Families grow in size, joy

Adoption Day brings celebration to the Courthouse

YOUNGSTOWN -- Two families got bigger Wednesday during the 10th annual Mahoning County Adoption Day ceremonies in the Mahoning County Courthouse.

Two children were adopted during hearings in front of a large group of people, including dignitaries, a youth band and the East High School Junior ROTC Color Guard.

Probate Judge Robert Rusu announced from the bench that there have been 365 adoptions since Mahoning County's Adoption Day began. He called Adoption Day one of the "good things that happen in the courthouse" and something worth "sharing with people."

He said Adoption Day "gives everybody an opportunity to celebrate and enjoy one another and enjoy family. And creating a family, it's as good as it gets," he said.

"When I think back on all of the good times I've had in my life, I think about who's been there with me, and most of the time, my family is right there next to me." He said as his wife, parents and aunt were in attendance, and his niece was taking pictures. His family's support has been there throughout his life, he said.

Rusu said being adopted Wednesday is giving Malachai Perkins and Jamar'Yah Robinson "an opportunity to have a family of their own. That is making an investment in the future of Mahoning County. Thank you guys for doing it. These youngsters today will be the ones we will be relying on in the future to help all of us when we reach the next stages of our lives."

He thanked all of the adoptive families of the past, present and future "for opening your homes."

The first adoption was for Malachai, 2, who was adopted by his new parents, Courtenay and Julia Perkins of Cortland. The nonceremonial part of the hearing took place first, as attorney Robert Christian asked the parents under oath whether they accepted the obligations of raising Malachai to age 18. They said they did.

Attorney Christian also questioned Melissa Scullen, an adoption assessor for Mahoning County Children Services, who worked with Perkins family.

"They are a picture perfect family, just the family dynamics, the way they work together. The older boys are always helping with the younger ones," she said before indicating that she felt the adoption should be granted. Judge Rusu asked several questions of the parents before granting the adoption.

As is customary on Adoption Day, he brought the Perkins family -- mom, dad, three older boys, Malachai and Malachai's biological sister, to the bench and allowed the family to bang the gavel as the judge pronounced "Adoption granted."

After the hearing, the Perkinses explained that they fostered Malachai from the time they brought him home from the hospital at two days old. They had already been fostering his biological sister, 4, who is exactly two years older than Malachai, 2. They adopted his sister 12 days after Malachai came in their home. Their sons are 17, 13 and 12.

They started fostering children in 2017 and have had 16 so far, but their daughter and Malachai were their first opportunity to adopt, Julia said. She met someone who gave her insight into adoption not long after their youngest son was born. "I really wanted a girl, so that's why we initially went into it," Julia said.

The semi-formal hearing also took place for the adoption of Jamar'Yah Robinson by her parents, Edward and Tenneile Robinson of Youngstown.

During their hearing, they acknowledged the responsibility they have to raise Jamar'Yah, they said.

Elizabeth Kollar, who is also an adoption assessor for Children Services, testified that during the year she has worked with the family, she has found that "what you see is exactly what you see in the home. They are hands on. They are very involved. The girls are biologically related. But even if they were not, it would be the same." She recommended that the adoption be approved.

Jamar'Yah, 2, has a biological sister, Eryca Robinson, 4, who the Robinsons adopted Nov. 30. The couple foster parented Jamar'Yah for 13 months before adopting her. Both girls are also related to Tenneile. "The reason for getting Jamar'Yah is I wanted to keep them together," Tenneile told the Vindicator before the hearing.

"It's easier for the children because they are together," Tenneile said. "For these children, they think we are their mother and dad. They don't know their mother and dad."

She said Jamar'Yah is "affectionate. She likes to cuddle, and she is smart and funny."

The county's adoption day is part of National Adoption Day Awareness Day. There are 113,000 children "waiting in foster care," according to the program for the event. In Mahoning County, "over 17 children are waiting for permanent adoptive families," the program states. At this time, there are not enough licensed foster homes or options within Mahoning County, it adds.