When Blasios adoptive mother died in 1988, her father shared all he knew of the family secret and Blasio embarked on a journey to learn as much as she could about Doc Hicks. She made a vow to find out who had actually killed her mother. A&E True Crime spoke with Blasio about her new memoir, Taken at Birth: Stolen Babies, Hidden Lies, and My Journey to Finding Home in which she details how she uncovered her birth story. They were adopted through the Georgia clinic that created a national furor back in the 1980s, and now some children are still trying to find their biological relatives in the mountains. Jane Blasio is the youngest of the known Hicks Babies. One corrupt doctor saw the perfect commercial opportunity - to deliver babies and sell them illegally for large sums of money. partner_name: "WDEF", Stapleton, who now lives in Long Beach, Calif., with his longtime girlfriend, was reunited with a half sister, with whom he shares a father. But Melinda didnt buy it. How many babies were fathered by Dr Hicks? Taken at Birth airs Oct. 9 through Oct. 11 from 9-11 p.m. Seeking family links: Hicks babies hope DNA will uncover histories Falcone said his adoptive mother, now 94, has confirmed the facts. Judy, along with her daughter Melinda, were appearing on the infamous American talk show regarding their involvement in the Hicks Baby saga where couples in the 1960s unknowingly adopted children from the black market. Within a decade, he was not only performing illegal abortions but selling newborns on the black market. "They were instructed to come downcome through the front door, pick the baby up and leave through the back door and, and go home immediately," Dawson explained. Your email address will not be published. In 1947, Joan Crawford adopted twins, Cathy and Cindy, from Tann. The administrator advised me to seek an attorney, investigator, and detective to help assist me as this is a serious situation and has FREQUENT his office. The "Hicks Babies" are now grown and many have babies and grandbabies of their own. The catalyst came when Melinda visited Clarence in prison one day. Difficult economy and loneliness forces some retirees to move in with family, Cemetery takes out ad for goose whose mate died. In the small town, the. A cemetery posted a personal ad for a goose whose mate died. When I started searching I did a lot of research about Tonia and Earl. She couldnt prove it yet, but she was sure she had her killer. The story is the stuff of nightmares. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. element: "#evvnt-calendar-widget", Covering for him. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. 'Hicks baby' reunited with her birth mother and brother Her husband in jail for her mothers murder. The documentary originally aired in 2019 on TLC, but has since migrated to Hulu. John Stapleton and his sister Cyndy were both sold on a black market as babies. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Im so happy for ancestry and changing lives. How many Hicks babies have found their biological family? Sally Sompayrac is Hicks granddaughter. ", First published on October 12, 2014 / 8:16 PM. Who is Jane Blasio, and what really went on with her adoption? - YourTango Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. A movie about Melindas life is currently in the works. Yes! Looking back, it was best because it further framed the dynamics of Doc Hicks and the clinic. I worked for a local firm doing mostly workers comp fraud cases and basic research. He wont be eligible for parole until hes 92. No products in the cart. Hicks was forced to give up his medical license in 1964 after being charged with performing illegal abortions, and he died in 1972 at the age of 83. It was then she began to think hard, but it wasnt in obvious detail that she gave information; she skirted questions by referring to the clinic as, I know what my father did. Her face showed the pain and generational regret, and then tears. Hicks, who died in 1972, illegally sold nearly 200 newborns into black market adoptions between 1950 and 1965. Thats why they are back again this year. But he has found solace in the large network of Hicks babies who share resources, dejection and hope. Dr. Thomas J. Hicks of the Hicks Clinic located in McCaysville, along the border of Tennessee sold scores of babies between the 1940s and 1960s, authorities have determined. [From Taken at Birth: I had DNA matches, but none had a connection to Kitty. More to the point, he also facilitated over 200 illegal adoptions. Hicks Babies Return to McCaysville - WDEF You need to ask yourself questions and then do problems to answer those questions. We celebrate community and we tell your stories. In 1922, Tann adopted a daughter, June. That surprised me. In 1960, there were 50 babies born in all of Fannin County. Now please, would you get a hold of me as soon as you can? }); Morag Preston reports on the scandal of Dr Hicks, and talks to the families who are now being reunited. Jane was sold for $1,000 as a newborn in January of 1965 by Dr. Hicks. All articles, images, product names, logos, and brands are property of their respective owners. Black Market Adoption - Thomas Hicks - RootsWeb Earl Mann was finally convicted in 2008. Your email address will not be published. They only have the notes their mother kept in her Bible. Dawson is one of hundreds who say they were victims of Dr. Thomas Hicks. [But] I dont think it initially started that way.. As Taken At Birthprogresses, we learn that Dr. Hicks helped some pretty prominent people get rid of a baby that was a mistake. Baby-dealer's legacy Dr. Hicks' babies may number 200. We are the most trusted source for local news. orientation: "portrait", I got out of bed and I went to the kitchen and I looked and I seen that there was a guy in the kitchen, but it scared me, so I ran back to the bedroom, she would later tell NBC News. To date, how many Hicks Babies do you estimate youve been able to reunite with birth families? SOLD ON THE BLACK MARKET. Hicks was forced to give up his medical license in 1964 after being charged with performing illegal abortions, and he died in 1972 at the age of 83. Earl Mann had tried to buddy up to Clarence in jail. She [Brooke] said it was dark and shed just seen the back of his head along with one time when he [the killer] went to punch her. We are your neighbors. Especially up in the mountains of Copper Hill and McCaysville, Georgia, said Truelove. The doctor persuaded some of the women who came to him for abortions to carry their pregnancies to term, and then sold the infants to couples for $800 to $1,000. Updated: November 4, 2011. It was a nightmare, you cant even, unless you experience it, you cant even imagine.. The Real Story Behind TLC's 'Taken at Birth', Carrie Underwood Shares Hilarious Fashion Fail, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. Everyones DNA was preserved, either from a discarded beer bottle, cigarette butt or hair root. No records are recorded in the county or the state. Melinda says Earl went AWOL on June 4 and disappeared. "Hicks Babies" trying to find their roots decades later THE ATLANTA CONSTITUTION 06 March 1972 Dr. Thomas Hicks McCAYSVILLE, Ga. - Services for Dr. Thomas J. Hicks, Sr., 83, of McCaysville will be at 2 p.m. Monday in Finch's Chapel here, burial in Crestlawn Cemetery in Copperhill, Tenn. Dr. Hicks, who operated Hicks' Clinic from around 1945 until he retired in 1965,. I think about it all the time, that after all these years searching, he was right next door. By this time, Clarences lawyers were out of ideas. A couple of the women jurors were crying.. TLC's 'Taken at Birth' Investigates Black Market Adoption Ring - PEOPLE.com Abortions were illegal at the time. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Melinda joined forces with the Ohio Innocence Project and after a public campaign, on December 15, 2005, armed with new evidence and DNA testing, the Summit County Prosecutors Office announced they were dropping the charges against Clarence and calling for his immediate release from prison. Dr. Biram C. Hicks is a Infectious Disease Specialist in Chattanooga, TN. DIANE WARNER, A HICKS BABY "She called me the next morning and said youre not going to believe this story about the Hicks babies where youre adopted from..it just broke. Therefore, the only hope these individuals had, these so-called Hicks babies, was that they could use DNA to find their birth families. Find Dr. Hicks's phone number, address, insurance information, hospital affiliations and more. Chattanooga, Hamilton County, Tennessee 37404. In her spare time, she enjoys raising awareness about autism and spending time with her two children. Seeking family links - PressReader At least 12 dead after winter storm slams South, Midwest, The Saturday Six: Dental device controversy, scientist's bug find and more, Indonesia fuel depot fire kills 18; more than a dozen missing, 3 children killed, 2 others wounded at Texas home, Man charged for alleged involvement in 2 transformer explosions, Nikki Haley slams potential GOP contenders, and Trump and George W. Bush, Duo of 81-year-old women plan to see the world in 80 days, Tom Sizemore, actor known for "Saving Private Ryan" and "Heat," dies at 61, Alex Murdaugh trial: What to know about the double murder case, A family physician who performed illegal abortions in the 50s and 60s in McCaysville, Georgia, also delivered babies and sold them to couples in off-the-books adoptions, Georgias Hicks Babies adoptees search for answers, 7 hospitalized after plane makes emergency landing, Millions of Americans nearing retirement age with no savings. I couldnt have lived with myself if I hadnt tried to find out who did this to my mum, Melinda said. 1 season available (3 episodes) In 1997 a shocking story surfaced. He took babies from parents who couldnt take care of them but he could have also lied to some mothers after they gave birth. Taken at Birth: The Hicks Clinic Stolen Babies, https://www.aetv.com/real-crime/hicks-clinic-stolen-babies. He also secretly placed infants with out-of-state parents in off-the-books adoptions. That was my main objective, to take care of my children. Blasio enlists TLCs Long Lost Family co-hosts Lisa Joyner and Chris Jacobs to solve a decades-old mystery, reunite birth families and ultimately help them find closure. Eric is related to Michael Jay Hicks and Rhonda Susan Hicks as well as 3 additional people. What makes the story even more tragic is the first baby was actually a set of twins. She saw a face in the dark.. The number of those who have reunited with a biological parent is even smaller approximately 15. He gave up his medical license in Georgia in order to stop the criminal proceedings, but he didnt stop illegal adoptions. I said, Im going to get a Coke. But Dr. Hicks had a not-so-secret dark secret. At the time, both Judy and Melinda had received strange phone calls calling for punishment after going public with the Hicks Baby controversy and Melinda was terrified she was next. Mocs Jake Stephens Returns and Throws Down a Double-Double in Win Over VMI, EPB Working to Restore Thousands of Power Outages, Mocs OL McClendon Curtis Gets a Shot to Shine at NFL Combine, Georgia's Stegeman Coliseum Closed After Piece of Concrete Falls From Ceiling. At that point they took him, and he never came back home.. Dr. Hicks was a town doctor who performed illegal abortions. So, unfortunately, it looks like a lot of the people in the town likely turned a blind eye to what Dr. Hicks was doing because they benefited from his services. Doc Hicks died in 1972 so there is mystery to this day. Email youngma@news.com.au, To join the conversation, please (Silver Spring, MD) - Over three nights this October, TLC's TAKEN AT BIRTH will share the untold stories of the "Hicks Babies," the name given to more than 200 newborn babies illegally sold or given away from the back steps of a small-town Georgia clinic run by Dr. Thomas J. Hicks during the 1950s and 1960s.
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