A South Carolina man has been traveling the country telling his story after being reunited with his daughter, who was placed in the foster care system as a newborn without his knowledge. His mission is to help protect other fathers in similar situations.
Christopher Emanuel told Fox57 in Aiken, South Carolina, said he fought for months to win back custody of his daughter Skyler after his girlfriend gave her up for adoption without contacting him.
“I always said I wanted to be a great dad,” says Emanuel. “I was lost man I was hurt I was confused because I wanted to ensure that I could be there for my child. I didn’t know if I would ever see her again,” says the founder of Sky Is The Limit Foundation.
Emanuel turned to the court system in Aiken County, where Skyler was born.
Under South Carolina law, unmarried fathers can sign up on the responsible fatherhood registry – an online database through Department of Social Services that lets the state know that if a man fathered a child.
Says Pat Littlejohn, president of the advocacy group South Carolina Center for Fathers and Families, “Before rights are terminated to allow an adoption to occur attorneys as well as the department of social services will check this registry and if his name is on there he must be notified.”
According to court documents, Emanuel added his name to the registry on Feb. 4, 2014. The adopted parents filed a motion on Feb. 19, 2014 to adopt Skyler. However, Emanuel was not added on the documentation as the biological father despite being listed as such on the registry.
Under South Carolina law – someone living in another state can adopt a baby born in the state under unusual or exceptional circumstances. A biracial child like Skyler falls under that category.
“My daughter was in San Diego, CA with the prospective adoptive couple where her name is changed. I have medical documentation calling my daughter another name and she was never legally adopted,” says Emanuel.
Emanuel contested the adoption. After almost a year, the courts granted him sole custody of his daughter.
“Aiken County Judicial Center this is where it went down at. But when I’m here being in this space it fills me with joy, I feel safe because Aiken County brought my daughter home where she belongs,” says Emanuel.