Adoption hearing attracts international attention
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Adoption hearing attracts international attention

Date: November 16, 2010
By: Sherman Fabes
State Capitol Bureau

Intro: 
From the nation's capitol to the capitol of Missouri; that is the trip the Guatemalan ambassador made to hear arguments at the Missouri Supreme Court. Sherman Fabes has more from Jefferson City.
RunTime:  0:41
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: Guatemalan ambassador Francisco Villagran DeLeon was there to hear a Guatemalen woman trying to get her child back.

The woman was picked up in a 2007 immigration raid.

She went to prison.

Her family passed her son through church ministers and on to an adoptive family.

Now, she's out, and wants the boy back.

DeLeon said when it comes to their child, illegal immigrants should have the same civil rights as anyone else.

Actuality:  DELEON.WAV
Run Time:  00:08
Description: "Children of undocumented immigrants should not be given in adoption without their consent."

The four year old boy is currently with the adoptive parents.

The court did not announce when they would make a decision.

From Jefferson City, I'm Sherman Fabes.

Intro: 
Missouri's highest court heard oral arguments about illegal immigration and adoption that attracted in the Guatemalen ambassador's attention. Sherman Fabes has more from Jefferson City.
RunTime:  0:38
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: A 2007 immigration raid of a poultry plant resulted in a Guatemalen woman going to prison.

During the two year sentence her son was passed on from her family to church ministers.

The clergy then passed the boy on to an adoptive family.

She now wants her son back.

Guatemalan ambassador Francisco Villagran DeLeon said that the issue stems back to federal law.

Actuality:  DELEON1.WAV
Run Time:  00:09
Description: "We believe that this is a very unfortunate result of the problems with immigration in this country."

The woman is permitted to stay in the U.S., during the court process.

Justices made no decision in the case.

From Jefferson City, I'm Sherman Fabes.

Intro: 
An illegal immigrant mother is trying to get her son back, in front of the Missouri Supreme Court, with the Guatamalan ambassador in her corner Tuesday. Her son's being raised by a Missouri couple. Sherman Fabes has more from Jefferson City.
RunTime:  0:43
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: Attorney Richard Schnake is representing the couple, trying to keep the adopted child.

Actuality:  SCHNAKE.WAV
Run Time:  00:13
Description: "I don't have an ambassador to introduce to you today. What I have back in the next to the last row are the two people who have been this child's parents over the past three years."

The Missouri Supreme Court heard arguments about an illegal Guatemalan woman, who was picked up in a 2007 immigration raid.

She was sent to prison, while her son was passed through family, the church, and on to an adoptive family.

The Guatemalan ambassador to the U.S. was in the courtroom to listen to the fight over the young boy.

The court did not announce when they would make a decision.

From Jefferson City, I'm Sherman Fabes.