Paper continues to refer to Indian child as daughter of couple

Monday, January 9, 2012  

A South Carolina newspaper continues to refer to a Cherokee Nation girl as the "daughter" of a non-Indian couple that lost an Indian Child Welfare Act dispute with the biological father.

The Charleston Post and Courier also refers to the biological father, Dusten Brown, as a "stranger" to his child, two-year-old Veronica. Brown -- who served in Iraq -- did not consent to the adoption of his daughter to the non-Indian couple.

Brown has taken Veronica home to Oklahoma. But Matt and Melanie Capobianco say they will continue to fight him in court.

The case is one of about 1,100 active ICWA disputes in which the Cherokee Nation is involved.

Get the Story:
Decades-old federal act removes 2-year-old girl from only family she's known, but was that the law's intent? (The Charleston Post and Courier 1/9)
Native American roots trump in adoption battle over toddler (Reuters 1/8)

Related Stories:
Cherokee Nation seeks gag order in ICWA dispute making news (1/5)
Cherokee Nation man wins custody of daughter in ICWA case (1/3)