On March 25, 2015, I mailed the application for my Ohio original birth certificate. Just five days after opening day.
Finally, on April 20 I received an envelope in the mail from the State of Ohio, Department of Health. The envelope contained a piece of my identity that has been behind lock and key for almost 50 years.
How do you even describe what it feels like for a part of yourself to be held captive for so long?
Based on the trail of lies and missing pieces uncovered when conducting my search I already knew deep in the pit of my stomach that the envelope I was about to open contained falsified information.
Catholic Charities in Evansville, Indiana sent my mother to St. Joseph’s Infant and Maternity Home in Cincinnati, Ohio. They gave her the alias name Karen Scott. I already knew the name Karen Scott was on the Ohio Birth Index, so I assumed it would also be on my OBC. I was hoping against all odds that I was wrong….but, I knew.
A nauseous feeling came over me as a held the envelope in my hand. I felt a sense of dread at opening it. Here I was thirteen years post reunion with my maternal family yet there was just no end in site to the lies, fraud, and deceit.
I opened the envelope, and there it was staring back at me. The ultimate identity theft. Karen Scott was listed as my mother. Her real name was Kathleen Scoggins. My name was listed as Laura Marie Scott. She did name me Laura Marie (after her mother), but I was given her alias last name.
They even stole my surname.
I knew this. I had known since the day I walked into Catholic Charities office in December 2001 and was given access to my adoption file upon the discovery of my mother’s death. Even though I knew and had known all these years, suddenly there I was standing with the hard cold proof in my hands. The final puzzle piece.
It’s taken me over a week to finally sit down and write this post. The past two months have been a whirlwind of emotions. First, the days and weeks leading up to opening day in Ohio, then events of the actual day, then submitting the application for my OBC, and finally what seemed like the endless wait to receive the inevitable in the mail. Coinciding with events in Ohio was the legislation for open records taking place in my adopted state of Indiana. So needless to say from early March through receiving my OBC in the mail last week it has been quite a roller coaster ride.
What do I do now?
I WANT THIS CORRECTED!
How do you even go about doing that?
How is it even legal to falsify birth records? A birth certificate is a legal document. It’s proof of a person’s existence. It verifies who they really are.
As adoptees we already know our birth certificates were amended. Many like me had ours changed to say we were born in a different state. It says we were born to parents who did not give birth to us. Our lives begin with a lie.
While our adopted parents absolutely do end up being our parents, and nobody argues that fact, there is absolutely no indication on the amended certificate that it was even amended. If the adopted parents chose to keep the child’s adoption a secret they would never even know they were adopted by looking at their amended OBC.
How is any of this fair? Why are these lies legal? Why are they allowed to change our place of birth and in some cases the date of birth. Why must they give us new first and middle names? We can’t even keep that?
This isn’t about my adopted parents. None of this was their fault….
…but…..THIS HAS GOT TO CHANGE!
We have a duty to tell our stories so that it will change. This can’t just be swept under the rug. IT’S NOT OK!
When I started this blog I decided to use my birth name, Laura Marie, as my pen name. There was a reason for that. I knew that my mother named me Laura Marie. It was the name she gave me. It’s the only thing I have left of her. I also knew that I was given the fake last name Scott.
I took on the pen name, Laura Marie Scoggins, to make a statement about the falsified records, the name change, the stolen identity, and the ultimate identity theft. This is my way of taking back what was stolen from me!
How many are like me? How many have received their OBC listing the mother’s alias? I spent two years searching for a Karen Scott that didn’t exist.
Once clue to if you are dealing with an alias might be the fact that Karen Scott did not have a middle name. Of course I realize some people don’t have middle names, or for some reason it just may not be listed….BUT….this might also be a valuable clue for someone. Also, in my case and in others I’ve heard of like mine, the alias name often had corresponding initials with the real name (for example K.S. in my situation).
I’m still processing all of this. It hasn’t quite sunk in yet. It’s one thing to suspect the truth, but when you finally hold the evidence of that truth in your hands it’s like a slap in the face.
It’s time to put an end to the secrecy, lies, and scandalous adoption practices. This has become my holy discontent. I won’t stop writing about it until the corruption ends once and for all.
Read at the Source: :
Wow! This story hits close to home for me, my husband was adopted in Indianapolis Indiana through the children’s beau. ( that’s what the APs say but we never seen any paperwork on anything that has to do with his adoption ) he was also born in Cincinnati Ohio, adopted at birth, and he has been named after his Adopted father as the 4th generation… We also ordered his birth certificate/court records 3 weeks ago and still waiting but I can help but to think that lies are going to be on this paper… Than, once again we will be at a dead end…. Congratulations to you for uncovering the truth!!!
Thanks for your story
I was born in Oregon. They sent me my original birth cert. My name is Baby Girl Kelley. My parents were married, my birth father did not sign, I was illegally adopted, I am a black market baby..courtesy of the Catholic Church and holy rosary hospital in Ontario oregon. I can’t get a passport because I don’t have a legal birth certificate. Thank you catholic church
Laura Marie this is absolutely tragic. I’m so sorry you are dealing with all of this. So painful. I am glad you have the truth of your name and your mothers name and family. It’s still awful though.
Practices will not be changed for the benefit of all, *as * long * as* adoption is conceived in lies and deceit, and nourished by cover-up, selfishness, greed, and a fear of the truth.
It’s the adoptee that pays the highest price of all. So NOT the ‘best interest of the child’. One more lie to add to a very long list.
Wow. My husband and I came really close to fostering, with a very open mind to adoption if it meant keeping siblings together. I had heard all the incredibly sad stories of children living in traumatic circumstances who had the added pain of being separated from their brothers/sisters. The idea of this broke my heart and my husband and I, with our three kids agreement, decided to open our home and hearts to any sibling groups. But after all the training and fingerprinting and total intrusion/exposure of our most private details (bank accounts, assets, job history, marital history etc, etc…) do you know what finally convinced us to stop the process? The horror stories from people who had adopted. The damage and trauma caused by adoptees blaming and hating their adoptive family. I’m not talking one or two. I’m talking about EVERY family we met, and we met MANY. I was desperate to find happy stories. I found one. That man was in his 50s and had no interest in finding his biological family. Reading all of these comments makes me sure we did the right thing. Your stories are all similar. .. big bad agencies, in cahoots with the government and evil families, tore you away from loving nurturing vulnerable mothers. Good luck with the fairytale and the blame game. And keep up the good work in convincing people NOT to foster or adopt. Excellent work.
Tracy,
I want to make sure that I am getting this straight: You were looking into fostering to help keep siblings together..something that I actually think is a fine motivation! And it was the horror stories told to you by other adoptive parents who were unpleased that was the catalyst to change your mind? I actually find it hard to believe that you never heard a “happy story” since even *I* who collects the “bad” stories knows MANY successful “happy’ stories and I know MANY MANY adoptees who speak of the love they have for their own adoptive parents. I DO wonder what your criteria was for “happy’.. If the ONE “happy” story you heard was BECAUSE the fellow had NO interest in finding his original family, then I do think that perhaps it was your criteria that might need to be called into question. I am going to assume that this might be news to you ( which does NOT speak well for the training process you went though or your education on adoption) BUT it is NORMAL and NATURAL for ANY human being to desire, to need to know, their whole story and where they came from.
Now this post is actually about the ADULT adoptees right to access their own original birth certificate. It’s not even about the “big bad agencies” since it it state law that seals the records and state law that must be changed to now reflect what we know to be adoptees rights. However, it is true that MANY agencies are seriously less than concerned about the true best interests of the children and often more about profits. I have to tell you that THIS is pretty much FACT. And it is also very much a FACT that MNAY mothers have been exploited for their vulnerabilities and been needless separated from their babies. I personally lived through that as well though MY story can just as easily be considered a complete “happy” adoption fairy tale. My son loves his adoptive family AND he loves us too.
I dare say that perhaps it is YOU who would like to continue with a fairy tale where the grateful adoptee is so “lucky” to have you “save” them that they never look back? And funny how you are blaming the adult version of the very folks you wanted to help.. and saying THEY are blaming because, in this case, they don’t appreciate the government discriminating against them. I don’t think we convinced you of anything since by you own words you already made your decision anyway.
See, the “damage and trauma” is already caused by the initial separation of the adoptee and the original family. It is the ADOPTION that causes the trauma… to the adoptee and to the original families. Sadly, many adoptive parents are misguided by the agencies (who DO want their money!) and , are not prepared at all for raising a child who has separation trauma (Primal Wound) and THAT failure can cause them their own loss es and issues. Of course the good adoptive parents work hard at helping their children heal and support their children’s quest for their truths and families.
I will agree with you on one thing: It’s a good thing you didn’t adopt or foster any children. And I am proud if this website helped you cement that decision.
Thanks for commenting!
Reality Check ~ so you consider a man in his 50’s with no interest in finding his biological family the one happy story??? Wow. I would be interested in knowing why you think that makes a happy story. That makes me wonder what your criteria is to determine the others horror stories. Perhaps you would deem our story a horror story ~ my son and I reunited seven years ago, just before his 30th birthday. Now in addition to having an amazing adoptive family to love, he also knows the love of his natural mother, sister and brothers. Does it add to your horror that his mother and I have also built a relationship ~ brought together by the love of a son?
If so, I’m glad that you are no longer looking to adopt.