Introduction

Imagine being told that keeping your baby would send you to hell. For hundreds of mothers in a secretive Christian sect in the United States, this was their reality. Between the 1950s and 1990s, unmarried women in the church, often referred to as “The Truth” or the “Two by Twos,” were coerced into giving up their children for adoption. These adoptions, overseen by a church doctor, have left a trail of trauma for both mothers and children.

The Coerced Mothers: “If I Keep This Baby, I’m Going to Hell”

Four mothers shared their heartbreaking stories with the BBC. All were unmarried at the time of their pregnancies, and three were terrified of being cast out of the church and condemned to hell if they refused to give up their babies.

Melanie Williams, now 62, was just 18 when she became pregnant in 1981. The father wasn’t a member of the church, making her pregnancy a “terrible sin.” Church leaders and her family pressured her to give up her baby. “If I keep this baby, I’m going to hell,” she recalls thinking. After giving birth, her baby was taken away before she could even hold them.
Deb Adadjo, 54, became pregnant after being raped in 1988. She was told mothers had no choice but to give up her baby. “I can still feel her against my chest,” she says, recalling their final moments together.
Sherlene Eicher, 63, gave up her daughter in 1982 under pressure from her parents. She never stopped thinking about her child, celebrating her birthday in secret every year. Decades later, they reunited and now share a close bond.

The “Baldwin Babies”: A Legacy of Abuse

The adopted children, known as “Baldwin Babies,” were named after Dr. Wally Baldwin, a church doctor who oversaw the adoptions. While the exact number is unclear, it’s believed to be in the hundreds.

The BBC spoke to six Baldwin Babies, many of whom suffered abuse in their adoptive families:

One woman was removed from her first adoptive home due to extreme physical abuse, only to be sexually abused by her second adoptive family.
Another was beaten daily by her adoptive parents and sexually abused by an uncle at just five years old.

Dr. Baldwin’s son, Gary, acknowledged that mistakes were made but insisted his father’s intentions were good.

The Church’s Role: Fear and Control

The Truth, founded in 1897, has no official leader but is run by senior officials called “overseers.” The church’s strict teachings and fear-based tactics left women feeling they had no choice but to comply.

One overseer told the BBC that adoptions were done “through legal channels” and claimed to have heard “beautiful stories.” However, the mothers and adopted children tell a very different story—one of coercion, trauma, and abuse.

Finding Healing and Connection

In recent years, former and current members of the church have begun connecting through Facebook groups. For many, it’s been a lifeline.

Deb Adadjo says, “I have cried all the tears I can cry.”
Melanie Williams describes it as “finding my tribe. I’m not alone anymore.”

Despite the pain, many are finding strength in their shared experiences. As Melanie puts it, “All these years later, we are all going to be OK.”

Conclusion

The stories of these mothers and children reveal a dark chapter in the history of The Truth. Forced adoptions, abuse, and fear-based control have left lasting scars. Yet, through connection and resilience, survivors are beginning to heal and reclaim their lives.The stories of forced adoptions and abuse within The Truth reveal deep trauma, but survivors are finding healing through connection and resilience, proving that hope endures.