Peter McDonald

So you were struggling to get just basic information.

Tara Lee's scattered communication style drove Teresa nuts. She was rearranging their lives to be ready for the baby. She also needed to know when to take maternity leave. So Teresa put on her best face and called Tara Lee to finally pin down some dates and details.

Tara Lee's scattered communication style drove Teresa nuts. She was rearranging their lives to be ready for the baby. She also needed to know when to take maternity leave. So Teresa put on her best face and called Tara Lee to finally pin down some dates and details.

Tara Lee's scattered communication style drove Teresa nuts. She was rearranging their lives to be ready for the baby. She also needed to know when to take maternity leave. So Teresa put on her best face and called Tara Lee to finally pin down some dates and details.

So suddenly it went from the 11th of October to the end of October.

So suddenly it went from the 11th of October to the end of October.

So suddenly it went from the 11th of October to the end of October.

Getting the due date wrong by almost three weeks was a huge error. Except Tara Lee played it off with a shrug. Whoops. Teresa and Mike were exasperated. But they weren't about to rock the boat. Not with a baby in it. And Tara Lee had an explanation for the error. She said the reason the date was wrong was that Stephanie hadn't received any prenatal care until much later in the pregnancy.

Getting the due date wrong by almost three weeks was a huge error. Except Tara Lee played it off with a shrug. Whoops. Teresa and Mike were exasperated. But they weren't about to rock the boat. Not with a baby in it. And Tara Lee had an explanation for the error. She said the reason the date was wrong was that Stephanie hadn't received any prenatal care until much later in the pregnancy.

Getting the due date wrong by almost three weeks was a huge error. Except Tara Lee played it off with a shrug. Whoops. Teresa and Mike were exasperated. But they weren't about to rock the boat. Not with a baby in it. And Tara Lee had an explanation for the error. She said the reason the date was wrong was that Stephanie hadn't received any prenatal care until much later in the pregnancy.

No prenatal care? I asked Rob Kirsch, the adoption attorney, if that was normal. He said it was very unusual. In almost every adoption he's handled, the birth mother's insurance or Medicaid covered the cost. So I asked Mike and Teresa why they thought Stephanie hadn't gotten any care.

No prenatal care? I asked Rob Kirsch, the adoption attorney, if that was normal. He said it was very unusual. In almost every adoption he's handled, the birth mother's insurance or Medicaid covered the cost. So I asked Mike and Teresa why they thought Stephanie hadn't gotten any care.

No prenatal care? I asked Rob Kirsch, the adoption attorney, if that was normal. He said it was very unusual. In almost every adoption he's handled, the birth mother's insurance or Medicaid covered the cost. So I asked Mike and Teresa why they thought Stephanie hadn't gotten any care.

That was like saying Stephanie's lack of care was her own fault.

That was like saying Stephanie's lack of care was her own fault.

That was like saying Stephanie's lack of care was her own fault.

The Mathinis and other clients of Tara Lee, who I eventually spoke with, told me that many of the birth mothers did have substance use disorders, drug addictions. Part of Tara Lee's business model was to seek out pregnant women in vulnerable situations to give up their babies. She'd pass her business card out at methadone clinics and prisons.

The Mathinis and other clients of Tara Lee, who I eventually spoke with, told me that many of the birth mothers did have substance use disorders, drug addictions. Part of Tara Lee's business model was to seek out pregnant women in vulnerable situations to give up their babies. She'd pass her business card out at methadone clinics and prisons.

The Mathinis and other clients of Tara Lee, who I eventually spoke with, told me that many of the birth mothers did have substance use disorders, drug addictions. Part of Tara Lee's business model was to seek out pregnant women in vulnerable situations to give up their babies. She'd pass her business card out at methadone clinics and prisons.

But Tara Lee had a gritty authenticity that her clients liked, at least initially. And she seemed to genuinely care about helping the birth mothers. But one thing stuck out. I won't get into the weeds here, but Mike, who works in finance, was puzzled by why Tara Lee wanted $8,000 for Stephanie's expenses.