Help bring Adrianna and Serenity Home
Donation protected
On Tuesday, September 29th, my sister, Alicia Smith, and her wife, Allison, had their 11 year old twin daughters, Adrianna and Serenity, torn away from them after a year and a half of an ongoing adoption trial.
Alicia received legal guardianship of Adrianna and Serenity in 2011 when they just were 2 years old. Their biological parents were unable to care for them so my sister stepped in and took them in as her own. Since then, she has been their primary guardian, caregiver and mommy. Alicia has taken care of all of their educational needs, doctors and dentists appointments, and everything else a parent does for their kids. In 2014, my sister met her wife, Allison, and together they have built a beautiful family with Adrianna, Serenity, and Allison’s son, Paxton. They have lived together in Blue Springs, Missouri since 2016.
The girls knew from an early age that their biological parents were unable to take care of them and have always referred to Alicia as mommy. As they grew older, they started asking about having the same last name as their mom and the conversations of the legal adoption process began. They longed for a sense of belonging and normalcy and wanted to be legally adopted. Alicia and Allison started the legal adoption process in March of 2019. They were hopeful that since the girls had always resided with Alicia and Allison that this would be an easy and pain-free process. Unfortunately, this is where things began spiraling downhill.
After the other “co-guardian” refused to sign an agreement to the adoption of the girls to Alicia and Allison, attorneys and the court system had to get involved.
The first trial date was Friday, March 13th, 2020, almost an entire year after Alicia had first filed for adoption. Unfortunately, the trial was continued to mid April, however, COVID-19 rapidly set it, shutting down everything, even the court system. The fight continued for months and months while the trial dates kept getting postponed or pushed back. After several continuances, the final trial took place virtually on Friday, August 7th. During this entire process, the girls were never able to share their wishes and the final statements were made against my sister to continue to care for these girls after 9 years of doing so. Still being hopeful that the final decision was yet to be given, Alicia and Allison continued to believe that their home is the best place for the girls to live and be raised in as well as continue living with their brother.
On Tuesday morning, September 28th, over a month and a half later, Alicia received the anxiously awaited communication from her attorney with the final decision. She devastatingly read the text message that her motion to adopt was denied and the other guardian’s motion was granted, giving them sole custody. Alicia requested to keep the girls the remainder of the week to break the news to them and spend a few last days as a family of 5. The other guardian selfishly denied this request and forced the girls to move that very evening. Alicia and Allison waited for all 3 kids to get home from school before breaking the news of the judges decision. At first, they were excited to hear a decision was finally made, until they heard that the judge didn’t decide for them to stay with their mom, Allison and Paxton. Serenity cried and screamed, “NO! I don’t want to leave my home.” Adrianna sat as still as a statue as tears ran down her face, in complete shock that she was not only going to have to leave her mom and step mom, but one of her best friends and brother, Paxton. Paxton was devastated as he was also losing the only siblings he has ever known.
It has been officially 2 months since the judgement was made and the girls were forced to leave the only home they've ever known. Alicia, Allison and Paxton have not been allowed to see them at all since they left and have only been allowed to talk to them a few times on the phone. As of October 31st, all communication has been cut off and denied. Alicia and Allison have already started the appeals process to continue to fight for what is truly in the best interest of the girls. They have hired a new appellate attorney who specializes in appeals who is taking on their case. If anyone knows how expensive attorney and court fees can be, you can only imagine how much they’ve spent so far after a year and a half of trials and lawyer fees, they can’t do much more on their own.
If anyone is able to help bring the girls back home to my sister, Allison and Paxton we need your love and support right now. Any donation, no amount too small, prayers and positive thoughts you can send their way, they need as much love and support during this difficult time to continue to fight for the return of their daughters and sisters.
Alicia received legal guardianship of Adrianna and Serenity in 2011 when they just were 2 years old. Their biological parents were unable to care for them so my sister stepped in and took them in as her own. Since then, she has been their primary guardian, caregiver and mommy. Alicia has taken care of all of their educational needs, doctors and dentists appointments, and everything else a parent does for their kids. In 2014, my sister met her wife, Allison, and together they have built a beautiful family with Adrianna, Serenity, and Allison’s son, Paxton. They have lived together in Blue Springs, Missouri since 2016.
The girls knew from an early age that their biological parents were unable to take care of them and have always referred to Alicia as mommy. As they grew older, they started asking about having the same last name as their mom and the conversations of the legal adoption process began. They longed for a sense of belonging and normalcy and wanted to be legally adopted. Alicia and Allison started the legal adoption process in March of 2019. They were hopeful that since the girls had always resided with Alicia and Allison that this would be an easy and pain-free process. Unfortunately, this is where things began spiraling downhill.
After the other “co-guardian” refused to sign an agreement to the adoption of the girls to Alicia and Allison, attorneys and the court system had to get involved.
The first trial date was Friday, March 13th, 2020, almost an entire year after Alicia had first filed for adoption. Unfortunately, the trial was continued to mid April, however, COVID-19 rapidly set it, shutting down everything, even the court system. The fight continued for months and months while the trial dates kept getting postponed or pushed back. After several continuances, the final trial took place virtually on Friday, August 7th. During this entire process, the girls were never able to share their wishes and the final statements were made against my sister to continue to care for these girls after 9 years of doing so. Still being hopeful that the final decision was yet to be given, Alicia and Allison continued to believe that their home is the best place for the girls to live and be raised in as well as continue living with their brother.
On Tuesday morning, September 28th, over a month and a half later, Alicia received the anxiously awaited communication from her attorney with the final decision. She devastatingly read the text message that her motion to adopt was denied and the other guardian’s motion was granted, giving them sole custody. Alicia requested to keep the girls the remainder of the week to break the news to them and spend a few last days as a family of 5. The other guardian selfishly denied this request and forced the girls to move that very evening. Alicia and Allison waited for all 3 kids to get home from school before breaking the news of the judges decision. At first, they were excited to hear a decision was finally made, until they heard that the judge didn’t decide for them to stay with their mom, Allison and Paxton. Serenity cried and screamed, “NO! I don’t want to leave my home.” Adrianna sat as still as a statue as tears ran down her face, in complete shock that she was not only going to have to leave her mom and step mom, but one of her best friends and brother, Paxton. Paxton was devastated as he was also losing the only siblings he has ever known.
It has been officially 2 months since the judgement was made and the girls were forced to leave the only home they've ever known. Alicia, Allison and Paxton have not been allowed to see them at all since they left and have only been allowed to talk to them a few times on the phone. As of October 31st, all communication has been cut off and denied. Alicia and Allison have already started the appeals process to continue to fight for what is truly in the best interest of the girls. They have hired a new appellate attorney who specializes in appeals who is taking on their case. If anyone knows how expensive attorney and court fees can be, you can only imagine how much they’ve spent so far after a year and a half of trials and lawyer fees, they can’t do much more on their own.
If anyone is able to help bring the girls back home to my sister, Allison and Paxton we need your love and support right now. Any donation, no amount too small, prayers and positive thoughts you can send their way, they need as much love and support during this difficult time to continue to fight for the return of their daughters and sisters.
Organizer and beneficiary
Angie Buck
Organizer
Roosterville, MO
Alicia Smith
Beneficiary
