Peter McDonald

He gave Tara Lee the maximum sentence allowed, 10 years and one month. And she'd have to pay more than $1 million in restitution to the families. When sentencing was over, night had fallen. The blizzard had stopped. It was bitterly cold. There were no cameras allowed in the courtroom. So Heather Catalo rushed outside in gloves and a coat to go live with the WXYZ Channel 7 newsroom.

He gave Tara Lee the maximum sentence allowed, 10 years and one month. And she'd have to pay more than $1 million in restitution to the families. When sentencing was over, night had fallen. The blizzard had stopped. It was bitterly cold. There were no cameras allowed in the courtroom. So Heather Catalo rushed outside in gloves and a coat to go live with the WXYZ Channel 7 newsroom.

He gave Tara Lee the maximum sentence allowed, 10 years and one month. And she'd have to pay more than $1 million in restitution to the families. When sentencing was over, night had fallen. The blizzard had stopped. It was bitterly cold. There were no cameras allowed in the courtroom. So Heather Catalo rushed outside in gloves and a coat to go live with the WXYZ Channel 7 newsroom.

Mike and Teresa stood on the sidewalk in the bitter cold, looking around for a blonde-haired guy from Chicago, Nick Granath. But Nick had gone out the back door, looking for Mike. Hours earlier, in the middle of the sentencing hearing, Nick had realized who the Mathenies were. During a recess, he rushed out and found them in the hallway.

Mike and Teresa stood on the sidewalk in the bitter cold, looking around for a blonde-haired guy from Chicago, Nick Granath. But Nick had gone out the back door, looking for Mike. Hours earlier, in the middle of the sentencing hearing, Nick had realized who the Mathenies were. During a recess, he rushed out and found them in the hallway.

Mike and Teresa stood on the sidewalk in the bitter cold, looking around for a blonde-haired guy from Chicago, Nick Granath. But Nick had gone out the back door, looking for Mike. Hours earlier, in the middle of the sentencing hearing, Nick had realized who the Mathenies were. During a recess, he rushed out and found them in the hallway.

They stood in the middle of the hallway, speechless. Nick was choked up, trying to ask any one of a million questions about Stephanie, about her baby boy, before the courtroom doors closed again. When sentencing was over, it was crowded and they couldn't find each other. Nick drove home to Chicago in the snow to tell Tammy he'd met the couple who'd adopted Stephanie's baby.

They stood in the middle of the hallway, speechless. Nick was choked up, trying to ask any one of a million questions about Stephanie, about her baby boy, before the courtroom doors closed again. When sentencing was over, it was crowded and they couldn't find each other. Nick drove home to Chicago in the snow to tell Tammy he'd met the couple who'd adopted Stephanie's baby.

They stood in the middle of the hallway, speechless. Nick was choked up, trying to ask any one of a million questions about Stephanie, about her baby boy, before the courtroom doors closed again. When sentencing was over, it was crowded and they couldn't find each other. Nick drove home to Chicago in the snow to tell Tammy he'd met the couple who'd adopted Stephanie's baby.

Teresa and Mike flew back to Atlanta, hunting for Nick's phone number. The next day, they called one another. and spent hours on the phone filling in all the holes on everything that had happened. Then, eventually, the Graniths, with May, flew to Atlanta to meet the Mathenys in person.

Teresa and Mike flew back to Atlanta, hunting for Nick's phone number. The next day, they called one another. and spent hours on the phone filling in all the holes on everything that had happened. Then, eventually, the Graniths, with May, flew to Atlanta to meet the Mathenys in person.

Teresa and Mike flew back to Atlanta, hunting for Nick's phone number. The next day, they called one another. and spent hours on the phone filling in all the holes on everything that had happened. Then, eventually, the Graniths, with May, flew to Atlanta to meet the Mathenys in person.

As the snow melted in Detroit, the pandemic took hold. Everything was canceled, people strapped on masks, and video calls replaced seeing each other in person. The case had done long-lasting harm to everyone involved. But for a lot of the families reeling from Tara Lee's fraud, 2020 and the years after were also about renewal. Courtney went home to her family and a newly adopted baby.

As the snow melted in Detroit, the pandemic took hold. Everything was canceled, people strapped on masks, and video calls replaced seeing each other in person. The case had done long-lasting harm to everyone involved. But for a lot of the families reeling from Tara Lee's fraud, 2020 and the years after were also about renewal. Courtney went home to her family and a newly adopted baby.

As the snow melted in Detroit, the pandemic took hold. Everything was canceled, people strapped on masks, and video calls replaced seeing each other in person. The case had done long-lasting harm to everyone involved. But for a lot of the families reeling from Tara Lee's fraud, 2020 and the years after were also about renewal. Courtney went home to her family and a newly adopted baby.

Adam and Kyle began working with another agency and successfully adopted a second child. So did the Methenys. So did the Graniths. And Julie Falkenberry got pregnant and had a girl. As Tammy and Nick's daughter May grew into a toddler, they kept in close touch with her birth mother, Sarah. They shared videos, photos, and phone calls. They visited.

Adam and Kyle began working with another agency and successfully adopted a second child. So did the Methenys. So did the Graniths. And Julie Falkenberry got pregnant and had a girl. As Tammy and Nick's daughter May grew into a toddler, they kept in close touch with her birth mother, Sarah. They shared videos, photos, and phone calls. They visited.

Adam and Kyle began working with another agency and successfully adopted a second child. So did the Methenys. So did the Graniths. And Julie Falkenberry got pregnant and had a girl. As Tammy and Nick's daughter May grew into a toddler, they kept in close touch with her birth mother, Sarah. They shared videos, photos, and phone calls. They visited.

They wanted May to grow up knowing her birth mother. They embraced that there's no one definition of family. But in the fall of 2023, Sarah's mom called Tammy and told her that Sarah had been hospitalized and was on life support.

They wanted May to grow up knowing her birth mother. They embraced that there's no one definition of family. But in the fall of 2023, Sarah's mom called Tammy and told her that Sarah had been hospitalized and was on life support.