Receptionist gets 10 years in baby scams
Agency worker sold couples false hope she could help them adopt09:31 PM CST on Friday, December 12, 2003
By ROBERT THARP / The Dallas Morning News
Childless couples desperate to adopt trusted the confident and reassuring voice they heard over the phone at the Children and Family Institute – and that made them easy prey for office receptionist Carmen Woods.
The 41-year-old's job was limited to answering the phone at the small nonprofit adoption agency in the Red Bird area, but she somehow convinced hopeful callers that she alone was qualified to help them adopt a baby.
Court records show that at least 16 people gave Ms. Woods a total of more than $45,000 to secure adoptions. She also tricked a young pregnant woman into relinquishing her baby girl days after giving birth. For eight days, Ms. Woods carried the baby with her to meetings with prospective parents and used the cooing newborn to milk couples out of even more money.
On Friday, state District Judge John Creuzot sentenced Ms. Woods to 10 years in prison for felony convictions of sale of a child and theft of more than $20,000.
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