Everyone wants a shot at raising little Anthony

Surrogacy in Utah: Parenthood by Proxy Senior lawmaker, Utah mom helping childless couples, 1-23-05

Who should raise 6-month-old Anthony? The boy's biological mother was paid to carry him as part of a surrogacy agreement, but now she says she wants him. Anthony's father argues he should parent his son, although he is in a Las Vegas federal prison awaiting trial. The father's relatives in Canada also want Anthony. And a Salt Lake City couple are fighting in court to adopt him. A Utah judge will have to sort out the dispute, which highlights potential pitfalls of surrogacy and has left the baby without a permanent home. Surrogacy contracts are not recognized in Utah, leaving the judge to consider what solution would be best for Anthony.

The pregnancy: Anthony's journey began when Rachel Sullivan, 25, of Salt Lake County, met a gay man she knew as Landon Brandolucci on a surrogacy Web site, chatting for several weeks before she visited him and his partner in Las Vegas. A divorcee with two children of her own, Sullivan says she signed a surrogacy contract drawn up by a Nevada attorney agreeing to bear Brandolucci's biological child for him for $20,000. Anthony was born July 13 in Salt Lake City. Sullivan signed a waiver of her parental rights and the baby's father took him home. Family photos of his christening show Anthony sleeping, clad in ivory satin, being cuddled by his Canadian aunt. "I never thought it was an option for me to be a father, and I was blessed," his father said. Sullivan visited the new family of three and was satisfied Anthony was safe and loved. But just before Sullivan's rights to the baby would have been permanently severed in a Nevada hearing, Brandolucci was arrested for making a false application for a U.S. passport. Brandolucci's partner, who has since left him, had no legal right to Anthony. Nevada child welfare workers contacted Sullivan, who brought 2-month-old Anthony back to Utah. "At that point, I realized I had made a grave mistake," she said. "When I got this call, I thought, 'What have I done with my child?' "

Complications: Federal prosecutors allege "Brandolucci" is one of countless aliases Canadian Arthuro Nuosci, convicted of fraud in Canada in the 1990s, has used while in the United States illegally. A March trial date is set for his passport case and prosecutors say they are considering additional fraud-related charges. Prosecutors allege the name he used on his son's Utah birth certificate - Landon Clayton Mickeljohn III - was another alias. Nuosci claims he is innocent and devastated to be separated from his son. "I may end up going to my grave and never seeing him again," he said in an interview from prison. "I just want my child." He questions why Sullivan has the right to decide Anthony's future when she had agreed to give him up. Nuosci wants his sister, Dolores Rizzi, to care for the boy until he is free. But in denying his bail, a judge said the "weight of the evidence is very strong against" Nuosci and that he "is likely to receive a major prison sentence." Sullivan says Anthony shouldn't have to wait. In November, she placed the baby with a Salt Lake City couple and asked a Utah judge to terminate Nuosci's parental rights. "I just can't condone my little boy being raised by his aunt in Canada, wondering when his dad is going to get out of prison and where his mom is," she said. But a month later, Sullivan changed her mind and now wants Anthony back. "I want him to live with me," she said. Anthony remains with his potential adoptive parents and a hearing on his future has yet to be held. Nuosci's sister will plead for a chance to raise the baby. "The child would have everything he needs," Dolores Rizzi said. "He has another three biological aunts and twelve cousins. That child is the only child we have that carries my father's name."

Who should raise 6-month-old Anthony? The boy's biological mother was paid to carry him as part of a surrogacy agreement, but now says she wants him. Anthony's father argues he should parent his son, although he is in a Las Vegas federal prison awaiting trial. The father's relatives in Canada also want Anthony. And a

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Salt Lake City couple are fighting in court to adopt him. A Utah judge will have to sort out the dispute, which highlights potential pitfalls of surrogacy and has left the baby without a permanent home. Surrogacy contracts are not recognized in Utah, leaving the judge to consider what solution would be best for Anthony.

Anthony's journey began when Rachel Sullivan, 25, of Salt Lake County, met a gay man she knew as Landon Brandolucci on a surrogacy web site, chatting for several weeks before she visited him and his partner in Las Vegas. A divorcee with two children of her own, Sullivan says she signed a surrogacy contract drawn up by a Nevada attorney agreeing to bear Brandolucci's biological child for him for $20,000. Anthony was born July 13 in Salt Lake City. Sullivan signed a waiver of her parental rights and the baby's father took him home. Family photos of his christening show Anthony sleeping, clad in ivory satin, being cuddled by his Canadian aunt. "I never thought it was an option for me to be a father, and I was blessed," his father said. Sullivan visited the new family of three and was satisfied Anthony was safe and loved. But just before Sullivan's rights to the baby would have been permanently severed in a Nevada hearing, Brandolucci was arrested for making a false application for a U.S. passport. Brandolucci's partner, who has since left him, had no legal right to Anthony. Nevada child welfare workers contacted Sullivan, who brought 2-month-old Anthony back to Utah. "At that point, I realized I had made a grave mistake," she said. "When I got this call I thought, 'What have I done with my child?'"

Federal prosecutors allege Brandolucci is one of countless aliases Canadian Arthuro Nuosci, convicted of fraud in Canada in the 1990s, has used while in the United States illegally. A March trial date is set for his passport case and prosecutors say they are considering additional fraud-related charges. Prosecutors allege the name he used on his son's Utah birth certificate - Landon Clayton Mickeljohn III -was another alias. Nuosci claims he is innocent, and devastated to be separated from his son. "I may end up going to my grave and never seeing him again," he said in an interview from prison. "I just want my child." He questions why Sullivan has the right to decide Anthony's future when she had agreed to give him up. Nuosci wants his sister, Dolores Rizzi, to care for the boy until he is free. But in denying his bail, a judge said the "weight of the evidence is very strong against" Nuosci and that he "is likely to receive a major prison sentence." Sullivan says Anthony shouldn't have to wait. In November, she placed the baby with a Salt Lake City couple and asked a Utah judge to terminate Nuosci's parental rights. "I just can't condone my little boy being raised by his aunt in Canada, wondering when his dad is going to get out of prison and where his mom is," she said. But a month later, Sullivan changed her mind and now wants Anthony back. "I want him to live with me," she said. Anthony remains with his potential adoptive parents and a hearing on his future has yet to be held. Nuosci's sister will plead for a chance to raise the baby. "The child would have everything he needs," Dolores Rizzi said. "He has another three biological aunts and twelve cousins. That child is the only child we have that carries my father's name."

Ok, sleeping in and preparing for football, I can sense it.

I should have posted this under illegal immigration as well.

Precisely the type of chaos we should have predicted with science meddling in egg donation, sperm donation, rental wombs and all other unnatural procreative experimentation.

I would very much like to know what prohibitions are in place in hospitals that remove ovaries as part of gynecologic therapeutic surgery. Are the ovaries and eggs harvested or destroyed?

What other experimental in vitro fertilization is taking place? -

Is any of this research being financed with taxpayer dollars?

6 posted on 01/23/2005 8:10:50 AM PST by highflight (from a distance - buzzards might appear as eagles.)

Okay, in my lesser-than-Solomon's wisdom, I:

1. Wouldn't give him to the father's sister, that's a messed up family.
2. Wouldn't give him to his birth mother; she's the one contracted to bear a child for a gay man and his erstwhile partner
3. I'd give him to the Utah couple, hopefully they're sane and decent.

Then again it could be the sunday morning talk show thread.

I agree, of course the unknown, are they sane and decent, but then the desire must be there.

I doubt research is being done with tax dollars, it seems to be driven by the inability of some to have children, and the means and willingness to overcome the obstacles.

What a nightmare for that child. Best to let his MOM have him. She made a very stupid mistake in turning him over to sodomites to raise. I dont even know if it qualifies for a mistake. Thats putting it lightly. But I pray the kid goes back to his mom. From the story I read she is married with children so they have a home.

11 posted on 01/23/2005 8:16:23 AM PST by winodog (I am gonna stop calling them liberals. They are humanists. Liberal is actually a good word)

Never mind, she is a divorcee. I knew I should have reread that. But its still probaly the best place for the boy.

12 posted on 01/23/2005 8:17:37 AM PST by winodog (I am gonna stop calling them liberals. They are humanists. Liberal is actually a good word)

Unfortunately or fortunately depending on your outlook, I have to get ready for Sunday Services, so I'm going to be gone for a few hours, so this will have to be a self sustaining thread, if sustained at all.

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