Judge Removes Baby From Same-Sex Couple

A Utah judge ordered a baby girl to be removed from her lesbian foster parents and to be placed with a heterosexual couple on the grounds of the child’s well being. Utah Division of Child and Family Services officials said Wednesday they were reviewing Judge Scott Johansen’s order to determine if they could challenge the ruling, according to agency spokeswoman Ashley Sumner. The couple, April Hoagland and Beckie Peirce, said during a routine hearing the judge cited research that children are better off raised by heterosexual couples. Hoagland and Peirce, who are married and were cleared by DCFS, had been raising the child for three months and had hoped to adopt her. Sumner confirmed the parents’ account of the ruling and said the agency wasn’t aware of any other issues with their performance as foster parents.