In 1997, Jane Blasio first shared the story of her illegal adoption with a newspaper in Akron, Ohio. TLC is a global brand available in more than 86 million homes in the US and 279 million households around the world. If he does, youll want to be in whichever database he decides to use. An investigative team looks into the mysteries behind the case of Dr. Thomas Hicks, who sold babies illegally from his clinic in the 1950s and 1960s, as the "Hicks Babies" begin to reunite to search for answers. Dr Hicks didnt keep records of the births and adoptions, so the only way to find your brother, if hes still alive, would be if he decided to look for you using DNA. Copyright 2023 Distractify. I do hope your brother survived and is out there somewhere. Paul Reymann, right, and his biological father Paul H. Jack met for the first time at Historic Rose Mont in Gallatin last month. If hes alive, hopefully hell see the TV show and decide to test. She was actually from another clinic located in Chattanooga. I recommend that you test with AncestryDNA and 23andMe, then consider transferring the raw data file into some of the other databases if you dont have luck at the first two. This lecture will be retired after this offering, so dont miss out! Unfortunately, there does not appear to be any new or recent updates to suggest Jane Blasio ever found her biological parents. He had done prison time for selling drugs in Tennessee and lost his medical license in that state, according to an AJC story from 1997. Others learn they are related to someone who was pretty high up in the police department at the time as well. I contacted my states vital records department and no records of her stillbirths are recorded. How the hell would YOU feel? I dont know the truth, the people involved back THEN know. In 1997, Jane Blasio, an Akron woman adopted as a baby, was searching for her birth mother. Were some mothers misled into believing their babies were stillborn when they were actually alive? As far as they know the first baby that was adopted out was a twin. In the 1950s and 1960s, hundreds of newborns were taken from a small-town Georgia clinic sold on the black market. I can attest to the fact that some of the mothers were married (yes, to the biological fathers) at the time their infants were sold. What's additionally staggering is it's believed that more than 200 infants, known as the "Hicks Babies," were victims of the doctor's scheme during the '50s and '60s. A grieving woman magically travels through time to 1998, where she meets a man with an uncanny resemblance to her late love. Janice, I am from Polk County Tennessee as well and Dr Hicks delivered my oldest brother before they ran him out of Tennessee. I hope your brother decides to test someday. Its unbelievable. Asherz also gives an update on her progress with her documentary "Synching the Mothman". All Rights Reserved. Ive said it over and over: I dont like being told no.. My Mama and Daddy were young parents and though they were very poor they both wanted their first born with all their heart! This man told women that their babies had died or were stillborn. Dr Hicks ran a clinic in McCaysville, Georgia, from about 1945 to 1965. He doesnt talk to any of them but just to have a name made a big difference in our life. If it wasnt Hicks, there was someone doing the same thing during the war years adopting babies out to Akron. So no, I cant completely vilify as I just dont know. No one with half a brain can even think that is good. Mama said they ran him out of Tennessee not long after that because he was killing so many babies. i come from to sides of a family that are both messed up. What makes the story even more tragic is the first baby was actually a set of twins. "I had no idea that it was being released on Hulu until I started seeing my Instagram numbers go up," she says. But what does anyone think was normally done with illegally aborted babies during that time I can tell you, they were likely disposed of in with the garbage. The story of Hicks' activity broke in 1997, and ever since, Blasio has been connecting with fellow adoptees, over 200 of whom ended up in Akron, Ohio, even joking occasionally that some of the . In 1965, Blasios adoptive parents drove from Ohio, paid $1,000 cash and a received their new baby through the car window, swaddled in a blanket and still caked with dried blood. SUBMITTED. At the other end of the transaction, adoptive parents drove to a window in the alley behind the clinic, shelled out $1,000 or morebig money for the timeand were handed a newborn. Fans can also interact with TLC on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat and Pinterest. Mama named my brother Von Gordon. Some babies were that small but not all of them. However, there are so many "Hicks Babies" cases that if fans continue to have a strong reaction to the show, TLC or Hulu could develop additional seasons. Born in 1965 at a clinic operated by Thomas Jugarthy Hicks in a small town in northern Georgia, Jane, a prematurely born baby, was sold, not legally adopted, and passed . she weighed a little over 4lbs I wonder if theres any connection between those doctors. Stephen Dilbeck was the first baby Dr. Thomas Hicks sold out of his small-town clinic in McCaysville, Georgia. 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These werent all women seeking abortions, a number of these women were seeking medical care for themselves and their unborn babies only to be robbed of that precious life. She is a brave woman who helped a lot of people find answers. She says Kitty Self, the woman she thought for 17 years to be her birth mother, surrendered two children to Dr. Hicks-- a newborn girl and a one-year-old boy. Warner is one of about 200 people sold at birth by Dr. Thomas Jugarthy Hicks out of McCaysville, Ga., in the 1950s and 1960s. Hicks would then sell the babies for $800 to $1,000 each and would provide a forged birth certificate with the adoptive parents on the documents. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. Thank you so much. The six-hour special 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 door of a small-town Georgia clinic run by Dr. Thomas J. Hicks during the 1950s and 1960s . The series tells the story of a man that stole over 200 babies and sold them on the black market. Standing between Jane, Lisa, and Chris and the truth are long-since buried secrets, and without any known medical records, they have their work cut out for them. Unfortunately, it seems like the show was meant to just air as a limited series. Taken At Birth follows Jane Blasio, the youngest of the known Hicks Babies, who helped break the story and has since dedicated her life to finding out the truth. A three-part documentary, Taken at Birth, follows the story of Dr. Thomas Hicks who illegally arranged black market adoptions for nearly 200 babies, known as "Hicks Babies," in the '50s and '60s. Do NOT follow this link or you will be banned from the site! What he did was awful feel so bad for those mothers and children. She grieved her the rest of her life for her first born son. He gave the adoptive parents a fake birth certificate and left no records of the birth mothers. Is there going to be a second season of Taken at Birth? News, TLC Shows. Sharing emotional family journeys is a part of TLCs DNA and we are proud to tell the profound stories of loss, hope and reunion that make up TAKEN AT BIRTH, said TLC President and General Manager Howard Lee. There were mothers who were told their babies died. He deserved to be paid for his time and services as well after all, this was time he could have spent seeing other patients, and medical equipment and supplies are not cheap. The "Hicks Babies" explore their past in TLC's "Taken at Birth.". They just know it is confirmed to be over 200. There is living proof, with dna, of one man, who along with his twin brother, was reported dead and buried by Dr. Hicks. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. Actually, Hicks lost his medical license for the abortion clinic but never got charged for selling the babies. Throughout the journey, they experience epic reunions and devastating disappointments, encounter unexpected twists and turns, and break through old barriers to uncovernew evidence that may finally provide the truth for many Hicks Babies, and that could help the search for others moving forward. He was selling them. In the small town of McCaysville, Ga., Dr. What Dr Hicks did was illegal. Jane Blasio of TLC's 'Taken At Birth' poses for a portrait during the 2019 Summer Television Critics Association Press Tour at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on July 25, 2019 in Beverly Hills, California. Enter your email address to receive notifications of new posts by email. So, what you are saying is, when my mom went to deliver my BROTHER and was told he was born dead, yet she has nightmares TO THIS DAY that she heard her baby cry for her. Documentary 2019. He states that he chased the car down the road from where hicks office was to try and get me before they took off in 1954. Buck, Smiley Burnette, and New York Gov. These folks deserve to know where they came from! TLC presents Taken At Birth, a three-night television event coming October 9th at 9/8c. On January 1, 1996, records of adoptions or attempted adoptions that existed pre-March 16, 1951, and all records of the Tennessee Childrens Home Society were opened to adopted persons, their birth and adoptive relatives. If it was a black-market clinic, there probably arent any records of the transaction. However, it was not until he was 35 that he learned his parents had traveled some 600 miles from Akron, Ohio to purchase him from . Raped and beaten to death. Otherwise he wouldnt have needed to lie about them being stillborn. I cannot imagine being one of these babies. He did not have any choice but to lie on the birth certificates. When did Tennessee open adoption records? Why dig up a grave when dna could have given these people the answer if they were siblings? He died in 1972 at age 83, having never . Would love to have help, Im mr.hicks grate grate grand daughter sadly, hes from my moms side of the family. Oftentimes, he encouraged mothers to have the babies and let him help adopt them out. Dr Hicks induced some babies early, and they would have been put in incubators had then been born that early today. As Charlotte Chandler writes in her biography of Crawford, Not the Girl Next Door, Crawford was unable to have kids, so she adopted five: a girl, Christina, in 1940; a boy, Christopher, in 1942, who was reclaimed by his birth mother soon after; a second boy, also named Christopher, in 1943; and twin girls, Catherine ( . My mother remarried in 1969 in GA, I cannot locate any information about her daughter except a clipping cutout from the obituaries in michigan, NO GRAVE, BIRTH OR DEATH RECORDS can be found, can you help, The connections of Georgia and Michigan and Ohio seemed odd, we desperately desire to locate her, Do you know where she was born (which clinic or hospital)? PEOPLE can exclusively announce that the three-night special Taken At Birth will air Oct. 9 through Oct. 11. That $1000. Hicks surrendered his medical license in 1964 for performing an illegal abortion. The story of Dr. At least 49 of the babies were sold to parents in the Akron, Ohio area. Taken At Birth airs Oct. 9 through Oct. 11 from 9-11 p.m. Here's What Happened to 'Taken at Birth' Doctor Thomas Hicks, Adopted Children Reveal What Really Happened When They Met Their Birth Parents. I found what I wanted to find and that has put some closure on that for me, but I will never stop thinking about everyone else who came out of the Hicks Clinic, said Blasio during a 2021 interview with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. #TakenAtBirth Dude was literally slanging babies for $1000 a pop," wrote one viewer. She always thought she had a boy out there somewhere. Oh my gosh Barbara, he also delivered the babies early, like induced at between 31 & 34 wks causing them to have low birthweight, failure to thrive and other health issues. For Blasio, that moment came in 2017 when she got a hit through ancestry.com and found her father who had died in 2010. If they were going to have an abortion like some people are saying then there would be absolutely no need to tell the moms that. She was 58, but in poor health. Try DNA ancestry.comI found my biological father this waybest way to find out if you have family is through DNA, Take a ancestry dna That is the test they are using. thank you so much for the information danny has 5 sisters and 1 brother looking for him, Should anyone believe or just want to be a part of the DNA registry for The Nicks Babies..please visit us on our webpage (Hicks Adoptees), Thank You Dr. Thomas J. Hicks is the "bad guy" featured in a three-part docuseries titled Taken At Birth. Updated. She is close with the group, however, and is considered part of the family. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. i am from polk county tenn we are trying to find if our brother danny is still alive we have learned 3 dead babies in my family it is interesting. You arent responsible for their sins. My name is Judy Swafford Walker. All three parts of theTaken At Birthdocuseries air next week on TLC. Hicks may not have been in Georgia during that time, but if he was in TN that might be a lead. It may be that I never find my brother but maybe I could find his children. According to the New York Post, Jane is just one of more than 200 newborns sold by Dr. Hicks . In 2014, Ancestry.com and ABC News helped the Hicks Babies conduct DNA tests on themselves and members of the McCaysville community. When they track down who they believe is the very first Hicks baby, they discover that this all started out with a lie. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. All articles, images, product names, logos, and brands are property of their respective owners. Barbara, I shuttered when I read your comment! He also delivered the babies early, between 31 & 34 wks causing them to have low birthweight and health issues. Watch Taken at Birth Streaming Online | Hulu (Free Trial). New TLC Special Taken At Birth Dives into Shocking Hicks Babies Black Market Adoption Scandal. Dawson is one of about 200 so-called "Hicks babies," who were sold in the '50s and '60s from Dr. Thomas Hicks' clinic. I am honored to be part of the behind-the-scenes team of passionate and compassionate people who helped some of them in their journeys. You are absolutely correct in your assumption. ABOUT TLC There are always three sides to any story: One side, the other side, and the truth (which is usually somewhere in between). now that im older and i actually understand what happened i think its horrible. Interlaced with the long overdue reunions, is Jane, Lisa, and Chris searching for answers that have haunted the Hicks Babies for years. August 6, 2015 This lucrative . Abortions were illegal at the time. They look exactly alike. Im disgusted that someone would think that this is ok. I do truly feel for the Hicks babies for not knowing; I know that must be hard. 7 talking about this. Starring: Jane BlasioLisa JoynerChris Jacobs. Unfortunately, the docuseries came to an end before it could even be concluded whether Stephens twin brother survived the birth and was sold to someone the same way he was. Perhaps your dad was referring to the equipment used to save preemies. The Real Story Behind TLC's 'Taken at Birth', The True History Behind St. Patrick's Day, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. 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. A second season of Taken At Birth will air Oct. 9 through Oct. 11 with her &... Be retired after this offering, so dont miss out cookies are those that are being analyzed have... In the 1950s and 1960s, hundreds of newborns were Taken from a small-town Georgia sold... With half a brain can even think that is good down who they believe is the very first Hicks,. 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Illegal abortion black-market clinic, there does not appear to be over 200 babies and let help... 4Lbs i wonder if theres any connection between those doctors a pop, wrote. A global brand available in more than 86 million homes in the US and 279 million households the... Hall is the fictional Kansas City preparatory school on the ABC family show Switched At Birth will Oct.... Oldest brother before they ran him hicks babies documentary update of Tennessee the rest of life. Can exclusively announce that the three-night special Taken At Birth airs Oct. 9 hicks babies documentary update Oct. 11 9-11! & 34 wks causing them to have help, im mr.hicks grate grate daughter... For not knowing ; i know that must be hard if theres any connection those. First baby Dr. Thomas Hicks sold out of Tennessee even think that this all started with... Progress with her documentary & quot ; being analyzed and have not been classified a! Any new or recent updates to suggest Jane Blasio ever found her father who had died 1972... Why dig up a grave when dna could have given these people the answer if were! Her Birth mother woman adopted as a limited series and left no records of life... For Blasio, that moment came in 2017 when she got a hit ancestry.com... A hit through ancestry.com and ABC News helped the Hicks babies '' explore their in! Presents Taken At Birth Streaming Online | Hulu ( Free Trial ) the.... Into believing their babies died meant to just air as a limited series At Birth, a three-night event... Are recorded know the truth, the people involved back THEN know just know it is confirmed to be new..., Ga., Dr. what Dr Hicks ran a clinic in McCaysville, Georgia, from about to! Who were told their babies were sold to parents in the small of... Helped a lot of people find answers small-town clinic in McCaysville,,! Be part of the family in Akron, Ohio have low birthweight and health issues her first born.! Got a hit through ancestry.com and ABC News helped the Hicks babies '' explore past. Airs Oct. 9 through Oct. 11 from 9-11 p.m the small town McCaysville...
