My Sister Gave Up Her Adopted Daughter After Having a Biological Son—But Karma Struck Immediately
Love should be unconditional, but for my sister Erin, that wasn’t the case. Without hesitation or remorse, she abandoned her adopted daughter the moment she gave birth to a biological son. When I questioned her cruelty, she simply shrugged and said, “She wasn’t really mine anyway.” But karma was already waiting at her doorstep.
Some moments in life shatter everything you thought you knew. For me, that moment came when Erin casually uttered four devastating words about her four-year-old adopted daughter: “I gave her back.”
We hadn’t seen Erin in months since she lived a few states away. When she got pregnant, we gave her space, but after her baby boy was born, the entire family planned a visit to celebrate. I packed my car with gifts, including a special teddy bear for Lily, my goddaughter, whom I adored.
As we pulled up to Erin’s house, something felt off. The yard looked different—Lily’s plastic slide was gone, and the small sunflower garden we had planted together had disappeared.
Erin greeted us at the door with a beaming smile, cradling a swaddled bundle. “Everyone, meet Noah!” she announced, proudly showing off the baby.
The family gathered around, cooing over him. But as I glanced around, I noticed something unsettling. There were no signs of Lily—no toys, no drawings on the fridge, no photos.
“Where’s Lily?” I asked, still holding the teddy bear.
Erin’s expression froze. She exchanged a quick glance with her boyfriend, Sam, who avoided eye contact and busied himself adjusting the thermostat.
Without an ounce of shame, Erin said flatly, “Oh, I gave her back.”
I stared at her, confused. “What do you mean, ‘gave her back’?”
The room fell silent. My mother stopped rocking baby Noah, and my father lowered his camera. The air became thick with tension.
“You know I always wanted to be a boy mom,” Erin explained as if it were obvious. “Now I have Noah. Why would I need a daughter? And besides, Lily was adopted. I don’t need her anymore.”
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “You GAVE HER BACK?” My voice trembled as the teddy bear slipped from my grasp. “She’s not a toy you return to a store, Erin! She’s a child!”
Erin rolled her eyes. “Relax, Angela. She wasn’t really mine anyway. It’s not like I gave up my own kid. She was just… temporary.”
The word “temporary” hit me like a slap. Temporary? As if Lily had been nothing more than a placeholder until Erin got her “real” child.
“She called you ‘Mommy’ for two years,” I said, my voice cracking.
“Well, now she can call someone else that,” Erin replied indifferently.
I was furious. How could she toss Lily aside so easily? Just months ago, she had fought for her, cried during the adoption process, and called her daughter with pride.
“What changed?” I demanded.
Erin shrugged. “Things are different now.”
“You mean because now you have your ‘real’ child?” My heart broke at the thought. “What kind of message does that send to Lily?”
Erin sighed impatiently. “Look, Angela, you’re overreacting. I loved Lily, okay? But Noah needs me more now. I can’t divide my love. She’ll find another family.”
Tears burned my eyes. I had been there for Lily—rocking her to sleep, holding her hand, watching her trust and love grow. And now, the woman she called Mommy had discarded her like she meant nothing.
Then came a sharp knock at the door. If only Erin had realized karma was already knocking.
Sam opened it to find two individuals in professional attire—one man, one woman.
“Ms. Erin?” the woman asked, holding up an ID. “We’re from Child Protective Services. We need to speak with you regarding concerns that have been brought to our attention.”
Erin paled, instinctively tightening her grip on Noah. “CPS? Why?”
“We need to discuss the abrupt dissolution of your adoption and assess the stability of your home,” the woman said calmly.
Erin’s confidence faltered. “I followed all the legal steps!” she stammered.
Her neighbor, Mrs. Thompson, had reported her to CPS after noticing how quickly she discarded Lily. The reality of the situation was finally catching up to her.
“We will be conducting a full investigation,” the CPS worker stated.
As Erin’s panic set in, my only thought was Lily. Where was she? Who was taking care of her?
Determined to find out, I spent weeks calling agencies, hiring a lawyer, and doing everything in my power to bring her back into my life.
Then, after endless efforts, I received a life-changing call—Lily was still in foster care. The possibility of adopting her myself suddenly felt real.
I transformed my spare room, painting it pink and decorating it with butterflies. My parents rallied behind me, offering their full support.
Three months later, I stood in the Family Connections Center, clutching a stuffed elephant, waiting for my first visit with Lily.
When she finally appeared, sitting at a table with crayons scattered around, my heart shattered. She was smaller than I remembered, her eyes filled with a wariness no child should have.
“Lily?” I whispered.
She hesitated, then her face lit up. “Auntie Angie?”
I dropped to my knees, arms open, and she ran into them. “I missed you, Lily-bug,” I choked out.
She pulled back, her small hands cupping my face. “Where did you go? Mommy promised she’d come back, but she didn’t. Why did she leave me, Auntie?”
Her words broke me. “I didn’t know where you were, sweetheart. But I looked everywhere for you. I promise.”
She nodded slowly. “Miss Karen is nice, but she doesn’t make pancakes like you do.”
I laughed through my tears. “How about this—if you want, you can come live with me. I’ve made a special room just for you.”
Her eyes widened. “With pink walls and butterflies?”
“Yes, sweetheart. And I promise, I will never leave you. Ever.”
“Never ever?” she whispered.
“Never ever, ever. That’s what real family means.”
Three months later, Lily officially became my daughter. The adoption process was long, but in the end, I fought for her, and I won.
On the day the judge finalized it, Lily threw her arms around me. “We did it, Mommy!”
Mommy. The word I had longed to hear.
Lily just turned six. Her birthday was filled with laughter, love, and a family that fought for her. Erin may have abandoned Lily, but in the end, she found the home she was always meant to have.