Looking in at Iowa

From The Chosun Ilbo (South Korea):

The adoptions of the four children were arranged by Holt Children’s Services. An official with Holt said the four children were born to different unmarried mothers.

According to Holt, Ethan, Seth and Eleanor were abandoned by their mothers as soon as they were born. Carrying their one-week-old children, the three unwed mothers visited Holt and asked that their babies be adopted overseas.

Mira was three months old when her birth mother visited Holt. “That means Mira’s birth mother must have agonized for three months about whether she should raise Mira alone or abandon her for adoption,” the Holt official said.

The children were adopted by the Sueppels in different years — Ethan in 1998, Seth in 1999, Mira in 2002, and Eleanor in 2005. …

See also KCRG story by Mark Geary, Remembering The Four Sueppel Children; Gazette obituary, Sueppel, Sheryl (Kesterson), Steve, Ethan, Seth, Mira and Eleanor; or complete Gazette coverage here.

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An interesting adoption-related post with valuable links and quotes here: ‘Forever Family’ six feet under.

The couple had adopted four children from South Korea; Ethan, 10, Seth, 7, Mira, 5, and Eleanor, 3 via Holt international (”…dedicated to carrying out God’s plan for every child to have a permanent, loving family”) which says it will only pass along the information to the children’s original mothers if they ask (see S Korean adoption agency saw no problem with American parents “our agency doesn’t reach out first. Only if they contact us, we will inform them what happened,” Hong said, adding that no phone calls were received so far.”) …

4/1 UPDATE: Gazette article, Deaths of Sueppel children add to adoption debate in Korea

Also, check out Gazette blogger Alicia Ebaugh’s post, A Korean view of the Sueppel murders.

From Iowa Department of Public Safety Missing Person Information Clearinghouse:

Sharvell Davis [15] was reported missing to the Cedar Rapids Police Department, in Cedar Rapids on Mar 27, 2008. …

An Operation Quickfind was issued for Sharvell. See more details from this Gazette story.

From Iowa Department of Public Safety Missing Person Information Clearinghouse:

Dominic Duke [14] was reported missing to the Cedar Rapids Police Department, in Cedar Rapids on Mar 24, 2008. …

From Iowa Department of Public Safety Missing Person Information Clearinghouse:

Kelsey Maulson [17] was reported missing to the Marion Police Department, in Marion on Mar 24, 2008. …

From Iowa Department of Public Safety Missing Person Information Clearinghouse:

Aubrey Coder [17] was reported missing to the Mount Vernon Police Department, in Mount Vernon on Mar 27, 2008. …

From Iowa Department of Public Safety Missing Person Information Clearinghouse:

Jessica Wenger [15] was reported missing to the Cedar Rapids Police Department, in Cedar Rapids on Mar 27, 2008. …

From caption of Associated Press photo via Yahoo! Sports:

Zach Johnson drives on the 12th hole in the first round of the PGA Zurich Classic of New Orleans golf tournament at TPC Louisiana in Avondale, La., Thursday, March 27, 2008.
(AP Photo/Reed Saxon)

From Iowa Supreme Court Attorney Disciplinary Board, filed today:

Considering all the relevant facts and circumstances, we conclude [Brandon] Adams should be indefinitely suspended from the practice of law with no possibility of reinstatement for four months. Adams has not only established himself in his relatively short professional career as a lawyer who lacks diligence and professionalism in dealing with client matters, but he has also shown himself to be a lawyer who is willing to misrepresent the truth in an effort to hide his neglect and inattention. His actions and conduct have inflicted harm on his clients and the profession as a whole.

We are sympathetic to the struggles Adams has endured with migraine headaches and depression. …

VI. Conclusion.

We suspend Adams license to practice law with no possibility of reinstatement for a period not less than four months from the date of the filing of this opinion. …