Six wishes granted; 7th on hold

It was supposed to have been a happy day, and Judge Elizabeth Crnkovich told the woman crying in her courtroom that it still should be.

The woman had cared for seven of her dead niece's children since soon after their father, Gary Staton, left nine children at Creighton University Medical Center on Sept. 24 under the state safe haven law then in place.

In May, an Omaha foster mother to the two oldest boys was named their legal guardian. The seven youngest kids remained living with their mother's aunt in Lincoln.

Nicknamed “Aunt Tiny,” she stands no taller than most of the children. Since October, she has hauled them to counseling, watched over their transition to new schools, taken them on field trips.

Tuesday, she hoped to adopt them — to make their growing relationship official. And Douglas County Juvenile Court Judge Crnkovich agreed that adoption would be in their best interests.

Aunt Tiny is old enough to be their grandmother. She's already raised children of her own. But she was ready to sign on as their adopted guardian for the rest of their lives.

“You love them like your own children?” her attorney asked her.

“Yes,” Aunt Tiny replied softly.

“Well, kids, what do you think?” the judge asked the children, sitting in two rows next to their great-aunt.

An 11-year-old boy with the beginnings of a small, blond mohawk asked for the judge's attention. But he was too shy to speak. She asked him to walk up to her bench. He spoke as if the words were choking him.

“I don't want to get adopted today.”

With both hands held to the sides of his face, he began to cry. The judge and an attorney who has known the Staton family for years offered him Kleenex and pats on the back.

The judge asked the boy to take a seat, and the courtroom stood still.

“This is a young man scared about making a commitment,” she said. “In something this permanent, I need to take into consideration the child's concerns.”

The judge granted the adoptions of six of the children, ages 15, 14, 10, 8, 6 and 2, but placed the 11-year-old's adoption on hold — for now. His adoption by his great-aunt will be revisited in the months ahead.

Aunt Tiny, while holding the youngest girl in her purple flowered dress, shook as she shed tears of disappointment.

She turned her face to the floor, and a relative came to hold her hand.

One of the young girls started to cry and wrapped her arms around the neck of her sister.

Even though a clothes basket filled with clothes and books and goodie bags waited for the kids, there would be no celebrating yet.

“I know they love their aunt and their aunt loves them,” the judge said. “I suspect it's a matter of feelings to be sorted through about mom and dad and life.”

Contact the writer:

444-1083, lynn.safranek@owh.com

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