'Baby Tamia' couple charged with drug felonies
Lilmtncbn
'Baby Tamia' couple charged with drug felonies
Tug of war: The state concludes the adoption agency did not act
improperly
By Kirsten Stewart
The Salt Lake Tribune
The Utah couple who lost an interstate tug of war over "Baby Tamia"
have been charged with felony counts of drug possession and child
endangerment.
Stephen Kusaba, 50, and Lenna Habbeshaw, 45, were arrested on
suspicion of possessing cocaine and marijuana on March 21 after
undercover Salt Lake City narcotics officers and child welfare
officials served a search warrant at their Salt Lake City home.
The girl they were attempting to adopt was removed that day.
On Thursday, the couple were charged with four felony counts of
unlawful possession of a controlled substance and child endangerment -
with enhanced potential penalties due to their proximity to a school,
according to Salt Lake County District Attorney spokesman Bob Stott.
They also face charges for possessing drug paraphernalia, a Class B
misdemeanor.
Kusaba and Habbeshaw's phone is unlisted and their lawyer was not
immediately available.
State regulators have now decided the Utah adoption agency that
placed "Baby Tamia" did not improperly screen the couple.
The embattled Midvale-based A Cherished Child Adoption Agency was
ordered last month to return then-6-month-old Baby Tamia to her
biological mother in Chicago. The order was from an Illinois judge who
overturned the adoption on an unrelated technicality after Kusaba and
Habbeshaw were arrested.
Acting on an anonymous complaint, licensing officials audited A
Cherished Child's files to see whether staff properly conducted
background checks and home studies required of all prospective adoptive
parents.
In her April 1 report, licensor Janice Knaphus states that while
Kusaba's background check showed a history of drug use, a licensed
clinical social worker hired by the agency determined "lifeÂstyle
choices he made in his early 20s" posed no risk to children. Two
visits also indicated "the child and family [were] adjusting well."
Lawyers for A Cherished Child say the probe vindicates the agency.
"The agency did everything appropriately," said Salt Lake City
attorney Derek Williams. "It turns out this couple was withholding
information from everyone: the agency, state and investigative panel."
Agency director Ruby Johnston is still defending herself in
Illinois where state officials have filed for an injunction barring
her business from doing business there.
Marley Greiner
Marley
"Lilmtncbn" <lilm...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:1113571090....@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
http://www.sltrib.com/utah/ci_2662447
clinical social worker hired by the agency determined "lifeĀstyle
rkb...@pacific.net.sg
Marley Greiner wrote:
> Do home studies today ever disqualify a pap?
>
> Marley
>
Possibly... but who's going to advertise it if they do?
The disqualified PAP's? Or the agency that wants to encourage people to
check them out first?
Rupa
Marley Greiner
<rkb...@pacific.net.sg> wrote in message
news:1113578276.2...@l41g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...
That's it. I think somebody would have to be really really bad to flunk a
home study nowadays. Squeaky Frome perhaps. Me. Some companies only do
home studies and I believe they are paid for by the paps. Gee, why does
this seem suspicious?
Marley
>