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Mentally unstable babysitter gives siblings away, but decades later...

post #1 of 4
6/4/11 at 4:43pm
Thread Starter 
Brother of "Girl Who Didn't Exist" found in Colorado


Quote:
As a child, a babysitter named Shirley stole him from his mother. Shirley also took his two older sisters, Renee and Pepper.

Dateline NBC reported Renee and Pepper's journey in March, in an episode called "The Girl Who Didn't Exist."

Shirley took the three children from their home in the early 1970s. Shirley gave Pepper away to a couple who then illegally adopted her, gave Ray to a friend named Anna Brown and kept Renee to herself.

Three years later, she went back and kidnapped Pepper from her adoptive parents.
Quote:
Dateline flew Smith to California to meet his mother Jehri Coleman and sisters, Renee Vasquez and Pepper Smith.

They all met for the first time in more than 30 years.

"I don't have so many questions that I used to have," Ray Smith said. "It's really good to know who your biological family is
Another interesting fact is that Pepper and Renee had no idea they were biological sisters for all those years they were "friends". This was due to Pepper's adoption. Also, the babysitter told the girls that their biological mother was a prostitute with drug problems (both claims were untrue). Well, it's not nice of me to say 'mentally unstable' about the now-deceased babysitter, but c'mon who would take 3 kids away from another person, give away 2, keep 1 for herself, then a few years down the road kidnap one of the kids she gave away (a kid who, like the other 2, wasn't even hers to begin with)? What an odd story--- but a nice ending.
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post #2 of 4
6/10/11 at 11:10pm
Wow! I usually watch Dateline but missed that episode. I agree! Totally bizarre!

Here is the link to view the entire episode

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540...78849#42278849

I just finished watching the story. I'm conflicted and confused.

From what Rhonda describes, they were a day here or there and always on the move. However, she said they went to school when they could. How? When? There was no official paper work that would allow them to be registered in a school. And what about school transcripts? I'm certain that proof of grades etc are required to enroll in a school because they don't just stick you in any grade that you claim to be in.

Also, how did Rhonda manage to find work and get income and live if she didn't have any proof of birth or any other type of legal document?

So far as the adoptive birth certificate having arrived in Rhonda's mail box, I'm not clear on how that happened. She filled out the Adult Adoption paper work.... but with what information?? She didn't know her (adoptive) parents' names, where they lived or anything else about them other than "Bob and Bobby" and that she had a canopy bed and her Mom had a beehive hair style. How did someone in the birth certificate registry manage to dig up an existing birth certificate for her?

And why didn't she herself go to the police? She knew she had been kidnapped and she wanted to get away from Shirley, yet she didn't go to the police?

And what about the son? How did he just stumble upon his actual birth certificate?

Interesting story with a happy ending thanks to Dateline, but some things, lots of things, just don't add up to me.
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post #3 of 4
6/11/11 at 5:21am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Natalie_ca View Post
So far as the adoptive birth certificate having arrived in Rhonda's mail box, I'm not clear on how that happened. She filled out the Adult Adoption paper work.... but with what information??
I'm not clear on many things either ... As far as the 'adult adoption' process, I can only image it is deliberately simple, as it is likely used as a means to an end, such as if an adult has mysterious origins through no fault of his/her own. A rare but serious problem for a person to have. So to whomever spawned that solution, I'd thank that person and acknowledge his/her intelligence.

Anyway, true life is stranger than fiction.
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post #4 of 4
6/11/11 at 11:59am
Quote:
Originally Posted by c1atsite View Post

Anyway, true life is stranger than fiction.
Apparently!
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