Bridging the Past: How My Adoption Led Me to Guatemala's Child Trafficking Network

My Adoption Disclosure Statement aka My receipt

For many years, my adoption story remained consistent. There was no specific moment of revelation; I simply seemed to have always known. As I grew, my questions evolved, but the core narrative remained unchanged.

During my formative years, I developed a deep love for reading. The tales of the Berenstain Bears, Little Bear, Franklin, and Froggy series became my companions. After school, I'd disembark from the bus, facing what felt like an endless quarter-mile walk home, though it was likely much shorter.

I cherished that solitary journey. Surrounded by nature's quietude, I was alone with my thoughts, free to engage in internal conversations and explore the world around me. It was an opportunity for introspection that I held dear. On one occasion, I even encountered a bear. Yet, my fondest memories were of crossing a bridge, watching the creek beneath it, particularly when rain made the water flow swiftly. I can't quite recall my age during these moments.

It was during these walks that I first began to grapple with emotions I couldn't quite comprehend. In my imaginative child's mind, I often pretended that animals from my books were my companions. I would sometimes fantasize about taking their offspring or eggs, an act that gave me a peculiar sense of empowerment. I suppose it was my way of making sense of underlying subconscious trauma, even though I didn't fully understand it at the time.

This early emotional complexity, I later learned, was tied to the developmental trauma of being separated from my biological mother. Infants in the womb can recognize voices, songs, and emotions, and the separation from their mother has a profound impact. Research shows that this separation alters an infant's body chemistry and affects their long-term development.

My adoption story began in Guatemala City, where my biological mother gave birth to me in a general hospital. She provided a false name and address before leaving me at the hospital when I eventually moved into a local orphanage run by a woman from Ohio named Helen. To my understanding my parents placed an ad in the local newspaper asking for her to come forward. Also that the local police went to the address she provided and nobody at the address knew someone by that name or description.

My adoptive parents came into this picture as the wait for adopting Chinese girls was long. They decided to adopt a Guatemalan child by suggestion of their adoption liaison. They visited me in the orphanage, and soon, we embarked on the paperwork, visa requirements, and vaccinations necessary to fulfill all immigration laws.

The transition from Guatemala to my new family in Tigard, Oregon, was filled with memorable moments, captured in photographs. My parents shared my story openly of being left at the hospital, etc. I accepted it without issue. Over the years, I occasionally searched for names from my adoption paperwork online, fueled by curiosity rather than an urgent quest for answers.

The year 2020 and the global pandemic provided me with ample time for deeper research into my adoption. I delved into the dark web, VPNs, and TOR, learning how to access archived documents through website code and backlinks. I engaged with other Guatemalan adoptees and adoptive parents, gathering stories and context about the adoption process in Guatemala.

Through extensive research, I discovered a peculiar website containing a treasure trove of archived documents related to adoption, human trafficking, human rights violations, and UN reports. The site was active up until 2010 or 2011, after which it went silent. I found names from my adoption files on this site, connecting me to a woman named "Susana” as well as “Helen.”

Susana, the wife of a Guatemalan Supreme Court Justice, held a powerful role in facilitating adoptions. She negotiated prices for children and allowed adoptive parents to specify their preferences, including skin color, gender, and ancestry. She orchestrated meetings between adoptive parents and children while ensuring secrecy among all involved parties. The site unveiled the hierarchical structure of child trafficking networks, highlighting the exploitation of legal loopholes in the process.

Susana's involvement led to her being charged in court with extensive involvement in child trafficking and the creating the network itself, but she seemed to vanish afterward. One chilling story described how she facilitated a meeting between adoptive parents and a stolen child while the child's mother cried outside, held at gunpoint, unable to intervene, and escorted off the property. The Guatemalan government's use of DNA testing has revealed cases of children being placed with adoptive parents who were not biologically related, leading to reunions with their birth families.

Many Guatemalan women were deceived into sending their children to live-in schools or daycare centers, believing it was the best way to secure their education or future. Unbeknownst to them, children were often taken and sold for profit. The complicity of various parties, including local authorities, made it nearly impossible for these mothers to seek justice.

Further exploration on the site led me to the name of my orphanage and articles about Helen, the Ohio woman who ran it. Helen, too, faced charges related to child trafficking and the acceptance of falsified paperwork. Reflecting on my personal encounter with her at the age of 13 or 14, I noticed an unsettling demeanor in her eyes when viewing old photographs.

Sharing my discoveries with fellow Guatemalan adoptees and adoptive parents shed light on half-truths we had been told. It unveiled concealed aspects of the adoption process, such as the use of a secondary orphanage to maintain illusions for adoptive parents.

Uncovering this truth has been a painful journey, for myself and those who were adopted. It has altered relationships and brought to light uncomfortable realities, including the possibility that some of us may have been products of rape or human trafficking. Nevertheless, acknowledging the truth, no matter how painful, is a crucial step towards healing.

My quest did not end with my online finding, which is ongoing. I sought help for my mental health, undergoing extensive therapy and medication. Working with a diverse group of therapists and engaging in treatments such as EMDR has been transformative. My mental well-being became a priority.

Unexpectedly, my adoptive mother recently handed me the remaining documents from my adoption, including a receipt revealing the price at which I was bought and sold. This revelation has shifted my perspective on my upbringing and my relationship with my adoptive parents. It has also brought to light the ethical complexities surrounding international adoption.

As I reflect on my journey, I recognize that it was never my intention to unearth this painful truth. However, confronting it has been a necessary step toward understanding myself and my family. It has highlighted the need for transparency and accountability in international adoption, forcing us to grapple with uncomfortable truths and strive for healing.

In my quest for truth, I have not only found answers but also a deeper understanding of the complex and often painful realities of adoption. While my journey has been arduous, it has ultimately brought me closer to a place of self-acceptance and healing.

My investigative article "An International Child Trafficking Network; Guatemala" serves as an introductory deep dive into the intricate hierarchical structure of the Guatemalan child trafficking network. It unveils stories of betrayal, reunions of families torn apart, and the critical use of DNA evidence in international cases to confirm the identities of stolen children and much more. This article has emerged unintentionally after years of my personal investigation into my own history.