Reunite Anna Mae With Her Real Parents

Adoption is for children who do not have a home. It is for children who do not have willing and able biological parents to care for and raise them. When a child's custody is given to another family while the child's biological parents are indeed willing and able then it ceases to be adoption. The word that best describes this situation is kidnapping.

On May 12, 2004 a decision was made in the Chancery Court of Tennessee for the Thirtieth Judicial District at Memphis. In the decision, Jack and Casey He lost parental rights of their biological daughter Anna Mae to Jerry and Louise Baker.

The lawyer for the Bakers suggests Anna Mae's quality of life will suffer with her biological parents in the country of her people. With this supremacist logic in mind, are we to assume that all Chinese children, or all poor children, are better off growing up in wealthy American homes? It would seem presiding Judge Robert L. Childers thinks so. Throughout the order of judgment to terminate the Hes' parental rights, bias is evidenced against the Hes through negative interpretations of their behavior, language ability and immigration status.

Childers states "Mrs. He is an impetuous person not subject to being intimidated or deterred in achieving whatever she sets as her goal." It might not have dawned on Judge Childers that Mrs. He's goal is to recover her stolen child. What mother would be deterred in a goal such as this? Mrs. Hes determination seems to clearly suggest that she wanted her child and never intended to abandon her, yet Judge Childers chose to cast it in a negative light.

Judge Childers' observations of Mrs. He's allegedly hysterical behavior serve to evidence his negative bias even more. What mother would not be hysterical in a situation that threatens to take away her child? Does this not show how distraught she was at the prospect of losing her daughter forever? Instead the Judge further assumes this behavior is just manipulation on Mrs. He's part to put on a good show.

It also seems apparent that a large part of the judge's consideration relies on his assessment of Mrs. He's English-language ability. Judge Childers' interpretation seems to suggest that Mrs. He speaks and understands English proficiently but is feigning ignorance. However, very real cultural and language barriers undoubtedly played a part in miscommunication between the parties.

One example of the language difficulty is evidenced in the judge's order. The initial custody order was presented to the Hes and referred to as a "temporary" custody order; Judge Childers even notes in the record that Mrs. He specifically asked if the custody would be temporary. The Hes never stated their desire to relinquish custody permanently.

In addition to language difficulties, it appears that there may have been a conflict of interest when the Hes initially signed the petition granting the Bakers custody. At this time, attorney Kevin Weaver was the party who explained the ramifications of the custody order. Weaver has previously served as the attorney for Mid-South Christian Services, the adoption agency. Additionally, Weaver served as the Bakers' attorney when the Hes later sought to regain custody.

While Judge Childers takes pains to note the Hes' status as illegal aliens working outside of the law, he simultaneously chastises them for not paying child support. In this regard, the Hes are trapped in a Catch-22. They need an income, but working allows them to be portrayed as lawbreakers. Additionally, the Hes attempted several times to provide child support. Not only was child support not mandated by the court, but their monetary offerings were refused by the Bakers. Additionally, Judge Childers notes that while they attempted to give the Bakers some money, this could not be counted as support because doing so would constitute an attempt to "repent" for previous non-action. In any event, their illegal status should not serve to strip them of their parental rights.

With what the Judge held against the Hes, there is no mention in Judge Childers written statement in consideration of the Bakers' underhanded attempt to have the INS deport the Hes. The fact that the Bakers interfered with the Hes' workplaces by calling their employers was not taken into account either. We see this, yet who does the Judge Childers label as manipulative?

Part of this message is to complain about Robert L. Childers judicial misconduct. It is obvious that the judge showed extreme bias favoring the Bakers. It is also quite appalling and disturbing that favoritism and prejudice was used by a Judge of the United States judicial system to consider the outcome of Anna Mae's fate. Common sense shows that Hes loss of parental rights should never even have been considered.

The most important part of this message is to implore the powers that be to bring justice to the Hes. Bring justice to Anna Mae and reunite her with her real family. This situation has already been dragged out by the Bakers' underhanded manipulations. The Bakers used every advantage against the Hes, who faced language barriers and economic difficulties. The Bakers, on the other hand, used the system, their influence and money to further their selfish desires.

Prior to arriving in Judge Childers' courtroom, the Bakers faced what they knew to be a judgment against them in Juvenile Court under Judge Horne. Under false pretenses, they requested that the hearing be rescheduled. On June 20, 2001, two days prior to Judge Horne's ruling, the Bakers' lawyer filed a motion to move this case to the court of a sympathetic Judge, D.J. Alissandratos. Judge Alissandratos consistently ruled in the Bakers' favor until finally two bias complaints were filed against him and he was forced to recuse himself.

As a result, nearly three years passed. The injustice in this manipulation of the system is obvious. It forced Anna Mae to remain in the Bakers' home and now the Bakers have laid claim to her based on the fact that they are the only parents she has known. Meanwhile, young Anna Mae grows further from her real mother and father who have been forbidden to see her. The longer five-year-old Anna Mae He is kept from her rightful parents, the more she will undeservedly suffer.