Central Ohio Adoption Hoax

“A couple from Central Ohio tells 10TV more couples now report being fooled by the same adoption hoax.

They say they know about 3 other families and are getting word there might be more..

Jeff and Kayla Hall live in South Carolina but Jeff is originally from Pickerington.

The Halls have 3 children, the youngest two are adopted.

They want to add to their brood so decided earlier this year to post their desire to adopt again on Facebook.

They say they were contacted by a Newark woman. 10TV is not identifying her because SHE ISN’T CHARGED WITH ANYTHING.

They started talking.

“It would be 2 or 3 hours a day then we would Skype for an hour at night,” said Jeff Hall. “So we bought her a ticket and she came down for 4 or 5 days.”

Jeff says the woman let them feel her stomach and feel the baby’s hiccups. She later sent baby updates and told the Halls sob stories.

“She told us lies about being raped and abused by her family, by her grandparents,” said Hall. “I want to be a part of your family and I told my wife, I don’t know, I want to adopt a baby, I’m not looking to adopt a 36-year-old woman.”

A month from delivery the woman called, allegedly from the hospital.

“She said I’m so sorry, I lost her,” said Hall.

What happened next, tipped the Halls off that they had fallen for a hoax.

“She sent us these pictures that were completely fake of a live baby that’s at least a month old,” said Hall.

The Halls say they confronted her and she confessed.

“She was crying and she said, ‘I am so sorry I hurt you guys, I never was pregnant, I wanted to be a part of your family, I saw you on Facebook, I’m lonely,'” said Jeff Hall.

Jeff says he was actually relieved because a baby didn’t die. He says they’ve since learned of 3 other families who were duped by this woman and think there are even more.

“Whatever she’s doing, other families need to know, we need to stop this so she’s not hurting other people,” said Hall.”

More Couples May Have Been Fooled By Adoption Hoax[10TV 8/21/14]

“10TV has located the woman accused of tricking several families into thinking she was pregnant and wanted them to adopt her babies.

She answered the door but was very brief.  “I am supposed to direct you to my lawyer,” said the woman.

“She’s getting the help she needs,” attorney Carl McCoy said.

Two families say she took them for an emotional ride, saying they were led to believe she was carrying a baby that would one day be theirs.

It seems almost impossible this sort of lie could be carried so far.

Clinical social worker Luanne Lowenstein weighed in.  “Obviously there’s something terribly wrong here,” said Lowenstein.

She’s never met the woman in question, but can imagine how it happened.  “Sometimes people are very lonely and desperate and look for a way to feel connected to people,” said Lowenstein.  “One way to feel like you’re somebody is to do something great for somebody else.”

Lowenstein says the person will want to keep up that feeling that comes with doing something good and can’t see how it could hurt others.  “You’re not thinking about what are the long term effects, how does this affect other people.  That need to connect and be part of is so much stronger.”

Lowenstein thinks what happened is sad all around, for the families and for the woman.  She said such a sensitive and emotional issue is why agencies and many professionals are generally a part of adoptions.

“Part of the reason why my profession has put so many years into the business of helping people finding permanency for kids and particularly adoption, this is why,”  said Lowenstein.”

Woman Accused In Adoption Scam Receiving Help, According to Attorney[10tv 8/22/14 by Shelby Croft]

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