Theory - Illegal Adoption was EJ's Plan A

I believe all of the sighting information we have now supports the theory that EJ set up an illegal adoption on her own. I am piecing together a lot of information - some I'm sure others have suggested in posts - but I've finally put it together for myself and would like others to weigh in.

I believe when EJ left AZ, she already felt that TS and JS adopting Gabe was not going to happen. I believe she had set the stage already for an illegal adoption and that she had made contacts through her own research and perhaps someone she knew already helping her out. IMO she started this when she realized that Logan could not be swayed to give up his parental rights, i.e. Dec. 11 when he filed for custody. This is also when she appeared to start raising money (craiglist ad to sell dogs for example).

I know many feel that EJ could not have planned this on her own but I believe her background suggests the contrary. Not only is she “book” smart, based on her having a 4-year academic scholarship to Northeastern University, but IMO all those years spent in the foster care system would provide her with a level of “street” smarts as well. OT, but I actually believe she is smarter than TS.

Based on all of the information we have, I believe it played out something like this:
EJ arrives in San Antonio and gets settled. She already has a contact to meet with, IMO HG. Starts planning Dec. 20 and sets up babysitter for next day.
Dec. 21 IMO her 1st meeting with HG. AU babysits. This was a preliminary meeting to explain how the next days would proceed. I theorize that it could have taken place in a public place, like a library, or in a car, or maybe they had lunch, but that would only be a guess. AU said EJ was happy when she returned, and IMO it’s because the meeting went well.

Dec. 22 EJ had her hair done. Per MissingGabe thanks to BeanE today, one of the confirmed sightings of EJ with HG was on Dec. 22. I believe HG took her to the salon and that Gabriel was with him during this time or with child care provided / set up by HG. Many have suggested EJ may have left Gabriel alone at times in San Antonio. IMO it would have been very risky for her to do so in a hotel room where housekeeping can access the rooms with keys and find him there alone.

It makes sense to me that EJ would have her hair done for 2 reasons: 1) she was going to meet with the couple who might take Gabe, and she wanted to make a good impression b/c she desperately wanted them to want him, and 2) she wanted to look good to start her own new life.

Dec. 23 I believe Gabriel was with the couple for the first time on this day for a visit in a location near the Laundromat. EJ waited near the Laundromat b/c she did not entirely trust this and she had a vantage point from somewhere in the laundromat to where the couple was with Gabriel. IMO the visit took place at a nearby hotel or residence, perhaps an apartment – something EJ could see from the Laundromat.

Dec. 24
The couple had a second visit with Gabriel. EJ waited around the Laundromat similar to the day before. The visit was successful and HG reports to EJ that they should all get together to finalize.
Per MissingGabe and BeanE the sighting of EJ, the couple, and the HG could be either 12/24 or 12/25. I believe it took place on 12/24.
I believe that HG and the couple came over for pizza and hammered out details in EJ’s room at the Homegate around 7 p.m. that evening.

Dec. 25 I believe the couple had another visit with Gabe near the Laundromat - total conjecture here but I even believe Gabe may have stayed a significant portion of the day with the couple, which wasn't planned initially but was allowed. This allowed EJ to be at JIB alone that day.

Dec. 26 I believe EJ handed Gabriel off to the couple at some point on this day. I think she washed his clothes while she was waiting at the laundromat just to pass the time, or to give to the couple, who may not have ended up wanting them. She spoke to DeLeon at the laundromat and knew for sure she was taking off for FL at that point but she was NOT talkative.

Please weigh in - I know there are holes, but I do believe that as more information on sightings has become available, there's a plausible timeline to support an illegal adoption scenario.

Times of some of these sightings would be extremely helpful in trying to determine if this really makes sense.

I don’t think the Laundromat itself was significant as a location except that it was nearby where the couple met with Gabriel.

This theory matches up to the 3 days talked about by TS and EJ regarding time spent with the couple.

EJ’s MS posts on Dec. 23 “Where there’s a will there’s a way” and on Dec. 24 “Excited to start my new life” fit into this theory.

Additionally at 12 a.m. on Dec 24 EJ updated her mood on MS to “amused.” I think she was amused in a smug way – b/c she felt she had “bested” Logan and worked this all out on her own.

I think EJ talked to TS a few different times during this time period and gave hints as to what was going on, but never divulged her exact plan. Another reason I feel like her MS "amused" mood makes sense - I think EJ had outsmarted TS, when maybe TS always thought she had control of EJ.

I think whomever EJ dealt with sent her to FL via Tornado Bus Company. I also think they gave her strict instructions on keeping her mouth shut regardless of what happened. I have nothing to back this up, MOO.

So please jump in here...hopefully I can firm this up even more...it's hard to get all your thoughts into a cohesive post!

Boo Scout said:

Times of some of these sightings would be extremely helpful in trying to determine if this really makes sense.

I don’t think the Laundromat itself was significant as a location except that it was nearby where the couple met with Gabriel.

This theory matches up to the 3 days talked about by TS and EJ regarding time spent with the couple.

EJ’s MS posts on Dec. 23 “Where there’s a will there’s a way” and on Dec. 24 “Excited to start my new life” fit into this theory.

Additionally at 12 a.m. on Dec 24 EJ updated her mood on MS to “amused.” I think she was amused in a smug way – b/c she felt she had “bested” Logan and worked this all out on her own.

I think EJ talked to TS a few different times during this time period and gave hints as to what was going on, but never divulged her exact plan. Another reason I feel like her MS "amused" mood makes sense - I think EJ had outsmarted TS, when maybe TS always thought she had control of EJ.

I think whomever EJ dealt with sent her to FL via Tornado Bus Company. I also think they gave her strict instructions on keeping her mouth shut regardless of what happened. I have nothing to back this up, MOO.

So please jump in here...hopefully I can firm this up even more...it's hard to get all your thoughts into a cohesive post!

Click to expand...

BBM. Can you remind me again of that....I don't remember hearing TS talking about 3 days with another couple? Thanks.

kissdegirl said:

BBM. Can you remind me again of that....I don't remember hearing TS talking about 3 days with another couple? Thanks.

Click to expand...

I know it is out there somewhere. I am going through the arduous process of finding it and I will but it might take me a little time.

It was just mentioned today on another thread:

[ame="http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4883354&postcount=321"]Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community - View Single Post - Reported/Possible sightings of Elizabeth and/or Gabriel from 12/18 to 12/30[/ame]

I know it's out there and I'll keep looking until I have the source to post for you - if anyone else has a better idea of where that source is, please chime in!

Excellent work, Boo. This is working for me. I'm not seeing anything right off that won't work with the info we have. Looks very solid.

The 3 days came from Tammi at the time of the jail phone call. She said EJ said she had spent 3 days with the couple.

Great job.

ETA: Here's a news article with the 3 days info:

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/search-baby-gabriel-arizona-mother-refuses-police-find/story?id=9489263

BeanE

Well, I think it has been brought up before, the time and or times of the day....so important...but no ONE seems to know what time it is....they may want to listen to some Chicago music..i dunno..dates they ramble off like clockwork..times...ummm...

kappy50 said:

Well, I think it has been brought up before, the time and or times of the day....so important...but no ONE seems to know what time it is....they may want to listen to some Chicago music..i dunno..dates they ramble off like clockwork..times...ummm...

Click to expand...

Yes, I feel like times would really be helpful -especially for the laundromat since EJ is reported to have been there 4 days in a row. It seems like the question "what time of day was this" or "was this morning, afternoon, or evening" would make sense...of course, maybe LE does know times for some of these sightings and is keeping that detail private on purpose.

I just believe that having times would solidify theories, especially when there are multiple events reported on one day.

EJ arrives in San Antonio and gets settled. She already has a contact to meet with, IMO HG. Starts planning Dec. 20 and sets up babysitter for next day.
Dec. 21 IMO her 1st meeting with HG. AU babysits. This was a preliminary meeting to explain how the next days would proceed. I theorize that it could have taken place in a public place, like a library, or in a car, or maybe they had lunch, but that would only be a guess. AU said EJ was happy when she returned, and IMO it’s because the meeting went well.

Dec. 22 EJ had her hair done. Per MissingGabe thanks to BeanE today, one of the confirmed sightings of EJ with HG was on Dec. 22. I believe HG took her to the salon and that Gabriel was with him during this time or with child care provided / set up by HG. Many have suggested EJ may have left Gabriel alone at times in San Antonio. IMO it would have been very risky for her to do so in a hotel room where housekeeping can access the rooms with keys and find him there alone.

It makes sense to me that EJ would have her hair done for 2 reasons: 1) she was going to meet with the couple who might take Gabe, and she wanted to make a good impression b/c she desperately wanted them to want him, and 2) she wanted to look good to start her own new life.

Click to expand...

Don't forget that EJ told her grandfather around Dec 15 that she had a job interview, and that she told the babysitter that she had an appointment. These two things indicate to me a planned (vs unplanned) meeting of some sort on Dec 21 when she had the babysitter watch Gabe. Because of the planning, her frustration when the babysitter was late, this indicates to me that the appointment was important to her.

Also significant to me is how she was dressed for that appointment. It indicates to me that she was meeting with a man vs a woman.

I'm thinking planned meeting with the HG, but there's no indication of whether he's someone she knew beforehand or just met that day.

The hair appointment on Dec 22 indicates me more wanting to look good than it being in relation to her new life. I've wondered if perhaps the HG was someone she already knew, and contacted from Tempe asking for help. I've wondered if perhaps he was hesitant, and getting her hair done was an attempt to look even better than usual, in an attempt to use her feminine wiles to convince him further to help her.

She could well, though, have wanted to look as good as possible for a prospective 'adoptive' couple, in the sense of wanting them to know that Gabe was likely to grow to be exceptionally good looking as she was, and/or also to attempt to convey that Gabe was well taken care of by portraying that she took good care of herself. All this perhaps to get/ensure a better price? Or would it have been to help convince a couple who was hesitant to do something illegal?

Just some thoughts.

This is an illegal adoption theory. Because of that, I'm hesitant about there being meetings with a couple and Gabe. What was there to keep this couple, willing to illegally take a baby, from simply taking off with him, prior to payment or conclusion of the deal? Even if that deal was not payment, but maybe simply EJ being sure she wanted to do this?

Granted, EJ didn't care about Gabe, but I think she has certainly shown she likes to be in control. She was feeling she was not in control in regards to Logan at that time, and I think would have likely wanted to exert control in this adoption scenario. I'm just not comfortable with the idea of her letting the couple go off with Gabe. I'm convinced she was well aware of Gabe's 'worth' - he's a gorgeous, healthy, perfect baby boy.

Could the HG have gone with the couple and Gabe to ensure they didn't take off with him?

BeanE said:

This is an illegal adoption theory. Because of that, I'm hesitant about there being meetings with a couple and Gabe. What was there to keep this couple, willing to illegally take a baby, from simply taking off with him, prior to payment or conclusion of the deal? Even if that deal was not payment, but maybe simply EJ being sure she wanted to do this?

Granted, EJ didn't care about Gabe, but I think she has certainly shown she likes to be in control. She was feeling she was not in control in regards to Logan at that time, and I think would have likely wanted to exert control in this adoption scenario. I'm just not comfortable with the idea of her letting the couple go off with Gabe. I'm convinced she was well aware of Gabe's 'worth' - he's a gorgeous, healthy, perfect baby boy.

Could the HG have gone with the couple and Gabe to ensure they didn't take off with him?

Click to expand...

Maybe with the amount of $$ the couple had to come up with they wanted to ensure a healthy baby. Could it have been medical check ups and tests or finalizing bogus paperwork.

Litlred said:

Maybe with the amount of $$ the couple had to come up with they wanted to ensure a healthy baby. Could it have been medical check ups and tests or finalizing bogus paperwork.

Click to expand...

Medical check up maybe. I'm not sure they'd need Gabe for paperwork. Do they put a baby's footprints or handprints on fake birth certificates? That might be a possibility.

I thought of something else after I posted. That would be if EJ didn't want to meet whoever was going to have Gabe, and the HG took Gabe to meet them - or to meet several different couples - thereby allowing EJ to avoid meeting the couple(s) and also the HG could have continued to hold Gabe to prevent the prospective people from taking off with him.

BeanE said:

Medical check up maybe. I'm not sure they'd need Gabe for paperwork. Do they put a baby's footprints or handprints on fake birth certificates? That might be a possibility.

I thought of something else after I posted. That would be if EJ didn't want to meet whoever was going to have Gabe, and the HG took Gabe to meet them - or to meet several different couples - thereby allowing EJ to avoid meeting the couple(s) and also the HG could have continued to hold Gabe to prevent the prospective people from taking off with him.

Click to expand...

Perhaps if HG was someone EJ knew previously and had reached out to for assistance, she trusted him enough to allow him to have Gabe and to ensure that no one took off with him.

It's making possible sense to me that EJ knew HG previously somehow.

The laundromat witness has said that he saw EJ's car, so we can theorize that HG did not pick up EJ and bring her to that area. But maybe he picked up Gabe separately at the hotel, or met her somewhere else to pick up Gabe and take him to meet couples. And EJ was given the area that they would be in so she could keep an eye on things to reassure her.

If EJ knew HG previously, maybe HG is not part of an underground adoption ring, but the couple is someone that HG actually knew somehow or could reach out to, and EJ knew that and that made her a little more comfortable with the situation.

I'm just brainstorming in this post, JMO off the top of my head. You guys raise good points and I'll have to mull over it.

BeanE said:

This is an illegal adoption theory. Because of that, I'm hesitant about there being meetings with a couple and Gabe. What was there to keep this couple, willing to illegally take a baby, from simply taking off with him, prior to payment or conclusion of the deal? Even if that deal was not payment, but maybe simply EJ being sure she wanted to do this?

Granted, EJ didn't care about Gabe, but I think she has certainly shown she likes to be in control. She was feeling she was not in control in regards to Logan at that time, and I think would have likely wanted to exert control in this adoption scenario. I'm just not comfortable with the idea of her letting the couple go off with Gabe. I'm convinced she was well aware of Gabe's 'worth' - he's a gorgeous, healthy, perfect baby boy.

Could the HG have gone with the couple and Gabe to ensure they didn't take off with him?

Click to expand...

MOO. Making a lot of sense to me that HG was always present when Gabe was with the couple. Thinking EJ had some comfort level with HG - won't go as far as to say she completely trusted him, but thinking his presence would give her some reassurance.

BeanE said:

Medical check up maybe. I'm not sure they'd need Gabe for paperwork. Do they put a baby's footprints or handprints on fake birth certificates? That might be a possibility.

I thought of something else after I posted. That would be if EJ didn't want to meet whoever was going to have Gabe, and the HG took Gabe to meet them - or to meet several different couples - thereby allowing EJ to avoid meeting the couple(s) and also the HG could have continued to hold Gabe to prevent the prospective people from taking off with him.

Click to expand...

IMO. Believe there was only one couple and not multiple couples. Also believe EJ did meet with them on Dec. 24.

Which makes me wonder if this plot is NOT part of an illegal/underground adoption ring, but simply one arranged illegal adoption? Would not be a situation that dissimilar to TS and JS meeting EJ and EJ giving them Gabe.

Then I would guess that EJ either knew HG in the past, or knew someone that connected her up with HG. But I would lean toward her knowing HG directly.

Again, I think EJ started planning this right when Logan filed for custody. Maybe EJ made contact with someone that said something like "Get that baby to San Antonio and I can hook you up with someone I know that desperately wants a child and they'll pay you something for him and we can make this happen...they're good people."

Thoughts??? I know my mind is going a hundred miles a minute now.

Great job Boo!! I agree with the theory but this is how I'm seeing it. Feel free to poke.

EJ could of met HG online while looking for someone to adopt Gabriel. He could work for a legit adoption agency but realized EJ's situation was not legal but she gave him a sob story about how horrible LM was and he saw the potential to make alot of $$$ so he agreed to help her on the side. She either gave him a sob story or I think it's possible she may have told HG that Logan was not part of their life and had no connection to Gabriel so he would think this was less risky-hospital band and Gabriel having her last name.

The couple has money and was possibly turned down through his agency prior. EJ didn't know the couple, HG was her contact person and she felt comfortable with him. The couple made her nervous. She would drop Gabriel off with HG and the couple daily and HG was presenting it as a supervised visit since he was there. HG introduced her to the couple on Dec 21.

Since this was on the side this visit could of been at HG's home/apt or a public place or his office if his office was private. As far as getting her hair done on the 22nd, this was the first day she dropped Gabriel off with HG and the couple. HG could of said -go do something for yourself, so she did. She was waiting for time to pass, why not get her hair done.

On the other days she just didn't know what to do with herself, she was a mess, especially after talking to TS-scared LM was going to show up, scared LE was going to show up, scared the couple wasn't going to take him and she didn't know what she was going to do. She would drop him off and just be a wreck, driving around in an unknown city waiting to go pick him up. She just wanted the process to be over with so she could get to Florida and start her new life.

The location was close to the laundromat. She would drop Gabriel off turn around the corner and park in front of the laundromat. She had to get out of the car, she walked into the laundromat paced, just waiting. She did this days in a row-a visible nervous wreck.

TXHOPE said:

The couple has money and was possibly turned down through his agency prior. EJ didn't know the couple, HG was her contact person and she felt comfortable with him. The couple made her nervous. She would drop Gabriel off with HG and the couple daily and HG was presenting it as a supervised visit since he was there. HG introduced her to the couple on Dec 21.

Click to expand...

You think EJ met the couple as early as Dec 21? My gut tells me that she wouldn't meet the couple the first time she met with HG, and I think Dec 21 is the first time she met with HG.

Maybe you are right that something more occurred on Dec 22. I don't think we have any confirmed info other than the hair salon and a sighting with HG. IMO, she maybe met the couple on Dec. 22 after the hair appointment - I still think getting her hair done was partly in prep for meeting the couple.

I do believe that Gabe had supervised visits with HG and the couple without EJ. I like BeanE's assertion that EJ needed control, and to me when Gabe was not with her in this crazy situation, up until the point she gave him away, she would feel a lack of control, and hence her nervous pacing makes sense.

Also, really looking for opinions on whether or not EJ knows HG - I mean knew him prior to mid-December? Is it someone from her past that LM does not know? Or someone she connected with only for this purpose and very recently?

Also, opinions on whether the couple is local to San Antonio or surrounding areas (say within a couple hours) or traveled from somewhere farther?

MOO - she knew HG previously and the couple is local.

Great theories guys!

Sorry I've been away dealing with my Mon's heart valve replacement. I'm amazed at all the work you have done! :dance:

debloree said:

Great theories guys!

Sorry I've been away dealing with my Mon's heart valve replacement. I'm amazed at all the work you have done! :dance:

Click to expand...

Deb..glad you are back, hope your Mom is doing well...Yeah...everyone has really been on the ball...just logging on...so I gotta catch up as well! Best Wishes....

Boo Scout said:

Also, really looking for opinions on whether or not EJ knows HG - I mean knew him prior to mid-December? Is it someone from her past that LM does not know? Or someone she connected with only for this purpose and very recently?

Also, opinions on whether the couple is local to San Antonio or surrounding areas (say within a couple hours) or traveled from somewhere farther?

MOO - she knew HG previously and the couple is local.

Click to expand...

If I had to make a call on it, I'd say she knew him, or someone she knew set her up with him. LM may or may not know of this guy.

I'm with you on couple is local or from a nearby city.