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Ohio Bill Seeks to End Illegally 'Re-Homing' Adopted Children

A photo of Rep. Dorothy Pelanda (R-Marysville).
OHIO HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
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OHIO HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

A lawmaker wants the state to crack down on adults who illegally move adopted kids from one place to another. The representative fighting the problem says this is just another form of human trafficking. 

Republican Dorothy Pelanda says she was shocked to find out an adopted child in her central Ohio district was moved from one house to another to another, and across state lines, without any court approval.

This is known as 're-homing' and Pelanda says this has been going undetected.

“Most typically money is exchanged. The family that wants to get rid of this child because they have not integrated into the family finds a family in Ohio that for a certain sum of money agrees to take the child. This is a form of human trafficking."

Pelanda’s bill would trigger an investigation if a child is enrolled in school without the proper custody paperwork, or if that child goes to the ER.

Andy Chow is a general assignment state government reporter who focuses on environmental, energy, agriculture, and education-related issues. He started his journalism career as an associate producer with ABC 6/FOX 28 in Columbus before becoming a producer with WBNS 10TV.