Homeless mom of 12 held in contempt; kids put in foster care

A homeless mother with 12 dependent children didn't win any supporters this week when she loudly complained that the various welfare agencies trying to help her weren't doing enough. Angel Adams gained a new detractor on Thursday: a circuit judge who jailed the griping mom after she refused to reveal if she was pregnant with her 16th child.

Adams, 37, was held in contempt of court at a hearing Thursday morning. She was handcuffed and escorted from the courtroom. The judge then ordered her children placed in foster care for the second time in two years.

The hearing began as an update on the family's living arrangements, but soon grew into an acrimonious exchange between Adams and Hillsborough Circuit Judge Tracy Sheehan.

The family court judge asked Adams to divulge the names of relatives and anyone else who would visit her new home. The names are needed to ensure the children are in a safe environment, the judge said. Adams refused to comply.

"She believes she shouldn't be giving personal information about her relatives," said Adams' court-appointed attorney, Scott Horvat.

Sheehan said the safety of the children was paramount and that Adams was required to give the names of anyone who would be visiting her home. Those people would undergo background checks.

"Someday when we get out of your life, you can cavort with anyone you want," the judge said, "but before that, we want to see who visits your house."

Adams still refused to comment.

Nick Cox, regional director of the Florida Department of Children and Families, told the court his department "was incredibly close" to asking the judge to place all the children in foster care and remove Adams from the picture. Two years ago, Adams lost her children after neglect allegations were lodged. The children were reunited with their mother just six months ago.

"We're concerned with her judgment and her treatment of the children," Cox said.

Sheehan's irritation with Adams grew with each refusal to answer the questions.

"I'm growing impatient with her impertinence," the judge told Horvat. Adams behavior, she said, "is bordering on contemptuous."

Sheehan ordered a short recess to allow Horvat to persuade his client to answer the judge's questions.

When court resumed, Horvat gave the names of four family members, who would be frequent visitors to her home. Sheehan then asked Adams whether she was pregnant.

"No comment," Adams said.

"It's a yes or no question," the judge said. "If you're pregnant, I assume you got together with a man." The judge said case workers need to know who the man was. Horvat objected to the question.

"That is my concern. Who is around these children," Sheehan said. "It would appear to me you look pregnant."

The question was posed again with the same results.

Sheehan found Adams in direct civil contempt and ordered her jailed. Adams glanced at her sister, Mary Gibson, sitting in the courtroom and was handcuffed and led emotionless from the courtroom by two female bailiffs.

Adams can get out of jail by answering the questions, the judge said. A hearing was set for Friday afternoon.

The judge granted a motion by the state to place the children in foster care. Even if Adams returns to court Friday and is cooperative, the state will oppose any motion to reunite her with her children, Cox said.

Adams and her children had been living in A Kid's Place, a temporary shelter for foster children near Brandon. The dozen children, ages 6 months to 16 years, will remain together at the facility for the time being. Relatives will be contacted to see if any of the children can live with them.

"This is not where we wanted to end up," said Cox after the hearing. He said the case was an anomaly in the system. "Most people are grateful for the help."

Adams had been the beneficiary of a lot of government support. Hillsborough Kids Inc., paid off a $6,000 rent debt so Adams could qualify for Section 8 housing. The agency then secured the rent-free, two-story, six-bedroom home in Sulphur Springs. Adams' attorney was provided at no charge to her. She doesn't work. Of the three men she said fathered her children, the father of the youngest is serving a prison term and has been incarcerated since August.

Cox had said all along that it was the welfare of the children that was at stake, in spite of their mom's attitude that the state was not doing enough.

"I'm sorry it played out this way," he said. "We tried. We tried very hard. But stupid is as stupid does. Forrest Gump had it right. The mom is the one who blew it. I sleep well."

Horvat said he was going to visit Adams at the jail to try to convince her to cooperate, the first step in what may be a long journey to reunite her and her family.

"I'm very upset that my client is in jail right now," he said. "She's got 12 children."

Adams' plight came to light last week when she and her children were forced to stay in a rundown motel room after she had been evicted from her apartment.

She blamed Hillsborough County and the state for her predicament, saying governmental agencies were not doing enough to help her and her children. Her statements angered many people who thought she was ungrateful for the government assistance - tax dollars - she was getting and that she was the cause of her problems.

Reporter Keith Morelli can be reached at (813) 259-7760.