Rachel and Heidi McFarland were thrilled with their little baby boy, who they adopted as a newborn from the infant’s 15-year-old mother. They loved him and cared for him for two months, but then received advice from their lawyer, Jason Rieper, that their son, named Gabriel, needed to be returned to his mother, Markeya Atkins.
Lawyer Rieper told the Des Moines couple that if they wanted to continue with the adoption he would need more than $10,000, but he didn’t explain to them why the money was needed. Rachel and Heidi were devastated, writing Mr. Rieper a letter indicating their desire to continue with the process. Mr. Rieper responded with a letter outlining Ms. Atkins “troubled youth” and her abuse of drugs. A few days later, Mr. Rieper showed up at the McFarland home, told them they had a slim chance of a successful adoption, and took the child to his birth mother. He advised them that a judge would likely side with the birth mother in any court proceeding.
Within five weeks of Gabriel’s return, he was dead and the child’s father, 17-year-old Drew James Weehler-Smith was charged with first degree murder. What the McFarland’s discovered was that their lawyer had failed to obtain the mother’s signature releasing the baby to the McFarlands, a fact he hid from his clients. They are suing for negligence and also arguing that Mr. Rieper had a legal obligation to advise child protection authorities of the danger of the infant’s return.
Poor little Gabriel, another victim of child abuse.
Lawdiva aka Georgialee Lang
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