Baby Broker | 3. The Birth Mothers

Summary

The Binge Cases: Baby Broker
Episode 3: The Birth Mothers
Release Date: February 17, 2025
Host/Author: Sony Music Entertainment

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Introduction

In Episode 3 of The Binge Cases, titled "The Birth Mothers," Sony Music Entertainment delves deep into the intricate and dark world of adoption manipulation orchestrated by Tara Lee, the enigmatic founder of Always Hope Adoption. This episode unravels the harrowing experiences of Tammy and Nick Granith, a middle-class couple from Chicago, who became entangled in Tara Lee's deceitful scheme. Through meticulous storytelling, the podcast exposes how Tara Lee exploited hopeful parents and vulnerable birth mothers for personal gain, leading to a gripping true crime narrative.

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Background

The narrative begins with the introduction of Sarah, a young woman from Michigan struggling to raise her two children in a dilapidated trailer outside Detroit. Facing financial and physical hardships, Sarah decides to put her unborn baby up for adoption through Tara Lee's Always Hope Adoption agency in the summer of 2018. Meanwhile, Tammy and Nick Granith, residing in a middle-class Chicago suburb, are seeking to expand their family and are considering adopting a second child after a previous match with a 19-year-old birth mother, Sabrina, falls apart.

Notable Quote:

Narrator (00:00): "Imagine if you were about to become a parent and someone ripped away your dream."

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The Adoption Match

Tara Lee swiftly matches Tammy and Nick with Sarah, impressing them with her professionalism and efficiency. Believing they had found the perfect match, the Graniths sign a contract and send Tara Lee $8,000 for Sarah's living expenses, with additional payments due upon the baby's birth.

Notable Quote:

Tammy Granith (03:00): "We were just thrilled. Oh my gosh, she wants to match with us."

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Early Red Flags

During their initial meeting at a Cracker Barrel in Detroit, Tammy and Nick notice unusual behavior from Tara Lee and her assistant Chelsea, who appears with a black eye. Despite these early warning signs, the Graniths focus their attention on Sarah and the excitement of impending parenthood.

Notable Quote:

Tammy Granith (09:34): "Sarah's not a good person. Sarah is an addict. Sarah puts her kids in really bad situations."

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Rushing the Process

As the due date approaches, Tara Lee pressures the Graniths to expedite the adoption process. On Labor Day weekend, amidst a severe storm, the couple meets Tara Lee and Sarah for dinner, where Tara abruptly changes the narrative about Sabrina, the previous birth mother, claiming Sabrina's baby is in poor health and in the NICU at the same hospital where Sarah is about to deliver. This raises suspicions for the Graniths about the authenticity of Tara Lee's operations.

Notable Quote:

Tammy Granith (14:53): "So, you think Sabrina gave birth? And she was like, oh yeah, she gave birth."

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The Confrontation

On the eve of Sarah's due date, Tara Lee informs the Graniths that Sarah is in labor and urgently needs them in the hospital. Upon arrival, tensions escalate as Sarah becomes uncooperative, expressing concerns over the Graniths adopting multiple children and introducing unfounded accusations about Stephanie, another birth mother. This confrontation exposes discrepancies in Tara Lee's portrayal of the birth mothers and the financial transactions involved.

Notable Quote:

Tammy Granith (22:10): "You know, Tara Lee is perpetuating a myth that poverty and irresponsibility go hand in hand."

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Discovery of the Scam

After the birth of their daughter, May, Tammy and Nick realize that the $8,000 they sent did not reach Sarah. Concurrently, they discover that Sabrina, the supposed second birth mother, does not exist. The Graniths confront Tara Lee with their findings, only to be dismissed and gaslighted into doubting their own perceptions. Determined to uncover the truth, Tammy documents every red flag and seeks legal assistance.

Notable Quote:

Tammy Granith (25:25): "There's no way this is real. We knew we had given this money."

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Unveiling the Truth

Weeks later, the Graniths continue to face inconsistencies, such as the disappearance of Sarah from the hospital and the non-existence of Sabrina. Their persistence leads to the revelation that Tara Lee fabricated Sabrina's story entirely. The FBI's investigation confirms the absence of any record or evidence of Sabrina's existence, exposing Tara Lee's criminal manipulation of the adoption process for personal enrichment.

Notable Quote:

Narrator (30:56): "Months later, the FBI would find no evidence that Sabrina existed."

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Conclusion

"The Birth Mothers" episode masterfully illustrates the emotional and psychological turmoil experienced by the Graniths as they navigate the deceptive practices of Tara Lee. It underscores the vulnerabilities within the adoption system that can be exploited by unscrupulous individuals. The episode concludes with a cliffhanger, leaving listeners eager for the next installment to uncover the full extent of Tara Lee's scheme and the eventual downfall of her criminal activities.

Notable Quote:

Nick Granith (30:56): "Baby's gonna be born."

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Key Takeaways

• Manipulation and Deception: Tara Lee's ability to rapidly match families and fabricate birth mother stories highlights significant flaws and vulnerabilities within the adoption industry.

• Emotional Toll: The Graniths' journey underscores the emotional and financial strain adoptive parents can endure when faced with fraudulent adoption practices.

• Systemic Issues: The podcast sheds light on the need for stricter regulations and oversight in adoption agencies to protect both birth mothers and adoptive families from exploitation.

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Additional Insights

The episode not only narrates the Graniths' struggle but also serves as a cautionary tale for prospective adoptive parents to thoroughly vet adoption agencies. It emphasizes the importance of transparency, accountability, and legal safeguards in the adoption process to prevent similar fraudulent schemes.

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Final Thoughts

The Binge Cases: Baby Broker Episode 3, "The Birth Mothers," is a compelling exploration of true crime within the adoption landscape. Through detailed storytelling, real-life testimonies, and investigative rigor, the podcast effectively highlights the dark underbelly of adoption fraud, making it a must-listen for true crime enthusiasts and anyone interested in the complexities of adoption.

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To stay updated with all episodes of Baby Broker and other gripping true crime stories, subscribe to The Binge Crimes and The Binge Cases on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or visit GetTheBinge.com.

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Credits:
This episode was produced by Sony Music Entertainment and Perfect Cadence, with Peter McDonnell as the host, and executive produced by Catherine St. Louis and Jonathan Hirsch. Special thanks to Stephen George, Tameka Balance Kolasny, Sammy Allison, Allison Sherry, Kathleen Farley, Steve Ackerman, Emily Racik, and Jamie Myers for their contributions.

Transcript

[Unknown Speaker 1]

How does a guy working for a fire department go out and snuff out a fucking mobster in front of 300 people and go home the next morning and feel good about himself? Well, you gotta understand this people, all you civilians out there. These people are evil garbage. The world is a better place without them. You have no idea what these people have done and will continue to fucking do. Not unless their lives are snatched from them. So did I feel bad? No. Not one bit. It was just a normal kill. That's all. Because I really believe I did the world a favor. I don't know what else to tell you. And if you can't live with that, grow the up. Welcome to Crook County. Available now listen for free on the.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

Iheartradio app, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

You get your podcasts.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

Listen to all episodes of Baby Broker ad free right now by subscribing to the binge. Visit the Binge channel on Apple Podcasts and hit subscribe at the top of the page or visit getthebinge.com to get access. Wherever you listen, feed your true crime obsession the Binge I want to tell you about Sarah and why she decided in her late 20s to give up her baby for adoption. Sarah was petite, with brown hair and large eyes. She wore thick glasses. She'd grown up in Michigan. She'd had some bad relationships. She lived with her two young children in a trailer outside Detroit and was pregnant with a girl. There was no washer or dryer, no hot water. When she cooked for her kids, she had to step around a hole in the floor. Sarah decided it was too much financially and physically to raise another child on her own. She had a boyfriend, but he wasn't the father. In the summer of 2018, when Sarah was six months pregnant, she put her baby up for adoption with Tara Lee. Meanwhile, in a middle class suburb in Chicago, Tammy and Nick Granith were considering matching for a second time. That's because their match with 19 year old Sabrina was crumbling. First she tried to kill herself. Then she threatened to do it again if they abandoned her. So when Tara Lee invited Tammy and Nick to match with Sarah, they jumped at the chance. And it hurt when Sarah chose to go with a different family. A month passed and then we get.

[Tammy Granith]

A phone call from Tara Lee and she said, you know, Sarah is not feeling comfortable with the match she made. She was wondering if you guys would still be open to adopting her daughter. And we were just thrilled. Oh my gosh, she wants to match with us.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

Should we do it in mid August Tammy and Nick signed a new contract and sent Tara Lee $8,000 for Sarah's living expenses. More would be due when she delivered. Later that day, Tara Lee called them again.

[Tammy Granith]

She says, can you come up tomorrow because she has an ultrasound.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

So the next day after work, Tammy and Nick drove to Detroit. And the next morning, tired and excited, they drove to a Cracker Barrel outside the city, snagged a round table, and waited for Sarah and Tara Lee to arrive. Then they saw a big suburban pull.

[Tammy Granith]

Up, and in walks this lady who has jet black hair and is covered in tattoos. She has like her name brand jeans. She has her nails done, I believe. She told me they were $125 to get her nails done. Like she was very. I mean, these were very detailed art work of art nails.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

It was Tara Lee, wow.

[Tammy Granith]

She's like our age, you know, she was.

[Nick Granith]

She's like three years older than.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

Tara Lee was just 36 years old. And that year in 2018, she'd make more than a million dollars from adoptions. Enough to have designer nails, enough to look good and know it. She swaggered in like a rock star, as if the Granites were fans. Except they weren't. But she didn't seem to care. She had them on the hook for two babies. Tara Lee had everything under control. Or so she thought. From Sony Music Entertainment and Perfect Cadence, this is Baby broker. I'm Peter McDonnell. Episode three, the Birth Mothers.

[Maggie Freeling]

From the team that brought you up and vanished, comes an all new podcast that brings you a weekly dose of true crime cases.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

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[Tammy Granith]

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[Unknown Speaker 1]

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[Payne Lindsay]

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[Peter McDonnell]

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[Maggie Freeling]

And I'm Maggie Freeling.

[Peter McDonnell]

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[Maggie Freeling]

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[Payne Lindsay]

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[Unknown Speaker 2]

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[Peter McDonnell]

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[Unknown Speaker 2]

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[Payne Lindsay]

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[Peter McDonnell]

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[Maggie Freeling]

Up and Vanish Weekly is available now. Listen for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Unknown Speaker 3]

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[Unknown Speaker 2]

The Granites were about to discover how much they could endure for the promise of adopting a baby. This breakfast, this day, this match would push them way out of their comfort zone. And the deeper they went, the harder it would be to get out. Because Tara Lee's ability to match families so quickly was a double edged sword. She could also take a match away by turning one side against the other and blowing up the deal. Behind Taralee, Sarah ambled in. She wore a red tank top and jeans which strained at her pregnant belly.

[Tammy Granith]

I just thought she was so pretty. She was blonde. Very blonde.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

Tammy got up and gave Sarah a big hug. Tara Lee's assistant Chelsea came in next with a black eye. Tammy thought she overheard it was from a fight with her partner, she said. Tara Lee and Chelsea acted like it was no big deal, but all through breakfast they couldn't unsee it. A woman with a black eye was helping take care of their birth mother. They tried to focus their attention on Sarah, but Tara Lee kept stealing the spotlight.

[Tammy Granith]

She was trying to ask us questions. Tara Lee kept cutting her off. She would speak for her.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

After breakfast, they all climbed into their cars to go to Hutzel Women's Hospital for the ultrasound and Tara Lee said she had to run an errand. On the way.

[Tammy Granith]

She says I have to make a stop and give a gift card for expenses to a birth mom. Follow me.

[Nick Granith]

And she's flooring it. She's doing like 100 miles an hour.

[Tammy Granith]

To get through the neighborhood streets.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

They passed block after block of boarded up houses with plywood, plywood on the windows. And then Tara Lee slammed on the brakes in front of a shabby bungalow.

[Tammy Granith]

You see a pregnant girl walk outside and she hands her something, which looked to me to be a gift card. So you think, oh, okay, this is legit. She does have a ton of birth moms. Look at that. And then we take off and we go to the ultrasound.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

The ultrasound showed that Sarah's baby girl was healthy. Sarah was due, as predicted, on September 8th. Tammy and Nick planned to stay in Detroit for one more night. But Tara Lee reminded them not to contact Sarah directly.

[Tammy Granith]

I was like, well, forget that. Like, I'm not going through you to talk to our birth mom. I want to get to know her.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

The next day, Tammy and Nick took Sarah and her older son to lunch. Over $15 hamburgers, Tammy and Nick realized that things they took for granted, like Starbucks coffee and a laundry room, were unattainable luxuries for Sarah.

[Tammy Granith]

They had a hole in their trailer floor. There was no washing machine, There was no dryer. She said she didn't even have money for diapers.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

In the wedding business, Tammy and Nick were used to rubbing elbows with people far wealthier than themselves. Tammy shared one story about a bride who demanded to be called Mariah because she thought she looked like Mariah Carey. When her dad gave her diamond studded pearl earrings, Mariah threw them on the floor like junk because she wanted double pearls. The point is, Tammy and Nick weren't used to being the rich ones unconsciously signaling their wealth. But eating out, staying in a hotel, filling up their gas tank, texting on fancy cell phones. They'd been signaling it all day. Then they found out from Sarah that none of the $8,000 they'd sent to Tara Lee had trickled down to her. Yet Sarah also didn't seem to realize she could ask for it. They urged her to do so. After lunch, they took Sarah shopping for maternity clothes and diapers for her youngest child. Then they hugged her goodbye and drove home to Chicago. They'd be back in three weeks. A lot went through their minds on that drive home. They really liked Sarah. They trusted her and they wanted to help her. But Tara Lee had been saying some things behind Sarah's back. That made them think twice.

[Tammy Granith]

Sarah's not a good person. Sarah is an addict. Sarah puts her kids in really bad situations. Sarah is a liar.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

And it made them wonder if the things Tara Lee said about Sarah were true. Why would she match them with her? In any case, it was way too much to investigate and figure out under the time pressure. The bottom line was they liked Sarah and they went with that. It was the Friday before Labor Day weekend, 2018, a huge weekend in the wedding industry. Tammy was booked for three days straight. Nick was managing the books and schedules with a coffee in one hand. The timing couldn't have been worse when Tara Lee called them with urgent news about Sarah.

[Tammy Granith]

You've got to get here and you've got to get here now.

[Nick Granith]

She could pop any minute.

[Tammy Granith]

Tara Lee is incredibly pressing us to get there. So if I could just get through my weddings. So Friday, Saturday, Sunday, if I can get through my weddings, we could leave on Monday and we'll be good.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

I asked Tammy why she thought Tara Lee wanted them to rush up early to Detroit. Did she really believe Sarah was about to deliver? Did she think she knew better than Sarah's doctor, than Sarah herself?

[Tammy Granith]

I can truly say it's because the very first day we were there, she met us for our final payment.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

When they rolled out on Labor Day, a bad storm rolled in. Buckets of rain and howling winds turned a four hour cruise into a six hour slog. In a dark drizzle. They met Tara Lee, Chelsea and Sarah for dinner at Coney Island, a cultish Detroit hot dog chain. They crammed into a booth. Then over hot dogs buried in mustard and onions, Tara Lee brought up Sabrina, the 19 year old birth mother, who had been suicidal in the same offhand way you might say, pass the ketchup. She said.

[Nick Granith]

Oh, Sabrina gave birth. And oh yeah, there is no.

[Tammy Granith]

Then she acted like, oops, you heard oops, you heard me. And so I stopped right away and I looked at her and I said, wait, Sabrina gave birth? And she was like, oh yeah, she gave birth. She says the grandparents are raising the baby with her. And then she says that it has some disease. I googled it right then and there and it basically is where you don't know if the child will ever hear, they'll ever see. This disease was so intense. So here this baby is with this horrible condition and then the worst is she says to us, yeah, she's in the NICU at Hutzahl.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

That was the same hospital on the same floor in the same wing where Sarah would Deliver. It meant they'd see Sabrina and her baby. They didn't know what she looked like. But how many blonde 19 year olds could there be in the labor and delivery ward at any one time? Regardless, she knew what they looked like. She'd picked them because Tammy liked to go fishing. Because they were willing to be honest with her child about the rape.

[Payne Lindsay]

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[Angel Reese]

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[Unknown Speaker 2]

I participate in restaurants for a limited time. Tammy and Nick planned to be in Detroit for weeks. They set up camp in an extended stay hotel and waited on pins and needles. Sarah was due to give birth any day. So was Stephanie. One of Tara Lee's selling points for matching with Stephanie during that drama on the driveway was that she'd deliver at the same time as Sarah. They'd have two babies for the price of one trip to Detroit. Their lives were about to get crazy. Tammy and Nick had never met Stephanie, so just like with Sarah, they reached out to her. Stephanie lived an hour north of Detroit, near Port Huron, a town on the Canadian border.

[Nick Granith]

Yeah, this house had to be well run down. I think it was a two flat, like an old. You could see the paint is peeling off.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

It was cold. So the Granites sat in their warm car waiting for Stephanie to appear. They'd never seen a picture of her. They'd only heard her voice on the phone.

[Nick Granith]

She walked out.

[Tammy Granith]

She has really big eyes, big blue eyes, I want to say. And like they. I just remember her eyes being such a focal point and she's very pretty and she had brown hair. She was in her early, you know, 40s. And you could tell that Stephanie had seen a lot in life and had been through some hard times.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

Nick Helped her into the car.

[Nick Granith]

You know, I just remember her distinctly, just saying, it's nice and warm in here and this is really sweet, and thank you guys so much for picking me up.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

They drove to Applebee's. Halfway there, it got quiet. They looked in their rearview mirror and saw that Stephanie had fallen asleep.

[Tammy Granith]

She had never been to an Applebee's before. We sat down in the booth, and it was a very, very awkward lunch because, you know, just opening the menu, she fell asleep right in front of us.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

It's not unusual to be sleepy during pregnancy, but two accidental naps meant Stephanie must have been exhausted. Tammy told Stephanie about her job doing makeup for weddings. They talked about hair and nails, and then they decided it would be fun to get their hair and nails done together.

[Tammy Granith]

And so we did.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

Then they went to TJ Maxx.

[Tammy Granith]

You know, she didn't have any maternity clothes. She got clothes for herself. She got clothes for her son. She got shoes for herself, shoes for her son. And then she picked out items for.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

Baby boy, specifically a stuffed, furry bunny rabbit.

[Tammy Granith]

And those things were so special to me because she had chosen them.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

But during their girls day out, Stephanie told Tammy something that threw her into a tailspin from the get go. Tara Lee had pitched them on the fact that Stephanie was due at the same time as Sarah. Early September. They could come up to Detroit once and leave with two babies. But Stephanie just shook her head. No, no, she said. Tara Lee was way off.

[Tammy Granith]

She said, I'm not due till the end of October.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

That was a month and a half later. Tammy and Nick were speechless. They dropped Stephanie off at home and called Tara Lee.

[Tammy Granith]

Hey, you know, Stephanie's saying she's not due until the end of October. But you told us she's due now. You know, Tara Lee said, oh, she doesn't know what she's talking about. Yes, she's due right now. As a matter of fact, she could probably go any day.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

Maybe it's because Tara Lee billed herself as the adoption expert. Maybe because she seemed so confident when she said it. And maybe because Stephanie didn't have any prenatal care, they trusted Tara Lee's word over Stephanie's. I think Tara Lee perpetuated a myth that poverty and irresponsibility go hand in hand. And I think even good people like the Granites fell for it.

[Tammy Granith]

I'm ashamed even to say it, but I didn't question Tara Lee when she said, well, she doesn't know what she's talking about.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

On Friday the 7th, Tammy and Nick were in their Hotel when Tara Lee's assistant, Chelsea, called with news, not about Stephanie, but about Sarah, the birth mother with blonde hair who lived with her two children in a trailer with a hole in the floor. Friday the 7th was the day before Sarah had said she was due. Chelsea got right to the point.

[Tammy Granith]

She said, I don't want you to panic, but I want you to slowly and calmly and safely get down to Hudson. And Sarah is in labor.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

Whoa.

[Tammy Granith]

You know, like, we gotta grab our bags, we gotta grab everything. And of course you're wanting to get down there as soon as possible. And we did. And Sarah was in labor. She was in a room. And we walked into the room and you could tell that something was really off.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

Sarah wouldn't look at them.

[Tammy Granith]

Chelsea pulls us outside and she says, you know, Sarah is worried about you having two children. She thought that you were only going to be raising her daughter, and she wants her to be the one and only.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

Suddenly, it was like Sophie's choice, Sarah's baby or Stephanie's.

[Tammy Granith]

I went into fight or flight mode. My entire world revolved around our baby girl.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

Tammy tried to push her way back into the room, but said Chelsea blocked her way. And then Sarah inexplicably switched her story.

[Tammy Granith]

And she's saying, Sarah doesn't know if she wants you to adopt, you know, her baby girl because Stephanie is racist. What if this baby boy is racist against his sister who was going to.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

Tammy said the accusation came out of nowhere. Sarah didn't even know Stephanie. Tammy had just spent the whole day with Stephanie and found it hard to believe she was a bigot. She begged Sarah to reconsider.

[Tammy Granith]

Please do not let this affect us.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

She made her way to Sarah's side. In between contractions, they talked.

[Nick Granith]

She really wanted Tam in there. She really wanted Chelsea in there.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

Eventually, Tammy stepped out and found Nick in the waiting room. But the room was narrow and they had no choice but to sit across from Tara Lee, who had her laptop on her knees and with her long fingernails was compulsively typing.

[Tammy Granith]

And she looks up and she says, do you want to adopt another baby? She was being dead serious and she said, yeah, here in the NICU, there's a 23 week old baby. She says, it's got see through skin. She pulls up a picture. And so I'm trying to match this baby right now. This is what I'm trying to do. And I'm between two families. And I remember at that moment thinking, this is like a machine for her.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

How could Tara Lee be dialed into another adoption Opportunity. When just a few rooms down the hall, their match with Sarah was on thin ice.

[Nick Granith]

She was already paid up with us, so at that point, I don't think she cared.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

Tammy got up and went back in with Sarah. Sarah was still upset, but now what felt like the real source of her frustration came out.

[Tammy Granith]

Sarah brought up many things to us that hadn't been paid for, from her rent to her phone bill to things that she needed done in her trailer, to food.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

Tammy said they had never turned down her requests. They wanted her to have what she needed.

[Tammy Granith]

There's no way this is real. We knew we had given this money.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

Then Tammy noticed that Sarah had angry red bumps all over her body. Sarah said they were spider bites.

[Tammy Granith]

Her trailer was being infested by spiders. Well, you've got two little ones there, like, absolutely not.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

Tammy stormed down the hallway and into the waiting room.

[Tammy Granith]

We tell Tara Lee we need right now. Yeah, send Orkin. Send, like, get it sprayed. Well, I don't have money for that. And your expenses, well, where's our money going?

[Unknown Speaker 2]

Tara Lee said Sarah was lying.

[Tammy Granith]

I paid them. Nope. I gave them a gift card. Nope. I did this. I'll send you a receipt. And she would make you feel as if you were crazy for questioning it. So right then and there, we do tell her we need to meet with you after the birth to go through every single expense that you have paid.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

Nick walked out and called an exterminator to take care of Sarah's trailer. Weeks earlier, Tammy had confided in her mom about Tara Lee's shady behavior. Her mom handed her a notebook, and.

[Tammy Granith]

She was like, you need to start writing down everything.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

In the waiting room that night, Tammy took out the notebook because I knew.

[Tammy Granith]

The lawyers had to come. I had to sign a paper with the lawyers. We had to sign a paper with.

[Nick Granith]

The lawyers weren't there on that day.

[Tammy Granith]

And so I wrote everything down, every red flag down.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

It was past midnight when she finished. Then an alarm rang. Their daughter's heart rate had plummeted. Doctors and nurses rushed into Sarah's room and prepared to do an emergency C section. But Sarah kept pushing, and her girl, who they named May, was born. Tammy held her and burst into tears. Sarah and Nick, too.

[Tammy Granith]

And she was such a little peanut. And she was so cute and just so beautiful. And, you know, I got to cut the cord. We got to do skin to skin immediately with her. And Nick got to give her her first bottle. And it was just such a special, special, special time.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

The next day, their lawyer, Tanya Corrado, arrived with adoption paperwork. Tammy handed her the list of red flags.

[Tammy Granith]

And I'll never forget sitting at the table, and Tanya was like, wow. Oh, I have never heard any of this. I will take care of this. This has just gotta be a fluke.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

When Tanya left, Tammy and Nick visited their daughter May in the nicu. She was surrounded by other bassinets, other baby girls. Tammy and Nick looked at all of them, wondering if one of them might be Sabrina's baby, the baby they had thought would also be their daughter. Avery.

[Nick Granith]

We're thinking that baby's here somewhere.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

Down in the hospital lobby, in the elevator, and in every hallway all day and night, they had kept an eye out for Sabrina, but they didn't see her. Toward morning, they were looking around for someone else, too. Someone they did not want to see. Sarah's boyfriend. When Sarah was in labor, they learned he wanted Sarah to bring the baby home. He wasn't the father, but he wanted to stop the adoption. His threats had been churning in Sarah's mind as she tried to deliver.

[Tammy Granith]

And we start getting reports this man has guns and was circling the hospital, that basically he's going to come to the hospital and he's going to take the baby. He's going to cause harm. So this amazing nurse says, okay, I'm alerting security right now. We're going to create code words. We're going to put a restriction on anybody who's allowed to come in and out of this room.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

Eventually, when the sun was up, the Granites made their way outside. They scanned the parking lot for a man with a gun. They didn't see anyone and drove back to their hotel. The next day at the hospital, Sarah was gone, but their daughter May was still there. One week went by and then another, and they got into a routine, visiting the NICU every day to see her. She was getting stronger. And during those weeks, Tammy and Nick kept in touch with Stephanie. But she still showed no signs of going into labor. And every time they went to the hospital to see their daughter, they would look for Sabrina. They even looked for her name on charts in the nicu. They asked around, but there was no sign of her. And there's a good reason for that. Months later, the FBI would find no evidence that Sabrina existed. Tara Lee made her up. Her rape, her pregnancy, her love of fishing, her baby's terrible disease, her suicide attempts, her disappearances, and her shifty, unreliable commitment to the adoption. You know how these girls are. Next time on Baby. Broker.

[Nick Granith]

And Taylor just kept blowing it off. No, no, no. Baby. Baby's gonna be born.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

Teresa tells us that she's got this phone call with these women.

[Tammy Granith]

I had to. I had to. I didn't know what was going on.

[Unknown Speaker 4]

She's like, I have a question. Do you think there's something not right with Tara? And I was like, girl, I'm glad you asked. Because yes, this is what I am seeing. Like, I felt. I'm like, I know Tara. This is no way. Like, there's no way she did this. And then we would find Curts.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

Don't want to wait for that next episode. You don't have to unlock all episodes of Baby Broker ad free right now by subscribing to the Binge Podcast Channel. Search for the binge on Apple Podcasts and hit subscribe at the top of the page. Not on apple. Head to getthebinge.com to get access wherever you listen. As a subscriber, you'll get binge access to new stories on the 1st of every month. Check out the Binge Channel page on Apple podcasts or or getthebinge.com to learn more. Baby Broker is an original production of Sony Music Entertainment and Perfect Cadence. It was hosted and reported by me, Peter McDonnell. I'm the executive producer, along with Catherine St. Louis and Jonathan Hirsch of Sony Music Entertainment. Stephen George recorded the narration at the Invisible Studios, West Hollywood. We used music from Audio Network and a few tracks from Epidemic Sound News clips are courtesy of WXYZ 7 in Detroit, Michigan. Our production managers are Tameka Balance Kolasny and Sammy Allison. Our lawyers are Allison Sherry and Kathleen Farley. Special thanks to Steve Ackerman, Emily Racik and Jamie Myers, SA.