By Jerry Markon

Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, April 13, 2010; 12:43 PM

John Wyatt raced to the hospital, excited to be a father but worried about the mother.

His girlfriend had promised to call him the moment she went into labor, but she’d turned off her cellphone. Wyatt had been calling it for hours. Finally, an operator at Potomac Hospital in Woodbridge confirmed the news: His girlfriend was there, and his daughter had been born.

When Wyatt arrived at the hospital that morning of Feb. 11, 2009, he got the shock of his 20-year-old life: Administrators insisted that no such baby was there — and no such mother.

Court records show that Wyatt’s daughter, Emma, was born Feb. 10, at that very hospital, and that she spent the next week at two Woodbridge hotels before being put up for adoption — in Utah. “We just want Emma to come home,” says Wyatt’s mother, Jeri. “My son wants his child. I want to see my granddaughter.”

More than a year later, a cross-country court fight over the child known as “Baby Emma” has yet to settle the question of whether the strawberry-blond-haired, blue-eyed girl was illegitimately taken from her father or legally put up for adoption by her mother, 20-year-old Emily Colleen Fahland, a George Mason University student. The highly unusual dispute pits Virginia against Utah; a Stafford County judge in December awarded Wyatt custody of Emma and cited a federal kidnapping statute in ordering the state to bring her back from Utah.

Virginia officials say they lack the legal authority to follow the judge’s order.

In Salt Lake City, a Utah judge issued a competing order granting temporary custody to the adoptive couple in that state, and Emma has been living with them ever since. Lawyers for the couple say Wyatt failed to assert his parental rights in time to contest the adoption. His appeal is pending in a Utah court.

“My daughter is being held hostage,” says Wyatt, now 21, a D.C. nightclub worker who has never seen Emma. “She was kidnapped and cradle-robbed from me, and I’m baffled that nothing has been done.”

The case, which has been documented on the “Dr. Phil” show and is the talk of the nation’s close-knit circle of adoption lawyers, is the latest to spotlight Utah adoption laws that experts say are unusually tough on unmarried fathers. Lawyers cite at least 10 recent cases in which babies were brought to or born in Utah and adopted without an out-of-state father’s consent.

In one case, the Utah Supreme Court last year ruled in favor of an unwed Wyoming mother who falsely told the father she miscarried, traveled to Utah to deliver the baby girl and put her up for adoption. “Utah risks becoming a magnet for those seeking to unfairly cut off opportunities for biological fathers to assert their rights to connection with their children,” Chief Justice Christine Durham wrote in dissent.  (This is Cody O’Dea vs Ashley Olea)

Joan Hollinger, a University of California at Berkeley professor and a leading authority on adoption law, called Utah’s decisions in the Baby Emma case “outrageous” because Wyatt filed for custody in Virginia just eight days after Emma’s birth. Utah laws and court decisions, she said, “make it virtually impossible for an out-of-state father to prevent the adoption of an out-of-wedlock child when the mother is determined to go forward.”

Utah is culturally conservative, and lawyers say the powerful Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, with its emphasis on family values, has strongly encouraged adoption-friendly laws. “The Utah statutes can be harsh, but they are looking at what’s best for the child: stable placements and two-parent families,” said David Hardy, a lawyer for LDS Family Services, a Mormon Church-affiliated adoption agency that is among the nation’s largest.

Cody’s Mom lost her battle to Melanoma Cancer in December 2009.

On her deathbed, we wrote Ashley (Biological Mother) and the attorney representing the Adoption Center of Choice (he forwarded the letter to the Adoptive Parents) and begged for a picture of Cody’s Daughter. That never happened.

Melinda died without the chance to hold her Granddaughter or even seen a picture. She died without even knowing her name.

Ashley didn’t even have the decency to email us back. The Adoptive Parents replied to our email by saying they didn’t trust us and that “THEIR” daughter was healthy and happy. Nice little jab they ended with….

Our hearts are broken after losing Melinda but we will never give up on baby O’Dea. One day she will find us and one day she will know the truth. Her Daddy did EVERYTHING in his power to fight for her. Unfortunately the laws in Utah are too corrupt.

I’ve has been diagnosed with stage 4 melanoma cancer that has metastasized.  This is not the best news a cancer patient would like to be handed but this is what it is.  The diagnoses is the worst one can get actually. I believe the ‘cure’ rate is less then 5%.  I’m at the place where I see the numbers on paper, but I also don’t rule out divine intervention.  I’m a believer in Jesus Chrrist of Nazareth and have turned my life over to him, so we’ll see what he has in store. I can truly say I have a peace and a joy and a knowing this is all in his hands for a divine purpose.

Currently, I  have still never been given a picture of my firstborn grandchild or any opportunity to know her.  This amazes our family but in a way doesn’t.

I’m being treated at the Cancer Treatment Center of America in Tulsa and I have to say this place is INCREDIBLE, I’m so blessed my insurance is covering this. I’ve had two operations, had two different types of chemo, had radiation to the brain and was fortunate to undergo another therapy offered by this incredible place.  While I’m gravely ill, it’s hard tell just how ill I am by looking at me I hear.  I’ve just flown to Portland to be with my older daughter between treatments and am headed back to Tulsa for a few days for more treatment. After that right back on a jet to Portland to rest safe in the arms of my precious family.  It looks like Christmas will be spent in the land I love, Wyoming.  I’m such a blessed woman I can’t contain my joy.

Thank you for all your prayers that you have sent my way they mean so much to me.  I just adore my childen, my hidden grandchild, all my granddchildren and trusts the Mormon church will do some serious thinking here about withholding even just one picture. For three years I asked for two things.  I asked the laws not be manipulated and I asked for a picture of my first born grandchild.  I’m looking in my hand and still they’re empty. You denied me or set with conditions that our family drop all publicity.  We said no and continue to say no under such conditions.

To the people who have little Miss O’Dea, standing behind a law you want to use to hide yourself makes you look cold and heartless and quite frankly I’m not sure what you think you’re hiding.  I think the world wonders also.

To our supporters thank you and God bless you all.  Please also feel free to continue to donate, we still owe our hard working attorney and would like to see him paid off in a timely manner.

For those who wish to write please feel free! tenacity4jesuschrist@hotmail.com  I may not respond quickly because I truly have some real tired days but I will read what you send!

The couple from American Fork, Utah, Jed and Cally Nielson, who we posted about earlier who were ordered to give this baby back to his natural father are refusing to give him back! If you remember, they have a court order from Idaho to give this child back. It appears court orders from another state are meaningless to the LDS Family Services, the Nielsons and their attorneys.

This is no lie, the Nielsons are refusing to hand this precious baby over, DEFYING A COURT ORDER and have hired two attorneys, one in Idaho and Larry S. Jenkins in Utah to represent them. This is the same couple who asked for funds stating they have exhausted all their money, yet they can retain these high powered lawyers now? Wonder who ’s footing the bill, is it the Mormon Church?

So is the LDS Family Services and Larry Jenkins counciling the Nielsons to NOT hand the baby over and defy a court order? OMG, how arrogant!!

Here’s a couple of articles about this currently in the news.

This first article is in the Deseret Morning News, a Mormon owned newspaper. Here’s some quotes from that article:

“During a court hearing last week, an Idaho judge gave the birth father, Matt Tenneson, 20, of Coeur d’Alene, temporary primary custody of the 5 1/2-month-old baby.

But Jed and Callie Nielson, who have had the baby since June, say they won’t give baby Harvey back without a legal fight. In fact, they say they are thinking optimistically and have been buying Christmas presents for the baby.”

“Jenkins said he is reviewing the case and working on strategy.

“It’s early in the game,” he said.”

“Our goal is to keep the the little boy with the Nielsons.”

The second article is from the Coeur d’Alene Press.
____________________________________________________________

I’m praying Gods justice prevails here (which it will), and I’m standing on these scriptures:

Proverbs 21:15
When justice is done, it brings joy to the righteous but terror to evildoers.

Proverbs 28:10
He who leads the upright along an evil path will fall into his own trap, but the blameless will receive a good inheritance.

For those who believe in the power of prayer, please pray for justice to prevail quickly in this case and this adorable child goes back to his natural father and the grandparents who are fighting for him. What is happening is WRONG! We’ll be posting people you can write if you choose to stand by the Tennisons. Look for this in a future posting. God bless you all!

Here’s an article about a young man who had his child ‘attempted’ to be adopted out by the mormon birth mother without his consent to a momon family.  He and his family battled in court and WON!

Not surprising, this fiasco was attempted with the blessing and help of the LDS Family Services. All I can say is HOW ARROGANT of LDS Family Services to take this baby and hand it to people in Utah thinking they could get away with this yet one more time. Do they really feel they’re untouchable? If so they’re sadly mistaken!

This  ‘wanna-be’ adopted couple even had a story written about them in I believe a sad attempt to stir up sympathy for their plight. Sorry, no sympathy here, not when you try and use the law to deprive a birth father and grandparents of their own flesh and blood.

Click here to go to that story.

Here’s where you’ll find the story in the Coeur d’Alene Press that I’m going to post below,  ’Adopted child returned to biological dad’. There’s an online comment section underneath the story you can read and post if you like without having to sign up.

Sadly there’s comments by someone all to familar to us (one who follow us around the net trying to smear our family) that are full of lies and twist.  These two postings were done December 12th at 7:49 pm and December 12th at 10:00 pm. (I post under tencity on the CdA story comments)

I intend to keep my eyes on the blessing of this child being brought back to his daddy and grandparents for Christmas and not let anything or anyone interfere with or attempt to put a damper on the joy! How happy this young man and his family must be to have their little man HOME where he belongs! Oh my gosh, WE’RE HAPPY FOR THEM!! We’re sooooooooooooooooo happy that justice was done in this case and this little man is coming home. WHAT A CHRISTMAS PRESENT, thank you Lord!!

Adopted child returned to biological dad

By MARC STEWART
Staff writer

Magistrate rules father never gave up parental rights to newborn son

COEUR d’ALENE — A Utah couple is in the midst of an adoption horror story after being told they must return the baby to its biological father in Coeur d’Alene because he never waived his parental rights.

Magistrate Barry Watson ruled that Matt Tenneson, 20, be given temporary primary custody of his 5 and 1/2-month old son and ordered Jed and Cally Nielson of American Fork, Utah, to relinquish custody as soon as possible.

“It seems Matthew is amenable to learning to be a father,” Watson said. “My heart goes out to the Nielsons. Hopefully, (the custody transfer) is done in the least traumatic way.”

Tuesday’s ruling was another legal victory for Tenneson. His attorney, Anne Solomon, argued that the adoption happened without his consent. The adoption agency, LDS Family Services, is appealing an earlier ruling that nullified the adoption.

“Matt never signed a consent to terminate his parental rights,” Solomon said.

The birth mother, Cammie Knight, said she was shocked by Watson’s decision.

“I still haven’t come to grips with the fact my baby is coming home and we have the responsibility of taking him on,” the 19-year-old Knight said. “We couldn’t have done it then, and we still can’t. We’re going to be depending on two homes and having our parents support us financially.”

Baby Knight was born last June and given to the Utah couple shortly thereafter, court records show.

Matt Tenneson’s mother said her son won’t be granting interviews for the foreseeable future.

“It’s an ongoing case and we don’t want to jeopardize that,” Karen Tenneson said.

Court records indicate that Matt Tenneson stopped speaking with Knight around the seventh month of her pregnancy. Knight described her relationship with Tenneson as non-existent and that he failed to support her during the pregnancy.

“I always had to take the initiative and call him,” Knight said. “He never did that for me.”

Knight said she and Tenneson discussed the baby’s future often and that Tenneson was conflicted on what to do. Court records show that on one occasion Tenneson suggested she get an abortion. When Knight refused that idea, they talked about adoption or keeping it.

“He couldn’t make up his mind,” Knight said. “It was emotionally wearing. My son needed a loving family. I still stick by my decision to give him up for adoption.”

Cally Nielson told the Deseret Morning News that she and her husband are talking with their attorney to see how to handle the baby exchange.

“We’re absolutely devastated,” Nielson told the Utah paper in an emotional interview.

LDS Family Services handled the adoption for the Nielsons. The Mormon organization has filed an appeal of an earlier court ruling that gave Tenneson parental rights.

Knight said she picked LDS Family Services because her family is Mormon.

“I wanted the baby to have an actual home. I wanted him to have a good life,” Cammie Knight said in court.

Knight said she believes Tenneson’s parents are behind the custody battle,

“I think a big part of this is Matt’s mother,” Knight said. “She wants to be a grandmother.”

Watson cautioned the grandparents about becoming the primary custodians of the child.

“I want the grandparents to support this baby, but they need to take a back seat to the parents,” Watson said.

Dear Baby, Dec. 12, 2007
Oh sweet little baby you are almost one and half years old. Daddy and I have been Christmas shopping for Trevan and we have been debating on what to get you! I look back at the pictures from when I was a little girl and remember how much I loved my Cabbage Patch doll. She went with me everywhere, my partner in crime So while your Daddy was resting up for work I went shopping. I searched through all of the Cabbage Patch dolls to find the perfect one for you. It seemed not one of them was what I had envisioned. Then at the bottom of the stack I found her. She had red hair and huge blue eyes. As I grabbed her I studied her face, her cute little innocent doll face. I wonder if that is how you look. Sometimes your Daddy’s hair looks red and Aunt Shannon had red hair as a baby. So I got her for you, sweetheart. Her name is Zoie Emely. I wonder what your name is?? Your Daddy likes the name Madison!!! Wherever you are baby girl, I want you to know WE LOVE YOU AND ARE WAITING FOR YOU!!! Trevan can’t wait to have his baby sister come home!!! Merry Christmas sweetheart and we will see you soon!!! Daddy and I would love to have you as our Christmas present, but we know it won’t be much longer! I love you little angel! Love, Tanya

Another bittersweet holiday as you’re with strangers, but I send out my love to you precious little grandchild across the miles. Although I’ve never seen you, nor heard your little voice, although I’ve never touched your baby soft skin, nor played with your soft baby hair, I love you. I love you and miss you more than anyone knows.

God knows though, he knows how my arms ache to hold my first-born grandchild. So I ask him, “Lord, go kiss little Miss O’Dea for me please. Hold her and whisper to her Lord about her family that misses her, make sure she knows she is loved and treasured by us. Tell her Lord about her family and how soon she will be coming home to them.

I ask you send your angels Lord to minister to my precious little granddaughter and keep her safe while she’s away from  home, guard her little mind, her little heart, her little soul. Lord, protect my little granddaughter I ask and rock her to sleep in your arms, holding her thru the long nights as she is in a strange land with strangers.

Tell her who you are Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth, speak to her little soul. Comfort her I ask and put in her Lord a knowing about her real family. Let her know her family thinks about her all the time in great anticipation of her return as we stand on your promises great deliverer.

Thank you Lord, this child is in your hands, she’s yours.”

Little Miss O’Dea, I send all my grandma’s love to you precious little one. Though I can’t hold you now, I will.

Happy Thanksgiving precious child, you’re soooooooo loved and treasured us. We’ll set a little place for you at dinner little one and thank God for you and all the miracles he’s promised concerning you.

You will be coming home child, into the arms of your family, and the Lord will get all the glory and honor for bringing you home. In the meantime, rest in Him and listen child as He tells you secrets that only the God of this universe can tell you.

On this Thanksgiving little Miss O’Dea, remember, we’re thankful for you and waiting for you, you’re sooooooooo loved by your grandma and family…

Tanya has a precious 4 year old son, my little man Trevan, and now they wait for Cody’s little daughter to come home to add to this growing loving family.

What joy there is in this household celebrating this marriage.

LITTLE MISS O’DEA, you’re coming home to a house full of love!

Please sign the petition for the return of Baby Michael Hunter to his biological father Shawn.

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/babymichaelhunter

If you have not added Shawn as a friend yet - here is a link to his profile.

myspace.com/babymichaelhunter