ADOPTION POLICY QUESTIONED; STROHMEYER CASE PROMPTS DISCLOSURE STUDY.Byline: Troy Anderson Staff Writer After hearing dramatic testimony from the adoptive parents adoptive parents Social medicine Persons who lawfully adopt children, who are generally married couples but may be single persons, including homosexuals; most APs are married of convicted killer Jeremy Strohmeyer, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors is the five member governing board of Los Angeles County, California. Members of the board of supervisors are elected by district, the current members as of April 2006 are:
Strohmeyer was sentenced to life in prison for sexually assaulting and murdering 7-year-old Sherrice Iverson in the bathroom of a Nevada casino in 1997. The Long Beach couple who adopted him are suing the county, alleging social workers deliberately withheld information that their son's biological mother had a history of mental illness. ``We do not believe we are an isolated case,'' Winnie Strohmeyer said. ``This is a national issue,'' John Strohmeyer John Strohmeyer (b. 1923, Boston, MA) was the 1972 Pulitzer Prize winner for editorial writing “for his editorial campaign to reduce racial tensions in Bethlehem.” said. Winnie Strohmeyer testified she learned six weeks ago that her son's birth mother had been hospitalized 60 times in state mental institutions before his birth, and in 1976 was diagnosed a chronic schizophrenic schiz·o·phren·ic adj. Of, relating to, or affected by schizophrenia. n. One who is affected with schizophrenia. . She said they were only told the woman used alcohol and drugs before dropping out of high school and later ``appeared mentally ill'' and was hospitalized at the time she gave birth. Prior to adopting their son, the Strohmeyers indicated in adoption paperwork they would not accept a child for adoption whose parents had a history of mental illness or retardation. Social workers assured them Jeremy did not have that kind of history in his background, she said. But recently, Winnie Strohmeyer testified she learned county officials met together to ``plan the lies and deceit Deceit Aimwell pretends to be titled to wed into wealth. [Br. Lit.: The Beaux’ Stratagem] Ananias lies about amount of money received for land. [N.T.: Acts 5:1–6] Ananias Club all its members are liars. [Am. they would perpetrate per·pe·trate tr.v. per·pe·trat·ed, per·pe·trat·ing, per·pe·trates To be responsible for; commit: perpetrate a crime; perpetrate a practical joke. against our family.'' ``In 1999, we came face-to-face with our son's adoption records,'' she said. ``We found out how we were manipulated.'' Supervisor Michael Antonovich said it is vital to parents who adopt children to receive information about the child's biological history so the parents can seek health care for the child. ``Having children receive early treatment will ensure the child is properly treated and prevent a time-bomb effect on the community,'' Antonovich said. The supervisors voted unanimously to have county officials study the policies on disclosure and report their findings and recommendations. Gregory Smith
Gregory Edward Smith (born July 6, 1983) is a Canadian/American actor. , the attorney for the Strohmeyers, said he has received calls from couples considering adoption, who are concerned about how the county handles the disclosure of the biological background of children. ``This information is commonly denied by the county,'' Smith said. ``The adoptive a·dop·tive adj. 1. a. Of or having to do with adoption. b. Characteristic of adoption. 2. Related by adoption: system as it stands right now provides less information for a lifelong decision than what is provided to a car-buyer making a decision to purchase a car.'' |
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