Oregon and Kentucky spar over adoption of foster child

KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – Officials in Oregon and Kentucky are debating which state will have the final say in the adoption of an Klamath Falls girl.

Two years ago, 4-year-old Laila Sloanwas removed from her home by Oregon child welfare workers, OregonLive reports. The girl was placed in temporary custody of her aunt and uncle in Kentucky.

Last year, officials with the Oregon Department of Human Services decided an Oregon couple–an unrelated couple chosen to adopt Laila’s baby brother–should adopt the girl. Before the adoption went through, a Kentucky judge ruled the state has jurisdiction of Laila, and she could be adopted by her Kentucky relatives.

However, the State of Oregon disagrees with the decision. They’ve hired lawyers in Kentucky to represent the state’s interest in having Laila return.

The case isn’t only important because of the girl’s future, but the legal legacy it could leave behind. Oregon wants to avoid setting a precedent of allowing another state to claim authority over an Oregon foster child just because the child was placed out of state–a common practice with Oregon’s Department of Human Services.

Read more: http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2017/10/oregon_and_kentucky_face_off_o.html

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