Ohio Couple Tries to Give Adopted Son to County; Charged with Abandonment

A couple living in a wealthy area north of Cincinnati, Ohio tried to give back their 9 year-old adopted son but turning him in to the county.  It didn’t work.  They’ve had the boy since he was an infant.  As reported by the AP (through the Houston Chronicle): Cleveland and Lisa Cox of Liberty Township, north of Cincinnati, were each indicted Wednesday on a misdemeanor count of nonsupport of dependents. The charge accuses them of recklessly abandoning or failing to provide adequate support for the boy they turned over to Butler County Children Services last month.

County Prosecutor Michael Gmoser said Thursday that he doesn't usually seek indictments in misdemeanor cases but views this as "reckless" abandonment.

"When you are the parent and you recklessly abandon a child or children, there are criminal consequences," Gmoser said. "These children don't have a return-to-sender stamp emblazoned on their forehead."

The parents reported that the adopted son was aggressive “and would not agree to get help.”  The kid is nine.  He stopped peeing his pants a few years ago.  He’s in the fourth grade.  He is in no position to agree to get help.  He is in no position to agree to eat his dinner or stop watching TV.

An attorney ad litem, appointed to protect the child’s legal interests in the drama says the child is hurt and confused and doesn’t understand what’s happening.  Here’s what’s happening: your parents are pitiful and decided that adoption doesn’t mean it’s permanent and gave up on you and are now facing jail time.  They have natural born children, who they apparently didn’t try to turn over to the county.

Apparently people don’t realize that adoption isn’t the same as foster care.  Adoption is forever.  Legally the child is yours, good, bad or otherwise.  You can’t give them over to the county just like you can’t give your natural-born children over to the county.

At least these people turned the kid over to the county and didn’t try to re-home the kid through the black market of internet sites where people trade adopted kids, many times to child molesters.  Weposted on that earlier this year, here.