In brief
Women from a secretive US Christian sect share harrowing accounts of being pressured to give up their babies for adoption, often under threat of damnation. Amidst claims of abuse faced by adopted children, the FBI has initiated an investigation into these troubling practices.
Women who once belonged to a secretive Christian sect in the United States have come forward to the BBC, revealing they were coerced into giving up their children for adoption. Former members claim that potentially hundreds of adoptions took place between the 1950s and 1990s, often under intense pressure and fear of being ostracized. The sect, referred to as The Truth or the Two by Twos, has been criticized for its culture of secrecy, with many adopted children alleging they faced neglect and abuse in their new homes. The FBI has announced an investigation following a BBC inquiry into widespread child sexual abuse within the church.Four women, all unmarried at the time of their pregnancies, described being left with no choice but to surrender their babies. One woman, pressured after being raped at 17, disclosed her fears of eternal damnation if she refused to comply. Another woman detailed her grief at being denied the chance to see her newborn before the adoption was finalized. The adoptions, overseen by a now-deceased doctor from the sect, have led to many adopted children being called "Baldwin Babies."As the investigations unfold, women continue to express their trauma over these experiences, often blaming the church's leadership for contributing to a fear-driven environment. Many of them have found support in newfound communities of Baldwin mothers and children, sharing their painful stories and seeking healing from past injustices.
