I, Amy(born Paula Maness), am seeking access to my adoption records and accountability for the failures of the State of Florida. As a child, I was taken from my birth state of North Carolina and placed into Florida’s foster and adoption system. My biological family was willing and able to raise me, yet Florida refused to send me back, placing me in an adoptive home where I suffered years of abuse. Despite running away multiple times, no investigations were conducted. When I took desperate measures at 12 years old to escape my abuser, the state responded by punishing me rather than protecting me.

 

I am requesting transparency and access to my records to understand why these decisions were made and why I was denied the opportunity to grow up with my biological family.

 

I was born in 1980 in North Carolina. My biological mother, Jeanette Maness Hooey (DOB: April 29, 1959), fought to keep me, and my maternal uncle Ricky was willing to raise me. However, the State of Florida took jurisdiction over my adoption and placed me in a home where I endured years of sexual abuse by my adoptive brother.

 

Despite multiple runaway attempts, no investigations were conducted into the reasons behind my actions. When the abuse was reported, Florida’s Department of Children and Families (DCF) determined that no further action was necessary beyond counseling, as my abuser and I were not biologically related. This decision left me vulnerable to continued harm.

 

At 12 years old, feeling desperate and trapped, I stole a firearm, believing it was my only means of escape. Only after my arrest did anyone inquire about my reasons. Instead of receiving the protection and support I needed, I was placed in a juvenile facility, further compounding the trauma I had already endured.

 

Call to Action:

I am seeking access to my full adoption records to gain clarity on the decisions that shaped my life. The State of Florida took responsibility for my welfare and failed me. I have the right to know why I was separated from my family and why my pleas for help were ignored.

 

This petition calls on the State of Florida to:

 

1. Grant full access to my adoption records so I can understand the circumstances that led to my placement.

 

 

2. Acknowledge the failures that resulted in my prolonged suffering and take steps to improve protections for children in the foster and adoption system.

 

 

3. Ensure transparency and reform so that other adoptees are not denied access to the truth about their own lives.

 

 

 

Why This Matters:

The secrecy surrounding adoption records prevents adoptees from understanding their own histories and holds states unaccountable for past failures. By signing this petition, you are supporting the right to transparency and justice for adoptees who have been wrongfully separated from their families.

 

Sign and share this petition to demand justice, transparency, and reform.