Knoxville man fights for the daughter he has not seen in five years
WBIR.com
March 22, 2006
The He family recently moved to East Tennessee. But they came here without their seven-year-old daughter.
Anna Mae He is living in Memphis with another family, people the Hes say are raising her without their
permission
Jack He and his family moved to Knoxville last month for a new job. But as he works, there is one thing that is on his mind, his seven-year-old daughter Anna Mae.
"We haven't seen her for five years," said He.
In 1999 He and his wife had just moved to the US from China. They had financial problems and could not support their new baby. He says a friend of a friend from church offered to take the baby for three months.
"[It was] a volunteer help through our church, it was on a short term basis," said He.
He says they gave the Bakers temporary custody so Anna Mae could use their health insurance.
"We never gave up, we only signed it because we thought it was in the best interest of our child to have medical insurance," said He.
When they got back on their feet financially, He says they asked for their baby back, but the Bakers said no.
"We feel our trust was betrayed," said He.
Since then he says they have been fighting in court trying to get their daughter back. They have also had two more children.
So far the courts have ruled in the Bakers' favor, saying the Hes abandoned their daughter.
"We're not interested in gloating or anything like that. What do we say that makes it less painful for the He family?" said Anna Mae's custodial father Jerry Baker.
Now two families are waiting for the Tennessee Supreme Court to decide whether it will take the case. It is a decision that would give one family hope and devastate another.
"We hope that the state Supreme Court will give our child back to us so that my family can be reunited," said He.
Anna Mae lives with the Bakers in West Tennessee. Their attorney says she is very happy and close to the whole family. He said any decision to take her away would be tragic, and they would appeal it to the U.S. Supreme Court.
News
Herryn Riendeau , Reporter
Last updated: 3/22/2006 7:07:42 PM