When you have a passion for something, especially something that involves some kind of injustice, you will do whatever it takes, for however long it takes, just to make it right.

There’s things that you can let go, forgive, and move past. This is not one of them.

I cannot forgive Letty for what she has done to our family. She is worse than a bad person, she has torn apart a family, and caused the deepest heartache any of us has ever felt.

She acts so smug, and tries to defend what she did. She is a heartless creature. How could she do such a thing?

They say that it’s not the person behind you that you have to watch. It’s the person smiling in your face. That could not be more true.

She had no right doing ANYTHING she did. She had no conscience about what she was doing or the pain it would cause us by her playing God and barging into our family and causing utter destruction.

I despise her and she disgusts me. I cannot help it, and I cannot blame myself. Forgiveness is something that I can’t fathom, especially because she seems almost satisfied that our family is in ruins.

She WILL have her day of judgment, and she WILL stand before God. She WILL answer to Him. God’s timing is perfect, and He will make all this wrong into right someday. Letty took advantage of a young, scared, vulnerable girl…and I hope and pray that she is given the same courtesy that she bestowed upon us. She betrayed my sister and our family after we trusted her for so long. Many years of living directly across the street from each other, more than 15 years of our homes being open to each other. We never dreamed she was capable of such a thing. Receiving gifts and goodies for facilitating this adoption, that’s exactly what she did. She should be so ashamed of herself. She really did turn out to be the TRUE neighbor from HELL.

” WHERE THERE IS GREAT LOVE, THERE ARE ALWAYS MIRACLES.”       

~ willa cather  

◾When Letty found out about Serena’s pregnancy, by another neighbor and trusted friend, she immediately went to Judge Gamble and was inquiring about the Home for Unwed Mother’s which he oversees. She then called Serena 5 or 6 times while she was at work, calling over and over. Her plan was about to be set into motion.

◾Serena was staying at another neighbor’s house, Letty and her sons showed up and proceeded to move Serena’s belongings into Letty’s home next door. Serena had no say. She was alone and extremely vulnerable.

◾Letty was the one who initially & continuously contacted Adoption Alliance, and they in turn dealt with her since Serena was not calling them back.

◾Letty literally wrote out a list of “Goals” for Serena’s life in her own handwriting. Sounds like the person in charge.

◾The adoptive couple already had an attorney, they then decided to use Letty’s lawyer friend, Jennifer Yturbide. Letty attended approx. all meetings.

◾Letty arranged and attended the couple Dr. appointments Serena had.

◾Letty took Serena to get public health insurance, knowing full well she was covered under my parent’s insurance.

◾Adoption Alliance claims that Serena chose this couple from a stack of profiles. What a coincidence that the “chosen” couple were friends of Letty’s sister.

◾Letty arranged and attended a dinner with the adoptive couple at one of the few nice restaurants in town, her husband Sal also in attendance. Serena was present for a very short time at this dinner meeting. Letty and her husband Sal stayed with the adoptive couple after Serena left. So what were Letty, Sal, Kimberly, and Frank discussing? The adoption of a child that they had no business getting anywhere near, let alone taking her from her mother and family.

◾Letty works as a court clerk in Douglas County, and she was using county equipment, on county time, Adoption Alliance faxing Serena’s confidential information into Letty’s hands at her place of employment.

◾Letty drove Serena to a hospital over an hour away when she went into labor because she was aware that our mother is a nurse in the local hospitals.

◾Letty introduced herself to hospital staff as Serena’s guardian, even though she was 18, thereby making important decisions that she had no right to make. Letty ignored the repeated requests Serena made for our father when she was in labor and delivering.

◾Letty immediately called the adoptive couple and they went to the hospital.

◾Adoption Alliance violated their “72 Hour Rule” and allowed the adoptive couple to have contact with the baby, although they were to have NO contact with the child or Serena for 3 days, days intended for mother and child to bond.

◾Letty continuously took my niece from my sister’s arms, handing her to Kimberly because “she had a sad look on her face” watching Serena hold her child.

◾In Letty’s possession are all of the adoption documents, they were never in Serena’s possession until our attorney obtained them.

◾Also in Letty’s possession are the hospital mementos; my niece’s lock of hair, baby bracelet, and announcement card.

◾Letty was given an engraved Tiffany & Co. bracelet engraved to “Auntie Letty” by the adoptive couple. Letty called Serena and said “Ooh la la, WE got Tiffany bracelets.” Serena did not accept hers, and I’m certain Letty has that bracelet too. Letty is NOT my niece’s aunt.

◾Letty was given a plane ticket by the adoptive couple to fly down to the baby shower, as the guest of honor. After all, she did set up every detail.

◾Letty claiming to be so maternal toward Serena, did not make sure Serena had counseling or her own representation. After the birth of my niece and after the baby was gone, she politely asked Serena to leave her home, and Serena proceeded to live in her car for a week, alone, scared, and experiencing this enormous pain.

◾Letty called Serena 34 TIMES in the 28 DAYS this adoption was set up. 2 times when she had to sign overlooked paperwork. Once that paperwork was signed, she never called Serena again. And for her caring so much about Serena, she sat with the adoptive couple during future court proceedings, and did not so much as glance at Serena.

◾Letty’s main argument was that my sister was 18. Well if she was 18, she should have handled EVERYTHING HERSELF. Letty claimed to be there for “moral support.” People there for moral support aren’t making calls, setting everything up, receiving gifts, etc.

◾I saw Letty at the courthouse where she STILL works, (how disgusting is that) and asked her… “Set up any adoptions lately?” And she responded, “Nope, one was enough.” She made me sick to my stomach with her conniving, deceitful, unethical, and immoral presence. Hiding behind that phony smile.

◾Letty, handled taking my niece from my sister’s arms and leaving her completely on her own when all was said and done. It is convenient that Letty didn’t handle getting Serena’s medical bills paid, and that the adoptive couple left Serena more than $25,000 in debt, of which her wages are now being garnished. So after these people took her baby, they left her to pay the bill, of which they were to be responsible for. That is UNJUST ENRICHMENT.

◾Letty as a court clerk is NOT permitted to give legal advice, something she told me herself. Setting up an adoption and receiving valuables by the adoptive couple during and after this adoption set-up sure sounds like a BABY SALE to me.

◾3 weeks after my niece was born, and already gone in southern California, Serena called Letty to tell her that my family had found out. Letty’s immediate response was “how did they find out? If they wanna fight, we’re gonna bring out the big guns.” Who the HELL was she to decide who went and who stayed in OUR family? Where was her “love” for Serena then? Whose side was she really on?

◾When my niece was to be taken, Serena wanted to be there, and Letty told her it was too late, so she did all she could think of doing…writing her daughter a letter saying what she believed she should, not what she was really feeling. Letty and her husband went and saw my niece off, Serena once again left out. After all, she wasn’t their family, what did Letty care that she would be gone?

◾Years later, Letty is still in contact with the adoptive couple, reporting every detail about our family to them since she still has access to her county equipment.

Does this sound like someone who was just there for moral support?? I think NOT.

When the house is quiet, and everyone is asleep, that is when my mind races. That’s when I keep reliving this nightmare one flash of memory at a time. No matter how long I live, I will never forget any detail, and I’ll never forget just how much losing someone I love so much has impacted my life and changed everything about me. I will remember every tear I cried, every time it felt like I couldn’t go on. I will remember how hard it is to get through each day. Almost 9 years later, I still hear the minutes ticking, counting down the days until my precious niece can make her own decision and come back to the family that loves her like no other. A family she belongs to. A family she was taken from.

I haven’t slept without anxiety or nightmares since I received that dreadful phone call in November, 2004, my mother hysterical on the other end, telling me news I still refuse to accept.

At night when I should be resting, I obsess  about this incredible injustice that has been done to us. All I know is that it hurts. It makes me so angry I feel like coming out of my own skin. My heart pounds, and I just want to get up out of bed, turn on all the lights, and do something. But what can I do?. I lie paralyzed with a burning hatred toward those responsible.

I write at night because that’s when it hurts the most. Thinking that another day has passed and another day I have been separated from my flesh and blood.

In my mind, I am screaming to God for help….

The night we found out that my niece wasn’t coming home was the longest, and it sticks out in my memory plain as day almost 9 years later. It still hurts to think about it, and I’ve been trying to erase it from my memory ever since. If I close my eyes, I can still feel myself laying down on that uncomfortable bed, the covers pulled over my head so my mom wouldn’t know I was still awake.

We were in a hotel room, the four of us together, bound together by blood and heartache. A long way from home, in a city I hated, simply because my heart was being yanked out during this week of pure hell there.

My dad lay asleep in the bed next to the window. Sleeping heavily out of pure exhaustion. My baby sister in the bed next to me, having cried herself to sleep.

My mom sat up, in a chair, no t.v. on, no radio. In the dark, only a crack of light coming through the window. I can only imagine what was going through her mind. She sat there, helpless. A woman who always took care of everything and put her best heart forward, unable to fix or make sense of this life-shattering and life-altering event.

Nothing she could do to take the pain away. Maybe she was thinking about the grand-daughter she would never know. The daughter my sister would never be able to hold. The incredible ache, emptiness, and sorrow that my sister would feel for the rest of her life.

My mind was racing all over the place. I didn’t want to be there. I wanted this to just somehow not be true. How was this happening? How was it possible that such a thing could happen to us?

My mom sat there all night. Quiet and still. I don’t know why I didn’t get up and sit with her. I think maybe my own pain kept me stuck to the bed. My jaw was clenched. I wanted to jump out of the bed, get in the car, go get my niece and bring her home….

That was the night my heart shattered into a million pieces.

That was the night I knew nothing would never, not ever, be the same again. 

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Dedicated to my wonderful and loving mother, who to this day is the one who is always there. Strong and smart, beautiful in every way.

For her dedication to her family, friends, and all those around her. It was her love that kept her up that night. The love for her daughter, Samantha. The love for her grand-daughter, Nevaeh.

That’s what a loving mother does. She sits awake at night, watching over her heartbroken family, silently pleading with God. Knowing there’s nothing she can do, but willing to do anything.

THAT is a Mother’s Love….

Letty was our across-the-street-neighbor, she moved in when I was in 6th grade.

The morning she and her family started moving in, my mom took cereal and milk to them for breakfast, as a kind gesture and friendly welcome.

Before long, I was babysitting both of her sons.

My sister at this time was about 3.

Fast forward 15 years. Through that time a friendship was built, a trust was formed, we looked after their family as if they were our own. Summers had passed, things were  mostly peaceful, typical teen life. Later, Letty and her husband even borrowed money from my parents for a bulk payment on their home, which my parents happily lent them.

In short, we trusted her, we trusted her husband and sons. We were there for them. We cared about them.

So you can imagine our surprise and disgust at the thought of her selling my sister’s baby away. My first and only niece (until recently….a niece just arrived days ago.)

Letty actually facilitating and profiting from the adoption of my niece and the causing the worst heartache I had never felt before and have never felt since.

I have broken down every detail of this adoption case. The more I find out or put together, the more I realize that indeed this was a complete injustice committed against my young and so vulnerable sister and her baby daughter that never had a fighting chance to stay in her arms.

I have the right to exercise my First Amendment Right of Free Speech, and I have a right to make the details of this ugly and devastating adoption known to my niece, and to the rest of the world.

If this adoption was handled morally, legally, and correctly, I would not be up at 2am, restless. The way this all happened was so incredibly wrong, so very sneaky, and extremely devastating to have been betrayed by such a trusted family friend and neighbor.

She thinks what she did was right, then why was it all done in the dark? Why did she handle anything? Why did she receive anything? Why was SHE in the driver’s seat of this adoption?

So before I start spilling the story in painful detail, this is ALL IN MY OPINION. Although, I want to make absolutely clear that plenty of evidence accompanies our complaint. Once the puzzle is put together, I hope it will be clear that this adoption should never been finalized and that it should have been investigated to the fullest. My niece was NOT FOR SALE….