Credit: Maarten de BoerSome babies were stolen at birth. Others were given away at birth as their desperate, dirt-poor mothers simply couldn’t afford another mouth to feed. In all, hundreds of babies were born and illegally sold out of Hicks Community Clinic in McCaysville, Ga., in the early 1950s to mid 1960s, their real identities completely erased.
This lucrative, black-market baby operation was the work of Dr. Thomas Hicks, an abortion doctor well-known for being able to fix female problems for about $100. Hicks pretty much ran this tiny copper-mining town located in the backwoods of northern Georgia. He assumed a godlike role, deciding who was worthy of children and who wasn’t, and sold many of the babies to desperate couples in the Cleveland-Akron area.
Jane Blasio was one of those babies. Her adoptive parents went to the back of Hicks’ clinic, where they were handed baby Jane with dried blood on her — not knowing if she would survive.
“From the time I was 5 or 6, when my adoptive parents told my sister and I that we were adopted, and that I knew it was black market, that it was illegal, [I was interested],” Blasio explained. “I always had this kind of cloud in the back that was, ‘I got to find my birth family. I have to find them.’”
Blasio’s journey to find other Hicks babies and help them find information about their birth parents is told in the TLC three-night series Taken at Birth (Oct. 9-11 at 9pm ET/PT). Helping her in this story of loss and reunion are Long Lost Family hosts Chris Jacobs and Lisa Joyner, adoptees themselves.
Having dedicated her life to learning the truth about Hicks and serving as the lead investigator in this case, Blasio was able to find her birth parents through DNA registries. “My mother is alive, but she is denying that she had me,” she shared. “My father had passed, gosh, almost 20 years ago, so he was much older. I have a sister and three brothers on that side.”
But with knowledge also comes some closure. “I know everything about what I had been seeking,” she said. “I’m so thankful for the DNA registries and how DNA technology has moved forward so much. If we would have had that same DNA database and the internet back in ’97-98, I’m estimating about 90% of our cases would have been closed and we would have had birth families for them, but we’re working with what we have now.”
We enjoyed this show very much. We hope that TLC will have a series ongoing on the Hicks babies. Has there been a discussion about a Season 2? We’re starting to wonder if more women gave birth outside of the clinic than is known. The Chattanooga connection is mysterious and warrants further investigating. BTW, why was Akron so deeply invested in this? Who did Dr Hick’s know in Akron?
I have an aunt that was 7 months pregnant and she went to a clinic in Chattanooga Tn.in about 1968 she was told the baby died. She had to be admitted to a hospital because she almost died.She still lives in Cleveland Tn.
I watched the show and I have to say, I was really disappointed. To me it was an enticement to watch what these people do every week, which is finding siblings of people. The 3 days of thinking many people would be found to be one of these Hicks babies, turned out to be such a misconception . Only 1 and that person didn’t want to be involved… Hmm. Great job of trickery TLC. Whats next?
I watched the show and I have to say, I was really disappointed. To me it was an enticement to watch what these people do every week, which is finding siblings of people. The 3 days of thinking many people would be found to be one of these Hicks babies, turned out to be such a misconception . Only 1 and that person didn’t want to be involved… Hmm. Great job of trickery TLC. Whats next?
I recorded and watched the first three shows but need to find the rest, starting with the show when they exhume Dr Hicks’ son’s body. Where can I find them or will they be shown again
I watched this emotion,filled Series and for the most part, I enjoyed it,but ..I think the exhumation portion should’ve been discussed,but ..not filmed! I listened to it,but I couldn’t watch and I am so glad Sallie made the decision to leave! SHAME on the Family of Sallie ..for refusing to do a DNA test to help her and other’s ..uncover the truth,now and in the future! Two of my Mears Ancestors married Hicks in Fannin County,but..at this point,I don’t know if they’re connected to Dr.Hicks? I’ll close ..by saying ..Thanks to all who played a part in exposing this to the Public,especially Jane and also ..Thanks to TLC for airing it..but..SHAME on them for constantly,interrupting such a sensitive Series ..with all those Commercials!
I watched this show and it was so very interesting. I live in a small town in N. Georgia and I was shocked to hear that a Dr in Chattanooga TN may have also been involved. It did not give the Dr’s name and I would love to know that. Will there be a follow up to this story??
I watched the show but looked up the name its here in our cemeteries Thats when i found athelstan Braxton hicks. I dont know if theyre related but if they are baby farming is long in the family back to London https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athelstan_Braxton_Hicks
Amazing how people have pulled together to help each other out. Sad our weather knocked out our last 30 minutes. Sally you are an amazing person for helping this people find the truth!I do hope you do updated stories when people find out there story. To all the people who are searching I pray you will get the answer.
Why did they have to dig that man up to see if they had the same dna why couldn’t they test all of their BNA against eachother to see if they were related?
My brother and I were adopted in March of 1957 we were told we were a year apart but yet we suspected that we were twins we were adopted by couple and Fulton Illinois I would like to know if we had anything to do with being sold by dr. Hicks
My last name was Temple my brother’s last name was b b ALK there was at least 14 children in Fulton Illinois that were adopted and nobody seems to know where we came from
Dr. Hicks was charming yet deviously sinister. Yes he stole babies and lied to the mothers as he did with my mother. there is so much more to the mausoleum story that can never be proven, rumors and hear say are just that. I will be taking a DNA test ASAP to find what happened to my sisters twin.
My dead mother in law worked for him when she was 12 .Her account was woman that take care of another child left it so it could get a new home .Yes he performed abortins Ladies would come from other places out of town besides here they had affairs are became pregnant and not married.Alot of woman died in childbirth and no family to claim babies.He didn’t steal babies and claimed they died
Where can I buy this movie at n for how much?
They found death certificate of some of the babies. I know it’s hard to believe that dr. Hicks was that bad. I’m from fannin county and always heard good things about the man but you can’t keep taking up for him after they’ve proven that he did in fact tell mothers that their babies died. He made out their death certificate!
agreed!! I hope it gets remade so it will be easier to follow
I do not understand why hicks relatives would not share their DNA. Rather than going to all the trouble of having a body exhumed. All they had to do was spit in a tube! Selfish, selfish, selfish!
Just like these families were lied to and told their child had died, we have been lied to and led to believe episode 2 is new content.
So we’re a half hour into episode 2 and every scene so far already happened in episode 1. Not even very late in ep.2! Why does TLC think this is ok? Just make fewer episodes, or shorter. This entire show is a repackaged “who do you think you are” or “long lost family”. This story is very compelling and my heart breaks for these families but tlc has not delivered so far. This story should’ve been handled by a documentary filmmaker and not your everyday tlc producers. There is still half ep. 2 and whatever else is left but they are losing me.
Agreed, it was so frustrating to watch, commercial after commercial and when they return after commercial, it’s returning to a different issue. I HATE that. I’ll tape the next showing of it and blow through all the crap they’ve fed us.
agreed!! I hope it gets remade so it will be easier to follow
Yes episode 6 was just a rerun of the last hour of episode 5. Why repeated it just to fill up more time?
Im looking for my birth family. I know I was adopted by Harold e ballengee and Martha s Smith ballengee. I’m not sure if Martha is my real mom or not. I know Harold was my step father.but my case was closed. I was told by Maryland. That I wasn’t born there . I’m not sure if Im a Hicks baby or not. Please let me know if you can help me or not.thanks debbi Gail ballengee Sexton Banks.this is the name I go by.
Bet Georgia Tann and those I have researched in NYS, did the same thing. Check out Springer Hospital in Binghamton(Johnson City) NY. All her papers were never found either. I am only an hour from McCayville, I want to visit that cemetery soon. I use to be a search angel and reunited many adoptees. This story truly tugs at my heart and I am not adopted. But for nearly 18 years helped others find. Check out Springer next, there are many, many, adults that still have nothing on their BC’s, if they are even real.
To those of you that sit back and judge others as to why they did what they did to find answers, you obviously know your heritage and where you belong or come from. We cannot understand how These Men and Women feel unless we walk a mile in their shoes. You had a choice to continue watching the show or turn it off. My heart breaks for those involved in time, I do hope your questions are all answered and you find family that are still out there. Your Stories were worth watching and listening to.
As for everyone doing their DNA and cross matching each person, what good would that do. Sure they may find out they are siblings or half sibling but, would that give them the answer as to who their parents were?
Sally, you did the right thing by trying to help others.
I truly wish you all The Best in your search.
Jane my family and I just discovered we had a sister. Through ancestry . Com . My son joined ancestry only looking to see what percent he was of Italian or Irish . He got a text stating that he was related to this women . Long story short amazing story my Moms daughter . No record of my mom going into hospital ., birth certificate forged . They both searched for each other for years . My sisters family and friends all cried when they met us because Kelly had been searching since her teens . Both told the other was dead . So much more .. we have all met and so happy ! Thank you for all your doing ! What happened to my mom and Kelly is awful it took 50 years !
Wow! Enjoyed your comments and so happy for your family! With ancestry, we discovered my husband’s uncle had another child in a previous relationship prior to marriage. It was very hush-hush to our family, no one every knew, BUT his uncle and current wife knew all along! In fact, they sent child support every month to the child until she reached 18. They did not share with the rest of the family and when they had a child together, they did not not share that he had a sibling. After the death of my husband’s uncle, the truth was revealed to 2 of his sisters, but they also kept quiet. However, there was DNA evidence submitted rather innocently. The grandson of that uncle , age 22, submitted DNA to find out his origins. Then the can of worms was opened! He came across as a DNA match with an aunt who was doing some research. And I was the manager of her DNA account. I was like “who is matching our family so closely”. That’s when the aunts who knew the truth were forced to say something. My husband’s cousin has met his half-sibling. I do not believe they have a relationship with each other, nor intend to build one.
I am looking for my family to from there was takin at birth