Court ends 2020 by giving local kids ‘forever homes’ through adoption. ‘I choose you’
On Monday, the York County Family Court heard its last three cases of 2020.
“We spend the first 364 days in this building, sometimes tearing apart,” guardian ad-litem Stephen Schustermann said as he spoke during the hearing. But the last three hearings were adoptions. Tuesday the court convened to bring families together -- “to put things back,” he said.
“I couldn’t think of any better way to end the year, or a better Christmas present than to have a final adoption go through so that a child gets a forever home,” Judge David Guyton told The Herald as proceedings began.
‘Putting a face to a prayer’
Marla Ann Haffner, a Marine stationed in Rock Hill, was the first witness of the day. She cradled a baby in her arms, his wide eyes staring up at her.
Her husband, Eugene Haffner, also a Marine, sat beside her. A child’s arms were wrapped around his neck -- 3-year-old Nolan, who the couple had adopted as an infant.
As she leaned into the microphone to answer the judge’s questions, she paused to quiet the baby, bouncing him gently.
His name is Rocky. He was born prematurely and was given his name as an homage to Rocky Balboa, the mythic fighter from the movies. Marla and her husband met Rocky when he was an hour old.
When she saw him, Haffner said, “it was like putting a face to a prayer.” She teared up as she told reporters, “We prayed for what felt like a lifetime for these children.”
Marla and Eugene had watched Rocky grow, nurturing him, for three months.
Marla stated her name for the court, and fielded each question. Finally, Gutyon asked, “Do you love this child?”
“We absolutely love and adore him,” Marla answered.
Eugene then took the stand, Nolan still clinging to his neck.
“Do you need any more time to make your mind up?” Guyton asked.
“No. We don’t need any more time,” Eugene said, smiling over at his wife.
He told the judge about how he had grown to know Rocky; how he was a funny baby; and he would let you know when he wanted something. He talked about how Nolan loved to give Rocky kisses, even though he thought Rocky was “kind of boring.”
They had never doubted that Rocky belonged to them, Marla said. When he was asleep, and Marla, Eugene and Nolan were alone, she said it felt wrong. It felt like he should always be there.
“There are no reasons why this adoption shouldn’t go through,” Schustermann said during testimony, “But a million reasons why it should.”
Guyton agreed. “Congratulations. And thank you for your service.”
He signed off a new birth certificate for Rocky. Now, he was Rocky Liam Haffner.
‘This is my baby girl’
Candice Gilliland, of Rock Hill, testified from inside her car, speaking via a webcam. She had tested positive for COVID-19 in the days before her adoption hearing, but Gilliland refused to let that stop her.
She had fought to keep the blond, pigtailed child, sitting in her lap, alive since the child was 4-days-old.
Gilliland named the child Laura Bethany Claire -- Claire for short. Gilliland had been her foster mother since the day they met; now she would become her mother.
Claire was born with substance addiction and spent seven weeks in the hospital after her birth. Gilliland was there. When the infant contracted Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), which can be fatal to newborns, Gilliland was there. A nurse herself, Gilliland watched Claire’s heart rate monitor for days.
She watched, she said, as Claire’s heart stopped 14 times. Gilliland didn’t give up.
A year later, Claire is being treated for seizures and seen regularly by a neurologist, Gilliland said. She has recently been fitted for ankle braces to help her walk.
Gilliland continues to see her through it all. As Gilliland finished her story, Guyton asked: “Do you wish to have any more time to decide?”
“No,” Gilliland said. “This is my baby girl.”
Claire began to babble.
“Claire agrees,” Schustermann said.
Claire’s biological parents have kept in contact, Gilliland said.
“You’ve had the opportunity, that if you thought this would have been too much, you could have backed off and said ‘no.’ You’ve stuck with Claire,” Guyton said. “And even today, when you’re sick, you wanted to do this.”
He smiled as he addressed Gilliland.
“I have no doubt that this adoption is in Claire’s best interest,” he said. “Claire will be known as Laura Bethany Claire Gilliland -- and you, Ms. Gilliland, will be designated as her birth mother.” Gilliland teared up as she thanked the judge.
As she ended the video call, a beaming, pigtailed face came into the frame.
‘A public expression of love and devotion’
Guyton described the final case of the year as unique.
KerrieAnn Keller, 20, of Fort Mill, sat alongside Laurie Hays and Jeffrey Hays, the parents of Keller’s closest friend since middle school.
After nearly a decade of feeling like part of the Hays family, they wanted to make it official. They came to court to request an adult adoption, making KerrieAnn legally their daughter.
Laurie, Jeffrey and KerrieAnn had made the decision together after KerrieAnn left home.
Laurie said she understood KerrieAnn’s struggles. Laurie said she could do for KerrieAnn what Laurie wished someone had done for her, give her a loving family.
“I wondered what it was all for,” Laurie said, “But it had a purpose.”
Adoptions are special, Guyton said.
“There’s somebody who’s saying in court. You know, I want you to be my child. I chose you,” the judge said.
The Hays family had come to the court to choose KerrieAnn. Three of their four children sat behind them. Laurie said they wanted to choose KerriAnn as their sister.
“She’s been our daughter -- even if it’s if not in name, definitely in feeling,” Laurie said.
“Do you understand that an adult adoption, is in some respects a symbolic gesture, that you are making to KerrieAnn and she is making to you? You understand that it is a public expression of your love and devotion to her, and she to you?” Guyton asked.
“Yes, I do,” Laurie said.
“They’ve taken care of me when no one took care of me,” Keller, who had requested to keep her last name, said.
Guyton granted the third and final adoption of the day.
“She will be treated as one of your biological children,” he told the family.
As the hearing ended, Guyton left his bench.
Behind him, KerrieAnn Keller hugged the couple. Tears flowed. They were hers now, and she was theirs.
Once an adoption is recognized by the law, Guyton said, no one can take that away.
This story was originally published December 30, 2020 at 10:08 AM.
