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2:12 a.m. • 2-11-12

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Quets Indicted on Kidnapping Charges


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A federal grand jury on Wednesday indicted a birth mother accused of kidnapping her twins from their adoptive family in Apex and taking them to Canada.

Allison Lee Quets, 49, was indicted on two counts of international parental kidnapping following a day of testimony. She will be arraigned on the charges at a later date, authorities said.

Quets didn't return her 19-month-old twins to their adoptive parents following a routine weekend visit with them in December, authorities said. She was arrested a week later in Ottawa, Ontario, and the children were returned to their parents.

The adoptive parents, Denise and Kevin Needham, declined to comment on the indictment.

Prosecutors said Quets had planned for months to take her children, while her attorneys maintain she changed her mind about the adoption after a challenging pregnancy and has been fighting to get her children back since they were born.

Quets' sister, Gail Quets, testified before the grand jury Wednesday morning. Gail Quets has been a staunch supporter of her sister, saying that she had extreme medical problems during her pregnancy that made her feel like she couldn't care for the children. As a result, Gail Quets has said, her sister felt she was forced into the adoption.

Two other witnesses supporting Allison Quets also were at the courthouse.

Kimber MacGibbon is a nurse from Oregon who represents the HER Foundation, a group that helps people who suffer from hyperemesis gravidarum, the disease Quets said she contracted during her pregnancy. Marianna Leman is a close friend of Quets.

All three women and their attorneys declined to comment on why they were called to testify. Prosecutors earlier said that Gail Quets had purchased a plane ticket for her sister.

Allison Quets is being held at the Franklin County Jail. A federal magistrate has denied her request for bond, calling her a flight risk as well as a danger to the community and herself.

RELATED TOPICS: Apex, Franklin County

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72 Comments


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Virgomisty and boatrokr are not the same person. boatrokr is Helaina Hinson (I don't care who knows my real name). I have no idea who this virgomisty person is.

I am also not a birthparent; I'm an adoptee. Adoption is a sacred cow and the system needs to be revamped.

Sean, You can get some insight into virgomisty22/boatrokr in the comments to this story

http://www.wral.com/lifestyles/family/blogpost/1131715/

virgomisty22 are you boatrokr? You both posted the exact same message; an incorrect message. What is the legal timeframe that you are talking about; not your belief in what you think it should be, but what is the legal timeframe in Florida? Have you read anything about this case? Quets was afforded due process; she went back to court to challenge the adoption and her request was denied - the law was not violated. What are 'Adoptives'?

I just looked up what hyperemesis gravidarum is, the illness she was supposedly diagnosed with during her pregnancy, which supposedly led her to the decision to give up the children. It's EXTREME morning sickness, and is rare. In addition to the nausea and exhaustion, the woman may start to feel apathetic and find it difficult to tend to her normal daily duties. That must have been terrible. However, there is medication the doctor can give you to help. And, it's only related to a pregnancy. After birth, it goes away. Her family and doctors should have advised her not to make any dramatic decision on the care of the babies until after they were born and this went away. I am sure it was a difficult time for her and my heart goes out to her. But for some reason, she did make that decision, and she'll have to live with it.

Country Girl, it appears as though Quets had not once given any thought as to how the children would live. She was and still remains completely focused on herself. I wonder what happened to all those people talking about her in the media, like here sister, best friend...quess someone finally told them to zip-it.

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