Questions have been raised after new mother Kimberley Rossler’s new born baby son was taken from her and given to her adoptive parents despite the Mobile, Alabama mother changing her mind before the child’s birth.
Things first came to be when Rossler, 25 discovered she was pregnant with her on and off boyfriend Greg’s baby in October last year.
Deciding to put the as of yet unborn child up for adoption with non profit entity, Adoption Rocks, the mother was then put in touch with attorney, Donna Ames who informed the expectant Rossler that she had the ‘perfect’ adoptive mother for Rossler’s child.
In subsequent days, Kimberly was introduced to the adoptive mother – Katherine ‘Kate’ Gilliard Sharp, a ‘single businesswoman’ from Birmingham – and agreed for her to adopt her unborn son.
According to a report via The Huffington Post, Rappler claims Ames told her that she would sort out ‘all the legal stuff and paperwork’, including her ‘monthly gift’ – a special allowance that would be paid to Rappler by Sharp, as agreed by a judge.
According to Rossler, the lawyer assured her the expectant mother ‘nothing was final until the baby was born‘ – and that the pre-birth agreement she signed in court would simply ensure she received her ‘gift’.
She was told that she would have five days to withdraw her consent after her son’s birth, she says.
Over the next few months, the expectant mother and Sharp formed a close friendship, sending daily text messages to each other.
Nevertheless at the same time, Kimberly Rappler began to change her mind about giving her baby up, going so far as to confide Sharp about her concerns.
‘I began confiding in her about my emotions. I felt myself growing depressed and found myself sleeping day in and out, crying about what life would look like once I gave my baby away,‘ she said.
‘The conflict within became so intense that I knew I needed help. These weeks were so dark, all I could think was ‘I hope I die in labor but my son lives. Kate will be happy and I won’t feel the pain.’
After Donna Ames was also told of Kimberly’s worries, she apparently found the pregnant woman a counselor, who helped her to rebuild her self-esteem and enabled her to see herself as a parent.
Soon after, Rappler, feeling more confident about her skills as a mother, allegedly approached the lawyer again and said that she wished to keep her baby – despite feeling bad about ‘letting Kate down’.
With the attorney now angered over Rappler’s desire to hold on to the baby, Ames allegedly declined to inform Rappler how to back out of the adoption.
Told Rappler via Fox Carolina: ‘I tried to tell her numerous times and she just brushed it off like this was nothing, like this happens,’
‘I didn’t think there was any need to sign anything, because she (Donna) told me that paperwork was not final until after he was born.’
As her son’s birth approached, Rappler began posting potential baby names and images of baby clothes on Facebook.
In response, Donna allegedly contacted the expectant mother’s counselor and told them that Rappler was mentally unstable and had stolen Kate’s money.
The adoptive mother herself also became angry at Kimberly Rappler, accusing her of stealing her cash.
In her defense, Rappler told she’d spoken to her counselor about paying Kate back.
On May 27, Kimberly went into labor and gave birth to her son, James Elliot Rossler.
‘Nothing had prepared me for the intense love I felt [for him],’ Kimberly said.
‘I finally had peace in my life… I had this unconditional love I have always wanted.’
Kimberly then took her son home. However, three weeks later, while she was breastfeeding the infant, sheriff’s deputies turned up and took James Elliot away.
The child was then handed over to Kate.
Three weeks on, Kimberly has yet to see her son since he was taken away – and has now been told that she needed to withdraw her pre-birth consent to the adoption in writing before James Elliot’s delivery, not within five days after it.
Her baby was removed from her care because of ‘endangerment’ due to ‘mental instability’.
It was revealed the judge who signed the order apparently did not realize the case was an adoption.
Coincidentally, Judge Don Davis, who signed the adoption consent papers, is on the Board of Directors of Adoption Rocks.
Responding to the case, Chris Kalifeh, a spokesman for the non-profit organization, said the firm was merely ‘a catalyst in the beginning‘ – and is not involved in the custody dispute.
Meanwhile, Donna said that she worked for Kate as a ‘private lawyer’ and Adoption Rocks ‘has no involvement in the case’ – and that she was only told Kimberly had changed her mind on May 20.
‘Because it was apparent there might be a problem with the adoption, I withdrew from further representation of the adoptive mother in this matter on May 23,‘ the attorney added.
A pretrial hearing is now set for July 24.
Rappler’s friends have since set up a GoFundMe account called ‘Help Bring Baby Elliot Home‘.
The page aims to raise a total of $20,000 to help cover Kimberly’s legal fees.
This lady used the agency because she wanted the $$ and benefits because she couldn’t afford her pregnancy and delivery. She knew what she was doing, she’s not dumb. I’m glad there is finally justice for adopted parents who keep getting screwed by moms backing out at the last minute. So tired of all the users and abusers of the system. Those parents probably got screwed before and this time they wanted a legit contract where they would not get screwed. Justice is served
This article can’t even keep the names straight- another perfect example of ‘telephone.’
I understand what you’re saying but I don’t think the money matters, its illegal to purchase human beings.
this young woman was on medicaid…..the would be adopter did not pay for the birth or delivery….and has every right to want to parent her own child
This article is very vague.. I would be very interested to know how much the “gift” was. Sounds to me like every young girl in America would benefit from a system that allowed you to sign an agreement for adoption, have all your premium medical costs covered and receive a monthly cash allowance until you deliver and then back out after you deliver a healthy child paid for by a desperate woman that can’t have children of her own. This is outrageous. I’m all for giving the baby back if this young girl can pay back every dim from doctors visits to delivery room including the monetary “gift” amounts on her own without the aid of any ‘go fund me’ accounts or other charity. An unplanned pregnancy shouldn’t be a windfall of cash for someone from the dreams of another! Shame on her!
They are a shell company whose sole purpose is to bring mothers in crisis pregnancy to adoption attorneys like the CEO Donna Ames. Georgia Tann the infamous baby seller wrote the book on that tactic and apparently Donna Ames is following suit… including having a Judge, attorneys, doctors and nurses and even the state bar association involved with Adoption Rocks.
Are you outraged at this? Please help Kim fight for the right to parent her own child!
A Go Fund Me is available. Show these people that child trafficking and kidnapping is still illegal in the US! http://www.gofundme.com/yj7yfuk then “like” this page on Facebook to show your support to her and stay up to date on the battle!https://www.facebook.com/BringBabyElliottHome
WOW! I am seeing this post literally in every news article that exists on this…. First under the name “Betty James” which is a shell FB page…and now under an equally anonymous name like “mobilite”…. Hmmm… So it seems that those affiliated with Adoption Rocks and their PR firm Kalifeh Media Group (whose CEO is on the board for ….get this…Adoption Rocks) is actively trying to spread pro-adoption rocks and Donna Ames propaganda into the mix. The fact is that this adoption was not finalized and she never completed relinquishment of her child. This child was stolen from her under false pretenses when they could not get a voluntary relinquishment. See posts for comparison here: http://firsttoknow.com/newborn-taken-from-mother/?utm_source=facebookpage and also here: http://www.opposingviews.com/i/society/officers-took-baby-mother-over-botched-adoption
David Broome….who is also affiliated with Adoption Rocks and financially -benefits from their funneling of vulnerable mothers-to-be. ugh.
by selling babies….preferably white newborns. a 501 (c) 3 is a tax status…..it does not mean they make no profit..it means they pay reduced tax
Adoption Rocks is a 501(c)(3). Please explain how exactly they make money? Thanks.
Adoption rocks is a carefully set up baby selling machine…one only has to look at the board to ascertain who is in the pocket of whom. None of which makes any difference as this child was illegal removed from its mother on the flimsiest of excuses. Sorry “Betty”…..I can see you writing the same old same old on all of the news carriers that have picked this up…..perhaps you are worried your baby buying may be on hold.
Adoption Rocks doesn’t charge for it’s services nor do they broker anything. Do your research. They provide an information service to women who are considering adoption (and surprise, they are advocates for it) and have information about parents looking to adopt (think like a bulletin board, but much better presentation).
As an adoption attorney, Donna represents the adopting parents who retain her. Whoever thinks an attorney represents them without a retainer or even an agreement to represent is fooling themselves. Often, the adoption attorney and the birth parent(s) have mutual interests (like delivering a healthy baby and making sure that baby gets placed into a good home).
Kim seems to be manipulating the story by claiming that sheriffs burst into a house, raid-style, and pulled him off of her. Those who were there tell a much different story. Sheriff’s do what they are told. They have no agenda or reason to hide anything. Kim, however, has an agenda… wants to tug at heart strings to distract everyone from the big picture. She approached the probate court to initiate an adoption. She failed to cease the adoption per judge’s instructions. Now, she wants to assign blame to everyone but herself.
Shame on Kim for making Donna and Adoption Rocks out to be anything less than a genuine asset to our community.