Family looks for Hicks Baby, dead or alive

CHATTANOOGA, TN (WDEF-TV) About 30 people showed up this weekend to give cheek-swab DNA samples. They were adopted through the Georgia clinic that created a national furor back in the 1980’s, and now some children are still trying to find their biological relatives in the mountains.

One Cleveland family it’s not reconnecting a child to their parent, but a child to their siblings.

"The doctor told her that the baby was dead and had been for a while,” said Christopher Truelove, but he doesn’t believe it.

The late Dr. Thomas Hicks was wrapped up in the Black Market for Babies during the 50s and 60s. He took babies from parents who couldn’t take care of them but he could have also lied to some mother’s after they gave birth. Truelove said this is what happened to his mother.

"Mom said she was kicking the day she went into labor,” he said. “However Mom never got to see the baby. They told her the baby was already black and blue.”

Paul Payne, who is a Hicks Baby, said this story is not new, and it digs up a lot of questions.

It makes you start to wonder what really did happen," said Payne.

It’s question like those that has the Truelove family taking action.

"We’re looking to see, by giving my DNA, if we have a sibling out there,” said Truelove.

Christopher and his sister Lillie says there is no official record of the their sister who’s name was Linda. They only have the notes their mother kept in her Bible. They add it how people in this region had to do things.

"They were dirt poor everyone was. Especially up in the mountains of Copper Hill and McCaysville, Georgia,” said Truelove. “People had so much faith and confidence in their doctors they never questioned things."

While there could be reasons for being angry the Truelove family feels “excited” to find their sibling.

The Truelove family hopes there is a DNA match through this testing process.
But if it doesn’t work, they may dig up the grave of their baby sister looking for any biological match.