Mother with dozen kids will move into house soon

The 37-year-old mother of 15 children, including 12 who are under 18, met with state child welfare officials today and hammered out an agreement in which she will move into a house big enough for the family by next week.

Angel Adams' plight came to light Wednesday after she and her children had been evicted from her apartment and had to live in a single room at the Economy Inn on East Busch Boulevard.

Adams and her children spent Wednesday night at A Kid's Place, a facility south of Brandon that offers temporary housing for foster children and families in trouble.

Today the Florida Department of Children and Families, Hillsborough Kids Inc. and other agencies met with Adams and came up with a solution.

Nick Cox, regional director of DCF, said that within seven days, Adams will move into a house large enough to accommodate her dozen children. He said the 1,700-square-foot home has several bedrooms.

The arrangement came after delicate negotiations took place between all the agencies and the Tampa Housing Authority, which had banned Adams four years ago from participating in subsidized housing because she owed the authority more than $6,000 in back rent.

Cox said that Hillsborough Kids had agreed to help pay off the debt, if the authority would waive its five-year ban on Adams a year early.

"We're hopeful this will be the ticket," Cox said.

Adams admitted she owed money to the authority, although she disputed the figure.

"They say I owe the housing authority $6,000," Adams said. "I think $900 and something, due to getting evicted."

Housing authority spokeswoman Lillian Stringer said Adams owed $6,320 and was booted out of subsidized housing in 2006. But with the promise from Hillsborough Kids to help repay the debt, Adams can re-enter the program immediately, Stringer said.

"If they pay the debt," she said, "we can certainly work with her."

Adams and her children had spent nearly a week in the motel room, paid for by a relative, and lived on donated food.

Penniless and desperate, she demanded help from the county and the state, saying she couldn't properly care for her children without it.

Her situation didn't generate a lot of sympathy. Many callers to The Tampa Tribune today said she was the cause of her own problems, having so many children she couldn't take care of them herself.

Some did call asking how they could donate. More than one caller offered to pay for a tubal ligation.

Adams doesn't have a job and all of her income is from the government. Taking care of the well-mannered children was full-time work, she said.

The kids were fathered by three men, including the 10 youngest whose father is serving a five-year prison term for dealing cocaine.

The family had spent the week with no change of clothes, no shoes and two toys to share. Today, they all had new clothes and shoes and were enjoying a spacious playground at A Kid's Place, which opened in June, said spokeswoman Virginia Johnson.

"We are focused on sibling groups, trying to keep them together as a family unit," she said, "until a more permanent solution can be found."

Often, she said, siblings entering the foster care system are split up.

"When you have a group that comes in together as a family and can stay together that really helps them adjust," she said. "The transition is much easier on them."

Adams says the government played a role in her woes. Two years ago, Adams' children were taken from her after neglect accusations were made. The family was reunited six months ago.

"I'm seeking justice," she said, "and I'd also like for no other family to have to go through this ever again. I would like to see all my children have their needs met, have a home, have transportation, have everything they can have as a child to grow up stable."