Nancy Grace’s spotlight on baby Gabriel Johnson still has not posted my three Comments. Not that I mind. It’s not my name that matters. What matters is the safety and life of this baby. What also matters is the pervasive attitude of adoption-is-superior-to-not-married-parents.
Sure, it is easy to point the finger of blame at Elizabeth Johnson, the baby’s mother. She is in trouble. How did she get to the point of taking drastic steps to prevent Gabriel’s father, Logan McQueary, from obtaining custody of his own son? What support systems were not in place for these parents and for their baby?
Even though Nancy Grace may not print my comments, I am. Questions beyond finding Gabriel Johnson alive or dead need to be asked. These questions currently are being banned from online airtime on Nancy Grace’s CNN article, Rpt: Potential Adoptive Couple may take 2nd Poly (January 12, 2010):
| Joan M Wheeler | January 13th, 2010 2:08 am ET Your comment is awaiting moderation. To Nancy Grace: Adoptees and our first parents watch your show. It is biased and discriminatory for you to label Gabriel’s father as “the biological father”. A man is labeled that demeaning term only after his parental rights are terminated upon the Finalization of adoption. Did Tammi and Jack Smith formally adopt the baby? Have they been declared adoptive parents by a Court Order? If not, they have no business talking as if they were the ones violated. Gabriel’s father, Logan McQueary, desrves some respect. His son is missing. |
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| Joan M Wheeler | January 13th, 2010 10:24 am ET Your comment is awaiting moderation. Did Elizabeth Johnson sign Relinquishment papers to formally relinquish her parental rights of Gabriel? Is there an attorney involved in a private adoption arrangement with the Smiths to adopt Gabriel? Or, is there an adoption agency involved? Until the Final Order of Adoption is signed by a Court Judge, no one has rights over baby Gabriel except his mother and his father. Do your homework, Nancy Grace. |
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There are still more questions. If Elizabeth Johnson signed away her parental rights by signing formal Relinquishment papers, she does not have parental rights. Gabriel may be in the custody of the State in which he was born. He may be a ward of the State. If Elizabeth Johnson did not sign any formal papers of Relinquishment, then any connection to the Smiths is purely social and not legal. The same goes for any couple Elizabeth Johnson says she gave her baby to in a park. Purely an emotional and desperate act on her part. Elizabeth’s text message to the baby boy’s father that she killed their son seems like a revenge tactic to me.
There should have been professional intervention way before Gabriel’s birth. This is so sad.
FORBIDDEN FAMILY 
Throughout the last few weeks of the Gabriel investigation, my intuition won’t allow me to see anything other than the Smith’s are heavily involved. I’ve seen an arrest record for a Craig Cherry in AZ that is lengthy and includes things like taking the identity of another and changing the tags on vehicles–both seeming like activities that could go along with trying not to be trackable. Perhaps he is an agreeable participant in whatever underground activities they may or may not be involved in. Ms. Smith has some pretty questionable stuff in her legal history as well–I’m not just talking about bouncing checks. She has an answer for everything but the answer is often provided before the question is asked. It’s almost as if she knows that she must cough up some reasonable (if only in her own eyes) explanation for why she was talking to Elizabeth, why her adoption agendcy friend in Tennessee (Jan Morriss?) was called and then in turn called Elizabeth. Who gives a girl (Eliz) a GPS when she doesn’t know Eliz was going to need it? Obviously Tammi’s explanations are possible but it seems just as possible that this threesome was working out the details. If they’ve done this before, and I’m sure they have, they must have it down to a science. There are so many logistical things that Eliz would have had difficulty handling without help from someone and Tammi has an explanation for all of it…Cell phones in San Antonio, ppl Elizabeth chose not to see or remember or perhaps was not allowed to see??? Really? Couple that up with the fact that the Smith’s past is riddled with questionable adoption/custody issues and a practice of approaching young mothers about placing their babies for adoption. I think it sounds like it was taken straight from a movie– right down to the dialogue where they tell her how everything is handled under a veil of secrecy and add a reminder that once you’re in there’s no turning back… “you won’t even be allowed to see the people he leaves with because that could compromise the entire network if you change your mind”. My mind tells me that the police are uncovering alot more than we are aware of and perhaps the limited information is because they are preparing to blow the whole operation wide open!
Gabriel has captured my heart and his father’s heartbreak is shared by all of us but I have the eerie feeling that he is one of many. I just pray he is returned home soon!
You have very keen perception, che. Great observations about Craig Cherry. It is, indeed, questionable that Tammi admits to approaching young mothers and asking them about adoption for their babies — when she said that, my skin just crawled. All of the points you bring up should be brought to the attention of the police investigators. Yeah, let the pros handle it, but you could have insight that they need. Also, in followihng other blogs on this story, someone saw Elizabeth’s pic on a surrogate mother website. I didn’t go looking so I can’t verify that. Nothing seems normal in this poor child’s life – baby Gabriel, I mean. And yes, now that I’ve had some time to think about it, Elizabeth is far too young, she’s a victim, too, scared, vulnerable, and possibly used to the point of panic and severe depression.
Thanks for the additional info, Lorraine. Yeah, Nancy Grace has far too many “bomshells”. She’s a pretty face, can be entertaining, but she certainly is a bad judge of character. Agreed how badly she treated Ronald Cummings, and others.
Nancy Grace’s Comments Section on CNN seems to have been freed up. Many people are commenting, adding info and questions. Hope her staff and investigators get to the facts of this mess and find that baby.
I’ve been mulling this around all day: today’s young, not married mothers have been brainwashed by society that if you don’t want you kid you can always give “it” away. This casual attitude in society demeans life and the sacred bond between parents and their children. We are so ready to crucify the mother for giving away or killing her kid, but look at the sick society we live in. Contradictory messages all around us.
joan,
everything you say is right. i beleive the police will find charges against the smiths soon. for one thing the johnson girl went to court with papers stating that a craig cherry was the father. police contacted him and he says he has never met or seen or spoken to the johnson girl. but he did tell them that tammi smith is his first cousin and thats probably where johnson got his name from. he also added that tammi and him are pretty close. nancy grace has not put this information on her show or confronted those smith liars at all. this is news that is “bombshell” from 3 days ago lol. anyone that would put any faith in nutty grace should really start questioning her actual knowledge of the law. she has very little and makes it up as she goes. the police are piecing things against the smiths together and you may find a number of charges. there is now a legal investigation of the liuttle girl they allegedly adopted. it isnt looking to legal. you are right about adoption law. nancy has no expertise in it or much of anyhting else and i find her to be a very bad judge of character. IE ronald cummings etal.