Florida judge nullifies adoption by HIV-positive parents. Clearinghouse, P.O. Box 6003, Rockville, MD 20849-6003. 800-458-5231 ext. 5023.

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1995. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

Florida judge nullifies adoption by HIV-positive parents. Clearinghouse, P.O. Box 6003, Rockville, MD 20849-6003. 800-458-5231 ext. 5023.

AIDS Policy Law. 1995 Mar 24;10(5):5. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE AIDS/95700236

Abstract: Circuit Judge Horace Andrews has ruled that a three-year-old girl will be removed from her adoptive parents' care because they are infected with HIV. The girl, Elizabeth, will live with her adoptive father's parents rather than be placed for adoption with a stranger. The judge said he had to decide whether it would be more traumatic for Elizabeth to lose her parents now rather than watch them die later and be put up for adoption at an older age. The Florida Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services (HRS) knew the prospective father and mother (Charles and Mary) were HIV-positive, and initially recommended that the adoption go forward anyway. However, after the parents' HIV status became public, the HRS Secretary asked the court to reconsider the adoption, saying it was a mistake to place the girl in custody of terminally ill parents. Charles and Mary are resigned to the decision but both feel they have been victimized because of their HIV status.

Keywords: Adoption/*LEGISLATION & JURISPRUD Florida *HIV Seropositivity Parents NEWSLETTER ARTICLE
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