Girl is Chinese, father pleads
Claims foster parents distorting heritage
By Shirley Downing
Commercial Appeal
February 29, 2004

The father of a 5-year-old Chinese girl seeking to regain custody of his daughter from an American couple said Saturday that he and his wife are better suited to raise her to understand and appreciate Chinese culture.

"I want her to be raised in her own culture and to have bilingual advantages," Shaoqiang 'Jack' He said of his daughter Anna Mae.

He was testifying for the second day in a Circuit Court case over who should get permanent custody of the girl.

He and his wife, Qin Luo 'Casey' He, contend custodial parents Jerry and Louise Baker of Cordova stole their daughter through deceit and legal maneuvering in 1999.

Jack He testified that he and his wife are better able to care for the girl and accused the Bakers of trying to obscure her Chinese heritage by dyeing her black hair a lighter color.

The Bakers have denied that accusation.

"We saw her hair," Jack He insisted Saturday from the witness stand.

In 1999, the Hes faced legal and financial problems after Anna Mae's birth. A local adoption agency put the couple in touch with the Bakers, who were foster parents for the agency.

The Bakers offered to care for Anna Mae through a voluntary legal custody agreement the Hes thought was temporary. The Bakers said there also was a verbal agreement that allowed them to keep Anna Mae until age 18.

The Hes, who were never judged abusive or neglectful, have been seeking Anna Mae's return for more than four years.

Rev. Kenny Yau, pastor of the Chinese Baptist Church, testified he was a translator for Mrs. He, who does not speak English, when the custody agreement was signed in a conference room at Juvenile Court.

"I told her that temporary custody means that someone was willing to look after and take care of the girl but for a period of time."

Yau said there was no mention in the document or at the meeting that the Hes should pay child support, visit regularly or that the Bakers would have to agree to the return of the girl.

The Hes visited 80 or more times over the next two years. The Hes brought gifts and took pictures.

Attorney Linda Holmes, who represents the court-appointed guardian, assailed Jack He's character, portraying him as a liar and chronic troublemaker.

Jack He admitted making up the names of relatives for references when he applied for a car loan, but said he'd told the car salesman he had no relatives in this country. He said the salesman told him to make up names and helped fill out the document.

The Hes said their finances have improved over the past five years and they are able to care for their daughter.

The trial is scheduled to resume Monday.