Adoption Agency Under Investigation AgainPosted By: Jackelyn Barnard      May 22, 2008 JACKSONVILLE, FL -- They sold everything to have a family of their own. They got rid of their motorcycle and even their BMW to adopt a child. But they say they have nothing to show for it.

First coast news first started looking into Tedi Bear Adoptions in 2003. As part of a state action, the agency surrendered their license in 2003. Then in 2005, The state sent them a demand to stop operating without a license.

Christina and John Hale's dream was to have a big family. The only problem is the two are unable to have children of their own.

So, they decided they wanted to adopt. "We went online and we were looking at some beautiful children." The Hale's say the moment they saw the little baby, they fell in love. Her name is Anna-Christina, but to them she is Emylee.

She is a little Guatemalan girl, the Hale's say they paid tens of thousands of dollars to adopt. "Emylee is our daughter. We love her," says John Hale.

But the Hale's say they have had to watch their daughter grow up in pictures. "It's been devastating. We watched her walk in pictures. Watched her crawl in pictures, receive her teeth in pictures. We've never heard her say momma or daddy," says Christine Runkle-Hale.

Emylee isn't at home in Blackshear, Georgia, with the Hale's and her six brothers and sisters. She is stuck in Guatemala in a web of adoption hurdles. "Here she is almost three-years-old and we were supposed to have her home when she was a baby."

The Hale's have been waiting for Emylee two and a half years. They met face-to-face in the fall of 2005, just weeks after she was born. Along with Emylee, the Hale's saw another Guatemalan baby girl named Emoria. The Hale's wanted both girls. The dream was they would grow up as sisters, but these days Emoria plays alone.

"It's gotten to the point where we don't even talk to them on the phone, because they'll say something and then say we didn't say that."

So, now we deal with them only by email," says Christine Hale. In August 2005, the Hale's say they contacted an adoption agency by the name of Adoption Blessings Worldwide. According to state records and tax returns, its office is located in Macon, Georgia, but its executive director, Tedi Hedstrom, lives in Ponte Vedra.

The Hale's say they used ABW for the adoptions of two other children, Emoria and Joshua. They say those adoptions went smoothly and quickly, but Emylee's adoption has been a different story. "They're wonderful to deal with while you don't question, and you don't have concerns and you play by their rules. But when you question, the first thing they do is they turn it around," says Christine Hale.

They say with Emylee, there has been a delay every step of the way. "Emylee's mother was a minor, and we were not told until in Guatemala, holding her in our arms. But even then we questioned, and they said it would only add a couple of weeks."

The Hale's say ABW failed numerous times to complete their paperwork properly. Then came the request for more money. "When they said jump.....we said how high. We were the first to jump."

Then the Hale's say there were other requests again for more money, all while there was no end in sight to Emylee's adoption. April 2007, Wendy from ABW tells the Hale's, in an email, that those working on the adoption, "...have to have the $1000 and also need foster care expenses.....unless they get help with the expenses, they are prepared to just stop altogether and not finish the adoption."

April 2008, Christine says she got an email from Tedi of ABW, saying, "They do not feel that you really want to adopt....Anna-Christina as they feel if you did you would want to take care of her needs and clothing. I explained to them that you love her very much but they do not think so."

Then there is another email saying Emylee's grandfather wants cash in order to cooperate. But a year before, in another email, ABW told the Hale's the adoption was delayed because the grandfather had died. "As soon as we questioned it they would come back on us like ya'll don't care about yall's daughter," says Christine Hale.

The response from ABW was Emylee's grandmother had re-married and this was the step-grandfather now wanting money. "We never fought back because they've always held the adoption of our daughter over our head and I think we've gotten to the point where enough is enough," says John Hale.

According to Georgia records, ABW once operated under a different name--Tedi Bear Adoptions. The same agency once based in North Florida. The same agency that came under fire in Florida in 2003 for numerous complaints about its service.

In 2003, the state of Florida sanctioned the agency, which agreed to close its doors. Florida's Department of Children and Families told Tedi Bear Adoptions and its executive director, Tedi Hedstrom, she could not operate in Florida for four years. That time is now up. "At the end of that time they were free to apply for a license and they have not reapplied for a license," says Diane Seymore of DCF.

But the Hale's say a lot of their adoption work was done in Florida. "Since august 12, 2005, every bit of wiring money we sent to ABW went to an account in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida," says Christine Hale. The Hale's kept a check ABW sent them. The check's labeled as Tedi Bear of Georgia. It is also attached to that same Florida Bank account the Hale's say they have wired money to.

We showed that check to the DCF. We also showed DCF what the First Coast News I-Team uncovered. We found a local community listing for Adoption Blessings Worldwide with a Ponte Vedra address and phone number. We found ABW's website is registered to Hedstrom's home in Ponte Vedra.

We also found invitations to ABW parties recently held in Atlantic Beach and Ponte Vedra. "We have some questions as to the possibility she may be placing some children through a Florida office. They should not be placing children for adoption in the state of Florida," says Seymore.

Last week, DCF sent a letter to Hedstrom and ABW warning to cease and desist operating a child placing agency without a license. DCF says it has also contacted the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office to investigate any possible criminal action.

First Coast News has learned that DCF and investigators from the Sheriff's office will meet this week about the case. We have also learned that DCF has spoken with Hedstrom and she admits, "...she has an office in her home and that she occasionally sees clients related to Adoption Blessings Worldwide in her home office." According to the DCF report, Hedstrom says that all files are kept in Georgia.

Thursday night at 11, investigator Jackelyn Barnard gets ABW's side of the story about the allegations. Jackelyn also talks to another family, who lives in Florida, and who says they paid $40,000 to ABW and have no children.

We will also tell you about another state agency investigating ABW and how state agencies are not the only ones taking action against ABW. That story is Thursday night at 11 on First Coast News.

First Coast News

Adoption Agency Under Investigation--Part TwoPosted By: Jackelyn Barnard      May 23, 2008 JACKSONVILLE, FL -- Their dream was to have a family of their own, but John and Christine Hale were physically unable to have a child. So, they turned to adoption.

While two adoptions went through, the third one involving a little girl by the name of Emylee has been delayed for more than two years. They say the process has been a nightmare. "At Christmas time and on her birthday, we have gifts. She'll call up and say it's our daughter's birthday. It's hard. I keep a picture of her on my toolbox," says John Hale.

Pictures are all the Hale's have of their little girl. They say they've spent the last two and a half years and tens of thousands of dollars trying to bring Emylee home. Emylee is stuck in Guatemala. Her adoption is at a halt with an agency called Adoption Blessings Worldwide, which is based in Macon, Georgia.

But First Coast News has learned that ABW is now at the center of an investigation in Florida. Last week, the Department of Children and Families sent a cease and desist letter to ABW's executive director, Tedi Hedstrom, who lives in Ponte Vedra. DCF says it is concerned Hedstrom and her Georgia agency are doing work in Florida without a license.

The agency moved from Florida to Georgia and changed its name from Tedi Bear Adoptions to Adoption Blessings Worldwide a couple years ago. The changes came after Florida's DCF sanctioned Tedi Bear Adoptions in 2003. The agency agreed to give up its license for four years. That time is now up. DCF says the agency has not applied for a new license in Florida.

A Florida couple, who agreed to talk to us if we changed their names and concealed their identities, says Florida is where they did some of their adoption business with ABW. We will call them Jennifer and Mike. "That's where we signed the paperwork at her home(Ponte Vedra). She had an office there," says Jennifer.

Jennifer and Mike say they've paid 40 thousand dollars to ABW to get two healthy babies, a boy and a girl, from Russia. "As soon as we signed the paperwork, she said congratulations we're pregnant and welcome to the family," says Jennifer.

The couple says they were told the babies would arrive in a matter of months. They got the babies room ready, but when it was time to go to Russia to finalize the deal, they say they didn't get what they paid for. "The boy was very ill. He had a blood disease. They were not sure if he was going to live for very long," says Mike.

Jennifer says after they declined the boy, "They offered us a 2 year old boy with AIDS and unfortunately we wouldn't be able to adopt him either because the U.S. doesn't permit children with AIDS to come back."

The couple also declined the little girl because they say she had a neurological disorder. Jennifer and Mike asked for their money back, but the contract they signed says the money is not refundable.

"Tedi's response was well you denied the children. We're not responsible," says Jennifer. The couple says Hedstrom then offered them children from Guatemala. "She said there would be additional fees of 17,000 dollars per child to adopt and that we needed to act in the next few days."

Jennifer and Mike said no. Already out 40 thousand dollars, they say they've spent their savings and there is nothing left. "We still have a beautiful home. We still have a beautiful nursery and we'd love to adopt."

Their only dream is to one day be a mom and dad, but they say that dream fades every day. "It's hard to look at the baby room daily, but we still have hope and dreams that it will come true one day."

First Coast News went to Hedstrom's Ponte Vedra home for answers. Her children told us she wasn't home. We left our phone number for her to call, but she never did. We also called her numerous times, but she never called back.

Then, two local attorneys agreed to speak on Hedstrom's behalf. "The agencies in the U.S. don't control what children are presented to the adoptive parents. They can make a request and plead but they don't have any control over that," says Carole Vogel.

First Coast News also tracked down another ABW client. A woman in California, who did not want to be identified. She told us she stopped the adoption of a Guatemalan child because the child's DNA test was allegedly false.

She was too upset to talk to us, her attorney spoke for her. "The claim is the DNA was taken on a date in October with the birth mother and the child being in the office. However, the child was with my client hundreds of miles away on that very date. It didn't happen," says Michigan attorney Joni Fixel.

Hedstrom's representatives say the agency is not always at fault with these kinds of problems. "Making sure (they're) trustworthy and honest people, it's difficult even under the best of circumstances. Because a lot of these countries are third world nations...very poor," says Vogel.

Vogel says international adoptions are risky. But Fixel says she has five different families from across the country with similar stories involving ABW and Tedi Hedstrom. "They are emotional and financial predators," says Fixel.

When asked if Tedi Hedstrom was an emotional predator, Fixel replied, "I believe so. In what I've seen, the emails going back and forth, the threats blaming the parents for not caring enough, blaming the parents for not sending enough money."

Rick Rumrell, an attorney speaking out on behalf of Hedstrom, says it's not true. "If anything, Tedi is a person who has devoted her life to helping families and children do adoptions, something she does not get wealthy on."

Fixel says the families are planning to sue ABW to get their money back. "In our office we call these contracts--I promise to get you a baby, maybe. There's a lot of loose terms in these contracts. It's our position they never intended on completing the adoption in the first place and the contract should be voided as a whole."

Rumrell says," I can tell you that would be categorically not true."

For now, the Hale's hold on to pictures of their little girl, Emylee. But even the pictures raise questions. "She looks nothing like this," says Christine Hale comparing pictures the adoption agency has sent her of her child.

Hale says some of the pictures don't match the child they saw and held in their arms. The Hale's say they are not sure of what Emylee looks like today. "If you asked me if our child could pop up with someone else. It would not surprise me," says Hale.

The couple holds on to the memories of the baby they held in their arms. They also hold on to hope that one day Emylee will be home playing with her brothers and sisters.

The thought of their child without them brings them to tears. "We love her and we haven't given up on her. We have done everything we can to do their job. We've begged and pleaded. We'd do anything to get her home."

Adoption Blessings Worldwide has had several complaints made against it with the Florida DCF over the last two years.

We have also learned that Georgia's Department of Human Resources, which licenses adoption agencies, is currently doing two investigations on the agency.

Georgia officials have confirmed that there are at least five complaints against ABW right now. Information on those complaints are considered private until the investigations are over.

The St. Johns County Sheriff's Office is also working with the Florida DCF and looking into whether any criminal act was done in Florida involving ABW.

First Coast News

DCF Sends Another Warning To Adoption Agency Posted By: Jackelyn Barnard      May 23, 2008JACKSONVILLE, FL -- The state of Florida has taken more action against an adoption agency with ties to the First Coast.

Florida and Georgia officials are investigating Adoption Blessings Worldwide. The state, last week, sent a cease and desist letter to the agency warning them to stop operating a child placing agency without a license in Florida.

The agency is located in Macon, Georgia, but its executive director, Tedi Hedstrom, lives in Ponte Vedra. One Florida couple, who did not want to be identified, say they paid the agency $40,000 to get two healthy children.The couple says they were offered sick children, including one with AIDS.

First Coast News has learned that on Friday the Department of Children and Families sent a second warning to ABW to stop doing business in Florida without a license. The second warning also focuses on the agency advertising in Florida.

The First Coast News I-team found a community listing online for ABW with a Ponte Vedra Beach location and phone number.

We also found invitations advertising recent parties in Atlantic Beach and Ponte Vedra for ABW.

"What we've done is send a cease and desist order. Another cease and desist order, a second order to ABW and Ms. Hedstrom. Our concern is she is violating state statutes by advertising for clients without a license," says John Harrell of the DCF.

The new order specifically states Hedstrom remove and stop all advertisements or offers to the public in Florida. That includes phone directory listings, internet listings and ads for adoption recruitment parties.

First Coast News went to Hedstrom's Ponte Vedra home for comment. Her husband declined to talk on camera. But Tedi Hedstrom did call First Coast News after we left. Hedstrom told us by phone that she did not know some of the advertisements online existed.

Hedstrom says she is working with the DCF and will not be accepting new Florida clients until DCF deems it appropriate.

Some of the ads are still posted online but Hedstrom says she is canceling them.

Hedstrom also says she plans to apply for a license in the state of Florida.

The Hedstroms also say they have helped in more than 900 successful adoptions in eleven countries.

First Coast News