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Huntsville Woman Arrested For Alleged Adoption Fraud

ROGERS (KFSM) — A Huntsville woman is accused of defrauding a couple of more than $13,000 while they waited to adopt her unborn child, according to a prob...
Meryann Lomae

ROGERS (KFSM) — A Huntsville woman is accused of defrauding a couple of more than $13,000 while they waited to adopt her unborn child, according to a probable cause affidavit.

Meryann Lomae, 34, was arrested Monday (Nov. 20) in connection with defrauding a prospective adoptive parent, a Class B felony.

This is the third instance of alleged adoption fraud in as many months after similar accusations emerged against two women from Springdale and Rogers.

Lomae and the couple were connected via Vaughn-Michael Cordes, a Rogers attorney who specializes in Marshallese adoptions.

After speaking by Skype, the couple began communicating with Lomae through text message, according to the affidavit.

On Jan. 30, Lomae and the baby’s father agreed to place the baby up for adoption. The pair signed a waiver for relinquishment and termination of parental rights.

The couple agreed to provide Lomae with a monthly stipend of roughly $1,475. However, each month Lomae began demanding more money than her budget allotted, according to the affidavit.

A ledger of adoption support payments throughout the pregnancy show Lomae received more than $1,000 for utilities, car insurance, food and gas in addition to her monthly stipend, according to the affidavit.

As late as July, a liaison for Cordes said Lomae was planning to go through with the adoption. However, after the child’s birth on July 25, Lomae stopped responding to the couple’s phone calls.

Days after the boy’s birth at Willow Creek Women’s Hospital, a hospital employee contacted Cordes and told him she was unable to reach Lomae for follow up tests regarding the boy’s health.

Cordes said since Aug. 1 neither he nor his liaisons had been able to reach Lomae, according to the affidavit.

Lomae was free on a $3,500 bond. She has a hearing set for Jan. 2 in Benton County Circuit Court.

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