Tennessee Supreme Court Rules in Anna Mae He Custody Battle
Custody Given to Jack and Casey He
by the Tennessee Supreme Court. This has been a highly publicized custody battle that has lasted for more than six years.
Jack and Casey He first gave temporary custody of their daughter, Anna Mae, to Jerry and Louise Baker on February 24, 1999. She was just a few weeks old at the time. The Bakers were to have custody of Anna Mae for ninety days in a sort of foster care agreement. However, the He's agreed to allow the Bakers to continue to offer foster care for Anna Mae in April 1999. On June 4th of that same year, custody of the young child was transferred to the Bakers.
Almost a year later, in May of 2000, the He's filed a petition to have their daughter, Anna Mae returned to them. This petition was denied due to lack of income and pending criminal charges against Jack He for sexual battery.
On February 21, 2002, Jack He was acquitted of the sexual battery charges. Later that same year the He's would visit their daughter for the first time in three years.
Almost two years after the acquittal of the sexual battery charges against Jack He, there was a custody trial. On May 12, 2004, Judge Robert Childers (Memphis, TN Circuit Court judge) terminated the He's parental rights. Full custody of Anna Mae He was awarded to Jerry and Louise Baker. The He's appealed the hearing and in November 2005, the courts upheld the decision to terminate their parental rights.
In October 2006, the Tennessee Supreme Court began to hear arguments in an appeal filed by the He's. On January 23, 2007, the Tennessee Supreme Court ruled that Anna Mae He be returned to the custody of her biological parents, Jack and Casey He.
So, what does all of this mean for little Anna Mae (who will 8yrs old on Sunday)? The Bakers must turn over custody of Anna Mae to the He's. This will be arranged through the Memphis Juvenile Court system. The He's plan to take Anna Mae back to their native country, China. They have stated that they would like for the Bakers to remain part of Anna Mae's life.
The only way the Bakers can appeal the decision is to take it before the U.S. Supreme Court. They have ninety days to file an appeal. At this time, there are no plans for such an appeal.
Published by Wendy King
After working 10yrs in Pediatrics as a medical assistant, I became a stay at home mom in 2002. I have 3 beautiful children. Two of my children have autism. View profile
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- Jack and Casey He first gave temporary custody of their daughter, Anna Mae, to Jerry and Louise Baker on February 24, 1999.
- On May 12, 2004, Judge Robert Childers (Memphis, TN Circuit Court judge) terminated the He's parental rights.
- On January 23, 2007, the Tennessee Supreme Court ruled that Anna Mae He be returned to the custody of her biological parents, Jack and Casey He.
30 Comments
Post a CommentThe He's have responded to the litle girl's needs as PARENTS would-- with love and understanding. They have even invited the people who robbed them of YEARS of their daughter's life into their family. Shame on the Bakers... they talk about the pain and suffering that this child is so obviously feeling, but who put her in that situation? THEY did. Shame shame shame on them. They should fall at the He's feet and thank them for loving Anna Mae enough to let them remain in her life.
Bullshit. Im Chinese, I am 100% with the Hes and I love my parents. I grew up with relatives for several years like Anna-even to go as far as to calling another woman "mother". I GOT OVER THAT!!!! She's a child, she'll adapt and embrace it like all children do to life. I don't understand why they have to appoint a psychologist in He's house. That just disruptive and will encourage the child to remain resistant to change. THERE's worse things going on in the US, get ur priorities right. The Hes must love their daughter very much to have fought for her for 6 yrs.
As a Chinese-American who knows other Chinese families and has studied Chinese history and culture in the academic realm, I can certify with 100% certainty that the vast majority of Chinese parents love and value their children just as much as parents in the states. Those who say that people place much lower values on their children's lives on the basis of Chinese culture are only exhibiting their own cultural prejudices borne of intellectual laziness and ignorance.
To: "More to The Story",
First, "Interesting to read" may or may not be a Chinese. Even he is, it's only one Chinese's opinion.
Second, you made several accusations regarding immigrants, but I don't see any facts.
Third, you said "This is written by a Chinese person from Memphis!". Where did "interesting to read" say he/she is from Memphis?
You attack the Hes' credibility by stating that some random internet article by supposedly a Chinese person makes good evidence as to the Hes being unfit parents?
Then you go on to rant about the shiftiness, dishonesty, and takes advantage of food stamps?
You're a moron and a racist. The Bakers ARE kidnappers and there IS NOT justice for non-white immigrants in Tennessee.
People, STOP and LISTEN! (Cont'd:#3/3) - If you all are going to judge them from how YOU would do it, then consider this: would YOU put yourself into complete financial ruin (the "rich American" part of the myth!), invest the huge amt of time & energy, and endure the public ridicule & humiliation (without ever publicly defending yourself), knowing the possibility that it might still all end in pain & loss; would you do all this as the Bakers have unless there was A LOT MORE going on that the public doesn't know?!? Stop condemning when you don't know the whole story! (The Bakers aren't rich; the Hes aren't poor & they had other recourses even when they had Anna.) Stop taking things at face value! Listen to what Chinese people say! Stop assuming that the rest of the world thinks like you Americans do! Exercise some discernment, please! There's a Whole Lot More to the Story, People. -- Someone who has seen this exact SAME thing happen before--the full details of both sides--and agrees wi
People, STOP and LISTEN! (Cont'd) - Stop assuming that everybody thinks the same way about children & families that you Americans do(that they left her because they had to, that they want her back because they love her). You're judging the Bakers based on your American way of thinking. You also don't know what kind of people the Hes are: only their press releases & photos (Judge Childers saw the staging for what it was). It says a lot for the Bakers that they have scrupulously protected Anna Mae's privacy until now; whereas the Hes have theatrically paraded their other 2 children to stir up public opinion. The Bakers aren't rich white Christians; they're not kidnappers! (No, I've never met them.) They know there are plenty of girls from China to adopt. If you all are going to judge them from how YOU would do it, then consider this: would YOU put yourself into complete financial ruin (the "rich American" part of the myth!), invest the huge amt of time & energy, and endure the public rid
People, STOP and LISTEN! Did you hear what "Interesting to Read" wrote on 3/2/07? "Over half the CHINESE PEOPLE CRITICIZE THE HES and SUPPORT THE BAKERS raising Anna Mae"! This is written by a Chinese person from Memphis! I read the same thing years ago:that very few Chinese people in Memphis who knew the Hes liked, trusted, believed, or supported them. So stop the knee-jerk condemnation of the Bakers, all you gullible Americans & exercise some discernment, please! US immigrants are NOT all poor, honest, & defenseless. (Int'l grad students have taken advantage of Medicare, food stamps, WIC, & other US govt aid. Chinese spouses often(usually?) work illegally in Chinese restaurants without paying tax, while collecting scholarships from the US govt.) They're NOT all ignorant of American law, despite what this case claims. (Grad students from China are the elite 1% of their country:they have superb English & learn the necessary US laws very quickly.) Stop assuming that everybody thinks the
The Bakers are kidnappers, pure and simple. They are only different from imprisoned kidnappers in that they used the legal-system and the courts and their church to aide and abed their kidnapping.
As a Chinese who ever lived in TN for three years, I have followed this case since the first publicity in Chinese comunity years ago. It is very interesting to see the different reaction in chinese and american communities. Based on my observation, over half of Chinese posts on Chinese online forums critisize the Hes and would support the Bakers to keep Mae, while most American who speak out think the Bakers are "sick-minded" to "steal" her. I guess cultual background really plays a role here. We all know well about the dark side of our own fellows.