Radiolab

Adoptive Couple v. Baby Girl

39 snips
Oct 3, 2025
Tim Howard, a producer and reporter, narrates the gripping tale of a custody battle involving a three-year-old girl, while law professor Marsha Zugg provides insightful commentary on the Indian Child Welfare Act. The discussion dives into how the Act allowed a biological father to reclaim his parental rights, challenging a couple’s adoption. They also tackle the historical context of Native American child removals, the emotional turmoil of families involved, and the potential implications of the Supreme Court’s ruling on the future of tribal law.
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ANECDOTE

A Loving Adoption Story Interrupted

  • Matt and Melanie Capobianco adopted Veronica after infertility and bonded deeply with her from birth.
  • They lived as her parents for about two years before Dustin Brown intervened under ICWA.
INSIGHT

ICWA Gives Placement Preference To Tribes

  • The Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) gives preference to placing Native children with Native relatives or tribes.
  • That preference allowed Dustin Brown to challenge the adoption despite earlier consent forms.
ANECDOTE

Systematic Removal Of Native Children

  • Lawyer Bert Hirsch collected widespread stories of Native children removed by social workers in the 1960s.
  • His research found up to one-third of Native children were placed outside their communities.
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