapping, with appropriate legal remedies and punishments for same, such behavior will continue.

With the Bennett case coming as it does on the heels of the Quets case, it is apparent to me that we need to demand American lawmakers do their duty to protect ALL the people (see, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 25(2) "Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance. All children, whether born in or out of wedlock, shall enjoy the same social protection"), not just monied adoption industry lobbyists, adoption agencies and people desperate to adopt children.


Teen mother has change of heart, from the Akron Beacon-Journal

From the article:

Their story includes accusations that a guidance counselor at GlenOak High School arranged a meeting on school grounds between the teenager and the adoption agency, and that the adoption agency urged her to run away from home so it would be easier to sign papers away from her parents.

Ranza and Judy Bennett have obtained temporary custody of Evelyn, but A Child's Waiting has disregarded the court order and, according to the Bennetts, urged the adoptive family to keep the child hidden and not disclose their location.

``We just want our grandbaby home,'' Judy Bennett said at their two-story town house on Rem Circle Northeast. ``This has been nothing but a total nightmare.''



To sign the petition:

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/828030483

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

This sounds criminal--literally.

Has this family been given back their baby? If not, sounds like kidnapping, plain and simple.