Man Seeks Son Given For Adoption But Records Lead To Wrong Person

Mistaken Identity Shatters Adoption Reunion

OmniTrace is involved with many wonderful reunions between adopted children and their biological parents.  Most go very well and are wonderful experiences for the reunited family members.

The following reunion (not one of our cases) has a truly startling twist.  Here’s a story shown on ABC News about an adoption that took place in New Jersey.  It involves a mix-up between two people who waited their entire lives to meet, and it is absolutely heartbreaking:

ABC News Story

It’s hard to know exactly where things went wrong.  It could have been at the hospital.  In that case, the hospital records were likely destroyed years ago and the mystery will never be solved.  Or, the mistake may have taken place at the New Jersey adoption agency– the son was one of six other children adopted around the same time and a mix-up might have occurred.

Unfortunately, those agency adoption records that might help to reveal the Read More

Troy The Locator On WE tv

Troy The Locator

Troy The Locator has been reuniting birth family for over twenty years and is one of the most viewed shows on WE tv.  Millions of people have witnessed Troy The Locator conduct reunions between birth parents and adoptees.

A new episode of  Troy The Locator airs Saturday, Sept. 12, 2009,  9:00 PM Eastern Time and 8:00 PM Central. 

Here is what WE tv has to say about Troy The Locator: Read More

Using Social Media To Conduct Your Adoption Search

Adoption Search

Social media websites such as Facebook, Twitter and Google can be very helpful when conducting an adoption search.  Not only can you search these sites for listings your birth family members might have posted, you can also post your adoption search details on many of these sites.   

Here is a New York Daily News video and article on how Jonathan Frank conducted an adoption search and found his birth brother and birth sister with the help of Facebook.

Here is a CNN News Story on how a Pennsylvania woman used Google to resolve her adoption search and find her birth family. 

When OmniTrace begins a new adoption search, we utilize state-of-the-art databases, a worldwide network of researchers and private investigation methods to find birth family.  We also take advantage of the many free social media websites so we have every chance to successfully complete your adoption search.

If you are conducting an adoption search on your own, please be sure to visit the Read More

Requesting Adoption Records

Adoption Records

Requesting your adoption records in a closed adoption records state, while sometimes daunting, is definitely worth doing.  You may obtain:

• Non-Identifying Information (Redacted Adoption Records)
• Information On The State Reunion Registry
• Intermediary Program Details

Obtaining your non-identifying information (redacted adoption records) can be very helpful in finding your birth parents.  We have already written several posts covering non-id, but because this subject is so important, let’s review again (we’ll cover reunion registries and intermediary programs in our next post). 

Non-identifying information / redacted adoption records typically contains Read More

Open Adoption Records In Colorado!

Open Adoption Records In Colorado

(Special thanks to Joan of nyadoptees who notified us about Colorado Open Adoption Records.)

Great news for those adopted in Colorado who are searching for their birth parents.  Persons adopted in Colorado will soon have access to their original birth records, as long as their adoption was finalized between July 1, 1951 and June 30, 1967.

OmniTrace contacted the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment to confirm that Colorado open adoption records will soon be available.  They have informed us that forms will be available to request original birth certificates on June 29, 2009.

In addition, Richard Uhrlaub, Co-Director of Adoptee in Search/Colorado’s Triad Connection,  has indicated that Read More

Have An Old Address Of A Missing Person?

If you are searching for a missing person and have their old address, here is a FREE investigative trick, provided by the head of our OmniTrace research department–Chris Maione.  This may allow you to identify and contact prior neighbors of your subjecct:

First, visit free web resource www.zillow.com. 

1. At the top of the Zillow homepage, there is field where you can input your missing person ’s old address. 
2. After submitting your search, you will see a map of the neighborhood where your missing person once resided (you can view this map in street view, aerial view and hybrid view). 
3. The old address, that you submitted will appear, as well as tiny icons that represent homes surrounding the address you submitted. 
4. By clicking on the icons, you will obtain exact address information. 
5. Jot down the addresses surrounding your subject’s old address.  In particular, you will want the addresses on the left, on the right and directly across the street from the old address of your subject.

Then, visit free web resource www.whitepages.com. 

1. On the upper center of the home page, click on Read More

Marriage Records – Great Resource When Conducting A BirthMother Search

Accessing marriage records can be very helpful when conducting a birthmother  search.   In most instances, you are trying to develop your birthmother’s married name.    

(Of course, searching marriage records can help anyone who is searching and working with only a maiden name.) 

Marriage records may contain:

• Maiden and married name of birth mother
• Dates of birth of birthmother and groom
• Date of marriage
• Place of marriage
• Birth places of birthmother and groom
• Addresses of birthmother and groom
• Parents of birthmother
• Employment information
• Religious affiliations
• Previous marriages
• Divorce information
• Relatives of birthmother and groom
• Social Security Numbers (sometimes)
• Witness names

Please note:  Information obtained from marriage records will vary greatly from Read More

The Locator TV Show – All New Episode

The Locator TV Show

We want to remind you that Troy Dunn ’s The Locator TV Show has an all new episode this Saturday, March 21 at 9 pm Eastern Time / 8 pm Central Time on WE TV.

Troy Dunn has reunited thousands of birth parents and adoptee s.  The Locator TV Show will give you an inside look at what is involved with searching for your birth parents, an adoptee or a birth sibling. 

Here is an episode summary provided by the WE TV website:

“Episode Summary:  In 1985, Wendy and Christopher Radcliff’s mother, Jennifer, left them to be raised by their paternal grandparents when they were young. The brother and sister have called on Troy to locate Jennifer, who originally escaped from an abusive relationship with Read More

Find Family Members With The Social Security Death Index

Find Family Members – Social Security Death Index

By Chris Maione – Head Of OmniTrace Research Department

Our OmniTrace staff often searches Death Indexes to find living persons.  Why?  Because developing information on a deceased person can help you identify and find living family members. 

The most commonly used Death Index is the Social Security Death Index (SSDI).  The Social Security Death Index is a searchable database of over 83 million deceased individuals.  This index in maintained by the Social Security Administration (SSA) and is comprised of records from The Death Master File.

The following information is available on each decedent listed in the Social Security Death Index:

•  Last Name
•  First Name
•  Date of Birth
• Date of Death
• Social Security Number
• Last Known Residence

The Social Security Death Index is usually available for a small fee at various websites, but it also accessible, free, at http://ssdi.rootsweb.ancestry.com and is often searchable by the above search fields; however, access may vary depending on the website or source you are utilizing.

Please Note:  The absence of an individual in the Social Security Death Index is not Read More

No Find No Fee Search (caution-not as good as it sounds)

No Find No Fee Search

There are a number of posts and articles on the Internet advocating no find no fee birth family search services.  The sources of these posts and articles may have good intentions but apparently do not understand what is involved with adoption related searching.

OmniTrace estimates we have successfully located and reunited more birth parents and adoptees than all no find no fee search services combined!  Our staff of private investigators and genealogists have learned nearly every legal nuance and trick of the trade available to find birth parents and adoptees, and Read More