The founder of a North Texas adoption agency has recently been arrested on charges of allegedly paying pregnant female inmates in Tarrant County Jail to put their unborn babies up for adoption. This shocking news has raised concerns about the safety and legality of adoption practices in the region. It is not yet clear how long the scheme has been going on or how many inmates have been involved. The authorities are investigating the matter, and more details are expected to emerge soon.
Last week, Adoptions International Inc.’s leader was jailed in Central Texas and was able to secure his release by posting a $50,000 bond.
Jody Hall founded a licensed nonprofit adoption agency and is also an attorney.
In May, Hall came under scrutiny by the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office for what they deemed as unethical adoption practices.
The sheriff’s office has released a statement, revealing that Jody Hall had been making payments to several pregnant inmates in Tarrant County. The payments were allegedly made with the intention of having the inmates put their unborn children up for adoption through Hall’s agency.
Sheriff’s detectives arrived at Hall’s residence in Kyle, Texas and served her with an arrest warrant, two months later.
The accreditation of Adoptions International was revoked by the U.S. State Department in 2019. This prevents the agency from conducting adoptions outside of the United States due to their failure to maintain the required standards.
In Texas, selling or purchasing a child is considered a serious crime and is classified as a felony.
At this juncture, it remains uncertain if any detainees in the Tarrant County detention center actually received any funds or offered their infants for adoption.
