Recently, a Kansas City woman was arrested and accused of perpetuating an adoption scam. Chrystal Marie Rippey, of Marshall, Texas, allegedly contacted various adoption agencies and individuals in Kansas and elsewhere stating that she was pregnant and wished to place her child up for adoption. Rippey received meals and gifts from prospective parents who believed she was going to let them adopt the baby after its birth. Rippey was arrested for her actions and a federal magistrate judge ruled her a flight risk. Rippey will be held without bond while awaiting trial.
Rippey’s saga is sadly reminiscent of the 2011 case of Roxanne Janel Jones and Taj A. Isaiah. Jones and Isaiah, both from Kansas City, convinced 23 adoptive families that she was pregnant and willing to place the baby up for adoption in exchange for money. The couple stole thousands from unwitting families and ravished their hopes of a baby. A CBS News producer became a victim of the scam and ultimately tipped off authorities. Jones and Isaiah were both convicted for the adoption scam. Jones was sentenced to seven years in prison and ordered to pay over $100,000 in restitution. Isaiah was sentenced to two years in prison and was ordered to pay nearly $100,000 in restitution.
While not common, adoption scams such as those conducted by Rippey, Jones, and Isaiah, do occur. These scams can cost prospective adoptive parents sizable sums, and result in much heartbreak. Scams generally occur in one of two ways. In the first, a woman who is genuinely pregnant works with a number of adoption agencies at the same time and asks all of these adoptive couples to pay for her prenatal and living expenses. Another scam involves an alleged birth mother who is not actually pregnant, but who exploits potential adoptive parents for living expenses or other fees in exchange for allowing them to adopt the supposed baby.
The following is a list of tips that can help you avoid becoming a victim of an adoption scam:
- Obtain the assistance of a knowledgeable adoption attorney
- Check an adoption agencies resources and ask for references
- Ask a lot of questions, as a good agency or attorney will welcome tough questions
- If contacted directly by an expectant woman considering adoption, ask her to contact your attorney or obtain permission for them to contact her
- Research the adoption agency or prospective birth mother thoroughly online
- Be sure if you are working with an agency that they are in good standing with the Kansas state’s licensing division
- Try to arrange a face to face meeting with the birth mother
- Ask the prospective birth mother to sign a Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) compliant medical release for her medical records
- Request the birthmother’s prenatal records immediately
- Ensure proof of pregnancy—looking pregnant or showing you an ultrasound is not enough
- Pay any allowable birth mother expenses to the provider, not her directly
- Ask the potential birth mother to submit to drug screening as well as criminal background and employment check
- Trust your gut instinct and pay attention to any early warning signs
McDowell Chartered: Guiding Your Adoption to a Successful Outcome
The Kansas Adoption Lawyers at McDowell Chartered have decades of experience assisting families in both domestic and international adoptions. Since 1992, our compassionate attorney team has provided quality legal services to families throughout Kansas, simplifying and expediting the adoption process. At McDowell Chartered, we focus on creating families. Call us today at (316) 633-4322 for an initial consultation.