Woodward Couple Struggles To Get Adopted Baby Back

News 9 is continuing to look into why a Woodward, Oklahoma couple was forced to hand over the baby they had raised to the baby's biological father.

Monday, November 14th 2011, 10:06 pm



News 9 is continuing to look into why a Woodward, Oklahoma couple was forced to hand over the baby they had raised to the baby's biological father.

11/11/2011 Related Story: Woodward Couple Forced To Relinquish Adopted Son

For eight months Mark and Veta Burdine raised little Kyzer like he was their own.

"That precious baby is ours in every way that matters," Veta Burdine told News 9 on Friday.

Except in the eyes of the court. Judge F. Pat VerSteeg ruled in April the Burdine's had to hand Kyzer over to his biological father: Theodore Rea. The judge ruled because Rea gave the biological mother $600 when she was pregnant he established his parental rights.

The biological mother, however, denies she received any money from Rea and Rea didn't provide the court any proof he gave her the money.

The Burdine's argued in court Rea spent eight months in prison, tried to give the biological mother $400 for an abortion, and drank alcohol with the mother when she was pregnant.

All issues we tried to talk to Rea about, but he refused.

"Don't you have something better to do," Rea said.

On November 1, the Oklahoma Supreme Court agreed with the lower court that: "T.R. exercised his parental rights by giving the mother money while she was pregnant and filing a paternity action after K.B.'s birth."

"The court system gave the rights to the biological father based on a DNA sample and verbal statement," Mark Burdine said.

Now the Burdine's only see Kyzer for four hours every week and once a judge makes the ruling final may never see him again.

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