Internet twins: US judge awards custody to father

An American judge has awarded custody of the internet adoption twins to the baby girls' biological father.

A court in St Louis, Missouri, awarded custody of the twins to Aaron Wecker. The order has no immediate effect, because the babies are currently in the care of a British county council.

Alan and Judith Kilshaw, from Buckley, north Wales, are contesting a decision by Flintshire Social Services to take the babies from them.

Mr Wecker alleged in court papers that the girls' mother, Tranda Wecker, neglected them by trying to sell them over the internet, according to the St Louis Post-Dispatch newspaper.

Mr Wecker said in papers filed on Monday that Tranda Wecker's actions had "led to my twin daughters being placed in foster homes".

St Louis Circuit Judge Jack Garvey issued the custody order, which will be in force until the next court hearing, set for February 14. Judge Garvey also prohibited Tranda Wecker from going within 100 feet of the twins.

The twins are currently with Flintshire County Council foster parents after a High Court judge sitting in Birmingham decided that they should remain in council care pending research into what is best for them.

The Kilshaws adopted Belinda and Kimberley after paying £8,200 to a Californian internet adoption agency.

The twins were with a Californian couple when Tranda Wecker talked the pair into handing the babies back so she could say a final farewell. Instead, she handed them to Mr and Mrs Kilshaw, who went through an adoption process in Arkansas.