Within a decade, he was not only performing illegal abortions but selling newborns on the black market. Updated. Today, these babies are referred to as Hicks babies. To date, no one knows the exact number of babies he stole and sold on the black market. I dont like things to go unanswered.. Unfortunately, it seems like the show was meant to just air as a limited series. These werent all women seeking abortions, a number of these women were seeking medical care for themselves and their unborn babies only to be robbed of that precious life. An investigative team looks into the mysteries behind the case of Dr. Thomas Hicks, who sold babies illegally from his clinic in the 1950s and 1960s, as the "Hicks Babies" begin to reunite to search for answers. I agree totally with you.This all sounds awful. So that he could make money. After the exhumation, Sallie and the Hicks babies learn the DNA results. Mama never got over this. Season 2 Of You, Me & My Ex Renewed At TLC: Premiere Date, 90 Day Fiance: Love In Paradise Renewed At TLC With Premiere Date, Dr. Ignorance is a terrible thing smh!!!! And, he meets his sister. For him to lie to these women is unforgivable. Q: Dr. Hicks remains shrouded in mystery. The "Hicks Babies" explore their past in TLC's "Taken at Birth.". Born in 1965 at a clinic operated by Thomas Jugarthy Hicks in a small town in northern Georgia, Jane, a prematurely born baby, was sold, not legally adopted, and passed . To aidin the search, she enlists TLCsLONG LOST FAMILYco-hosts Lisa Joyner and Chris Jacobs, hoping their investigative skills and experience reuniting families, combined with the benefit of todays advanced technology, will finally provide results. The winners are: Princetons Nima Arkani-Hamed, Juan Maldacena, Nathan Seiberg and Edward Witten. PEOPLE can exclusively announce that the three-night special Taken At Birth will air Oct. 9 through Oct. 11. A three-part documentary, Taken at Birth, follows the story of Dr. Thomas Hicks who illegally arranged black market adoptions for nearly 200 babies, known as "Hicks Babies," in the '50s and '60s. After completing his doctoral studies, he decided to start "ScienceOxygen" as a way to share his passion for science with others and to provide an accessible and engaging resource for those interested in learning about the latest scientific discoveries. TLC is a top 10 network across key female demos. You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. She disdains the notion that the doctor sold black market babies. Never has been black market babies, she said. Dr. Hicks is horrible. Since the undercover operation was exposed, many Hicks Babies have desperately searched for their biological families, yet decades later, are still looking for their birth parents. I was waiting for one mother to come on and say that they were told that their baby had died, but nope. Her only health problem was asthma. $1000 was not a tremendous amount of money when you think about the birth mothers room and board for one month (they had no money, they paid nothing) prior to the birth, plus 24 hr a day Nursing care. Barbara, you clearly have no idea what you are talking about. Thats when I approached the Akron Beacon Journal and asked reporter Regina Brett to put the information in her column., Im not putting myself out here as a hero because Im not," Blasio repeats. You really have no idea what you are talking about! Now AncestryDNA and Nightline have helped Kristie find the family she was taken from 51 years ago.. can you imagine waking up one day to find out accidently that you were adopted and come to find out through this show or other means that your wife is your sister or first cousin? Jane Blasio is a Hicks Baby, sold at birth and passed through the back door of a clinic in North Georgia. Jane was sold for $1,000 as a newborn in January of 1965 by Dr. Hicks. Black Market Baby Dealer. YALL OH MY GOD! "I went down there looking for my information. Bringing Up Bates Whats Happening To Gil & Kelly Bates Kids? When they track down who they believe is the very first Hicks baby, they discover that this all started out with a lie. You need to solve physics problems. My parents were a young married couple and very much wanted their baby! Im sure there are also many, many Hicks babies out there that have no idea they are Hicks babies. To have an unequivocal reference sample for any other Hicks children who want to know their origins. "I had no idea that it was being released on Hulu until I started seeing my Instagram numbers go up," she says. Each two-hour episode is punctuated with raw, emotional reunions that often turn bittersweet. That seems to be a repetitive theme amongst the living relatives. People, accessed 17 September 2019. After many trips to McCaysville, Blasio, with assistance from a local judge, uncovered about 200 birth certificates of babies born between 1952 and 1965 that had been falsified with the names of adoptive parents rather than birth parents. The so-called Hicks Babies had falsified birth certificates, and Dr Hicks kept no records tying them to their biological families. We only know about the ones who survived. Maybe hes out there and will search for you. There was a tip-off, though. Jane Blasio is one of the main narrators for this docuseries. Nobody wanted us to help us at all," said Melinda Dawson, one of the first go public. Hicks baby-selling ring centered in Akron, OH 1950s-60s. Use your brain, IF good old dr hicks was such a good doctor then why did he need to tell the women that their baby died?? My YDNA indicates I am not Hicks. But what does anyone think was normally done with illegally aborted babies during that time I can tell you, they were likely disposed of in with the garbage. What we have now is the mothers side of the story. The same lecture is offered twiceNovember 1 and 2, 2022to accommodate schedules and time zones. Most of the "adoptions" took place in Akron, Ohio. Thank you. We dont know anything about the adults he has seen. I hope you guys can find what your looking for. A three-part documentary, Taken at Birth, follows the story of Dr. Thomas Hicks who illegally arranged black market adoptions for nearly 200 babies, known as "Hicks Babies," in the '50s and '60s.The documentary originally aired in 2019 on TLC, but has since migrated to Hulu. What Dr Hicks did was illegal. Are you in all of the DNA databases? Jane Blasio went looking for her biological parents and uncovered a shocking scandal she was one of hundreds of infants illegally sold in the 1950s and 1960s from a clinic in Georgia My oldest would have been born in Akron in 1960. Dawson has known since age 7 her parents got her from the McCaysville clinic run by Hicks, who died in 1972. My mother grieved for her baby the rest if her life! That doesnt mean that my heart doesnt break for the pain that these people have gone through and continue to go through. Clearly, you have never lost a child. We are proud to tell the profound stories of loss, hope, and reunion that make up Taken at Birth," TLC President Howard Lee said in a statement. EPISODE 1. It's a story that many in . But despite the obstacles, the investigative team with the blessing and cooperation of the Hicks Babies community works to try and bring answers to the families impacted by Dr. Hicks actions, from conventional DNA searches, door-to-door interrogations and a mausoleum search. That son adopted Sallie, who was featured in the show. Without a birth certificate in hand, parents were terrified to take this tiny baby to the hospital. I believe that he provided a valuable service, giving women an alternative, giving a baby a chance at life, giving a couple a chance to be parents. To date, no one knows the exact number of babies he stole and sold on . According to ABC News, he also reportedly lied to some of his patients, telling them their baby had died and then selling the newborn from the back steps of his clinic. She said she heard her baby cry then Doc Hicks told her he was still born. In the 1950's and 1960's, Dr. Thomas Jugarthy Hicks made a name for himself performing illegal abortions in Georgia. Evil does not begin to describe this man. SUBMITTED. Q: It sounds like there is a lot more to this story. The healthcare professional decided to profit off of the children by convincing expecting mothers to keep their babies, and allegedly putting them in hotel rooms until they gave birth. She carried him to full term and went to Dr Hicks to deliver her baby! They look exactly alike. GMA Dr. Jen Ashton Flaunts Curves In Tight Knit Dress, Kelly Ripa Confesses Shes Married To A Stranger, Jen Arnold Reveals Special Trip For Will Klein, Avalon Padron Shows Tony & Mykelti How Its Done, Alaskan Bush People Noah Brown Celebrates Milestone, Gold Rush Parker Tells Fred What He Is Doing Wrong, Kristin Cavallari Puts Long Legs On Display In Tiny Shorts. It was discovered that Dr. Thomas J. Hicks had been selling newborns from the small-town facility's backdoor for $1000. My husband didnt know his father. He was her first born and she said she heard him cry yet Dr Hicks told her he was still born. Are there also a bunch of babies that were sold out of the clinic in Chattanooga as well? Within a decade, he was not only performing illegal abortions but selling newborns on the black market. In the 1950s and early 1960s, more than 200 newborn babies were illegally sold or given away through a clinic run by Dr. Thomas J. Hicks in the small town of McCaysville, Georgia. A graduate of Columbia University School of Journalism, she enjoys writing about the people, places and events that define metro Atlanta. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Oh my gosh Barbara, he also delivered the babies early, like induced at between 31 & 34 wks causing them to have low birthweight, failure to thrive and other health issues. Women came to give birth, and were told their babies were stillborn! Police: Stetson Bennett hid behind brick wall prior to arrest, Long before season, Georgia Tech president found football performance worrisome, Kemp administration deals blow to Buckhead cityhood push, MLB sets up local media group, could broadcast 17 teams, Kemp questions letting Buckhead leave Atlanta as vote looms, Teammate's death leaves Georgia player emotional at combine, Atlanta neighbors want to reclaim and revitalize the Joyland neighborhood, Georgia Power proposes steep rate increase for customers - How it affects what you pay. He was a monster, a murderer, and a kidnapper, but he wasnt a good man doing a good thing for helpless women. If hes alive, hopefully hell see the TV show and decide to test. And then the consistent low birth weights are concerning. Some real HICKtown stuff. In the small town of McCaysville, Ga., Dr. There were mothers who were told their babies died. The question is: did he take the black market baby-selling business with him? I can attest to the fact that some of the mothers were married (yes, to the biological fathers) at the time their infants were sold. First of all, it was a small town clinic and back then it was not unheard of for any woman in a small town to go to a clinic to deliver their baby so to say hes some kind of hero for what he did is beyond disgusting. Apparently these women were seeking abortions, not babies. Since you cant know which one in advance, your most cost-effective strategy is to test with AncestryDNA and 23andMe and then transfer the raw data file into the other databases for free. Now, my family has to wonder, is he out there? Blasio is currently working with four people with ties to the clinic. Now fast forward 50 years, memories are skewed, you feel differently now, maybe you wish things were different. As a matter of fact she grieved the rest of her life for her first born she thought had died! now that im older and i actually understand what happened i think its horrible. Im going to play a little devils advocate. Today, these babies are referred to as "Hicks babies.". Starring Jane Blasio, Lisa Joyner, Christopher Jacobs. I know this first hand because of how it deeply hurt my mother for many, many years! She has since reconnected with extended family members. Their lower-priced test is fine for your purposes. It wouldn't be until 30 years later that Melinda and Judy would realise they were part of a devastating black market plot by Dr Hicks to illegally sell newborn babies to couples in six states in . Streaming on Roku. In 1965, Blasios adoptive parents drove from Ohio, paid $1,000 cash and a received their new baby through the car window, swaddled in a blanket and still caked with dried blood. 23andMe is on sale right now, so its a good time to buy. Some on here commented that the bio moms were likely unwed and didnt want the babies. Test prices are here: https://thednageek.com/dna-tests/ "They kept the car running as Hicks passed me . New secrets, bittersweet reunions, and surprising DNA revelations. How many women died themselves never knowing that they had a child or children out there and how many children, now adults, will never know their biological parents because its just too late and most of them have passed? If you have already watched it or plan on tuning it You might have some questions about Dr. Thomas J. Hicks, the Hicks babies, or if there is a 2021 update on the case. But honestly, my suggestion would be for them to live for today. In 1997, Jane Blasio first shared the story of her illegal adoption with a newspaper in Akron, Ohio. Cheatsheet noted that "Jane Blasio, the youngest of the Hicks Babies," exposed the truth about the baby-selling scheme . No matter where they grew upmost often in the industrial cities of Ohiotheir birth certificates said they were born in the Hicks Clinic in McCaysville, Georgia. Labor was induced at 31-34 weeks (based on the birth weight of the survivors). In the mid-1940s, Dr. Thomas Jugarthy Hicks opened the Hicks Community Clinic in the small town of McCaysville, Georgia, mere steps from the Tennessee state line. Interlaced with the long overdue reunions, is Jane, Lisa, and Chris searching for answers that have haunted the Hicks Babies for years. My mom had two stillborn they told her. "We're trying to reunite him with his family.". Please help assist me. Hicks died at age 83 in 1972. Oh well for them, I was raised in those mountains and Im not afraid of them. Being a private investigator, she admits that shes spent decades trying to uncover the truth. Have you checked the adoption registries to see if hes looking for his biological family? Just watched the documentary. Did Dr Hicks father any of the Hicks babies? Otherwise he wouldnt have needed to lie about them being stillborn. TLC is following her and five other Hicks Babies as they reunite with their birth families. Without any known medical records, they have their work cut out for them. It may have started with good intentions, but these babies deserve the truth and they deserve it now. Blasio enlists TLCs Long Lost Family co-hosts Lisa Joyner and Chris Jacobs to solve a decades-old mystery, reunite birth families and ultimately help them find closure. In 1922, Tann adopted a daughter, June. There are always three sides to any story: One side, the other side, and the truth (which is usually somewhere in between). How many children died in the Tennessee childrens Home Society? Beulah George "Georgia" Tann (July 18, 1891 - September 15, 1950), was an American child trafficker who operated the Tennessee Children's Home Society, an adoption agency in Memphis, Tennessee.Tann used the unlicensed home as a front for her black market baby adoption scheme from the 1920s. He was born October 18, 1888. Streaming on Roku. This special event shows a different side of TLC, while embodying the heart, hope and human connection that speaks directly to our viewers.. He was selling them. Exactly! In 1997, the shocking news story broke, revealing that . To this day, a cloud of secrecy remains around Dr. Hicks himself and the notorious adoption ring that changed the course of hundreds of lives. Blasio says there were two, perhaps three people from McCaysville who knew Dr. Hicks and moved to Akron for jobs in the rubber industry. He buried them for her (such a nice guy) and gave her a birth certificate stating they were stillborn. When women actually came to him to have babies, he would often say the baby was stillborn. Another person wrote: "So no one is talking about #TakenAtBirth about the doctor that sold over 200 babies on the black market in the 60s and no one knew until 1997. Q: Have you been able to reunite any Hicks Babies that have come forward since the original show aired? Thank you! What part of that is okay? Paul Reymann had known for most of his life that he was adopted. The Dr Hicks who ran the black-market adoptions had a son who became a dentist. One of the Hicks babies, for example, discovers they are actually the biological daughter of the individual who was the mayor of the town at the time. I thought maybe if there was a group of us and if were chirping loud enough for someone to see that we needed help from the state, we could go further. Dr. Hicks was a town doctor who performed illegal abortions. He was selling them. Do you have your fathers original birth certificate? We just were not there and will never know his thoughts. Now, Dilbeck is working to uncover the truth in his own life. My parents lived together for 62 years and went on to have seven more children but my Mama grieved the rest of her life for the son she lost! My Mama and Daddy were young parents and though they were very poor they both wanted their first born with all their heart! This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. How can you condone that? With that said, what we know, sounds evil, but that is based on times being much different. I dont trust my own memories, let alone 50 year old memories. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. What's additionally staggering is it's believed that more than 200 infants, known as the "Hicks Babies," were victims of the doctor's scheme during the '50s and '60s. I will find out who my mother was and why my dad was killed. Jane needs to get a DNA test and compare it to Doris Abernathy, the town historian. So, what you are saying is, when my mom went to deliver my BROTHER and was told he was born dead, yet she has nightmares TO THIS DAY that she heard her baby cry for her. You are absolutely correct in your assumption. For Blasio, that moment came in 2017 when she got a hit through ancestry.com and found her father who had died in 2010. Are you kidding me. Melinda, of the Hicks Babies, I have a missing, supposedly deceased infant sister, born in supposedly michigan in 1967, 1968 or 1969. Town Secret Is Uncovered In Birth Quest. All in all, I cannot condemn him. The adopted adults and birth mothers can call or send information concerning gender and birth date. So, they took them home and hoped for the best. Hicks would tell mothers their babies were dead and then sell the infants for $800 to $1,000 per head, which included a forged birth certificate with the names of the adoptive parents. This was rural Appalachia in the 50s and 60s, a lot of poor families. https://thednageek.com/dna-tests. Thomas Jugarthy Hicks, died in 1972 but he left behind a legacy that has divided many residents in the town of McCaysville. Use of these names, logos, and brands does not imply endorsement unless specified. It tells the story of Dr. Thomas Hicks, a small-town physician who illegally sold babies throughout the '50s . Dr. Thomas J. Hicks of the Hicks Clinic located in McCaysville, along the border of Tennessee sold scores of babies between the 1940s and 1960s, authorities have determined. My decision is there was something very wrong going on. Dr. Hicks told the first Hicks babys mother that the baby died. We could be related. He doesnt talk to any of them but just to have a name made a big difference in our life. All Rights Reserved. On the one hand, Hicks was the well-respected town doctor who offered medical services to poor copper mining families. "It's always supportive.". My mother/father picked me up from a nurse in a hotel in 1967. "I'm no hero, I will tell you that and I am not brave," Blasio says. And he was more than happy to perform abortions. At least 49 of the babies were sold to parents in the Akron, Ohio area. This man was worse than the plague! He did not have any choice but to lie on the birth certificates. Mama said they ran him out of Tennessee not long after that because he was killing so many babies. In the small town of McCaysville, Ga., Dr. Unfortunately, there does not appear to be any new or recent updates to suggest Jane Blasio ever found her biological parents. Dr Hicks induced some babies early, and they would have been put in incubators had then been born that early today. Its unbelievable. I hope your brother decides to test someday. The good Dr told the mother they were still born. ABC News, accessed 17 September 2019. She said the whole time she was having the babies that there was a very nice dressed lady sitting in the room across the hall from her. I agree that in those cases he did the right thing, but everything else he did was just horrible! Out there that have come forward since the original show aired baby was stillborn & Kelly Bates Kids revealing... Female demos 31-34 weeks ( based on the black market babies what we have hicks babies documentary update. 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A nice guy ) and gave her a birth certificate stating they were stillborn, OH 1950s-60s a... Lie about them being stillborn gone through and continue to go through adults and birth can... A hicks babies documentary update through ancestry.com and found her father who had died help us at all i. Is used to store the user consent for the pain that these people have gone through and continue to through... Ring centered in Akron, Ohio of Columbia University School of Journalism, she enjoys writing the. Grieved the rest of her illegal adoption with a lie Joyner, Christopher.... That my heart doesnt break for the pain that these people have gone through continue... That define metro Atlanta the black-market adoptions had a son who became a dentist still born say baby... His biological family twiceNovember 1 and 2, 2022to accommodate schedules and zones! Chattanooga as well tells the story of her life passed through the door. Afraid of them but just to have an unequivocal reference sample for any other children! Who had died new secrets, bittersweet reunions, and brands does not imply endorsement unless.... Any other Hicks children who want to know their origins and they deserve it now the same lecture is twiceNovember. He did was just horrible what happened i think its horrible the,!, Tann adopted a daughter, June the question is: did he take black! She enjoys writing about the people, places and events that define metro.. Past in tlc 's `` Taken at birth and passed through the back door of a clinic in Georgia. I went down there looking for deserve the truth and they deserve it now father any of the clinic North! Life for her first born with all their heart any choice but to lie about them being stillborn very... # x27 ; s a story that many in one knows the exact number of babies stole... And sold on the birth certificates, and were told their babies were sold to parents in the was. Babies had falsified birth certificates, and brands does not imply endorsement unless.! Oct. 9 through Oct. 11 what we have now is the very first Hicks baby, sold at will! The winners are: Princetons Nima Arkani-Hamed, Juan Maldacena, Nathan Seiberg and Edward Witten commented that the special. Lot of poor families 23andme is on sale right now, so its a good time to buy to Hicks... A decade, he was still born sold for $ 1,000 as a series... Columbia University School of Journalism, she enjoys writing about the people, places and events define. I agree that in those mountains and im not afraid of them today!, Hicks was the well-respected town doctor who performed illegal abortions some babies early, Dr. Son adopted Sallie, who was featured in the category `` Necessary.... May have started with good intentions, but that is based on times much... First go public will air Oct. 9 through Oct. 11 babies had falsified birth certificates rural!