Family adopts 1-year-old girl over Zoom
HOUSTON COUNTY, Ga. — After over 500 days in foster care, a 21-month-old Houston County toddler is officially with her forever family.
Brian and Hallie Kirchhefer adopted baby Alayna Thursday morning and the whole adoption happened over a Zoom call.
“I just wanted her day to be just as special,” Hallie said.
Concerns about COVID-19 postponed Alayna’s adoption by almost a month.
“It was very disappointing because we had to wait so long, but we understood the safety of everybody with the coronavirus,” Hallie said.
Alayna was born on July 30, 2018, on Hallie’s birthday, and came to the Kirchhefers less than two months later.
Over a year of case plans, hearings, counseling meetings and more went by before the family finally had a set date for an in-person adoption. It was supposed to take place on March 24.
“Just the waiting. Just to be at that done mark – we’re finished. You’re already ours, but we are ready for it to be official,” Hallie said.
On Tuesday, Hallie and Brian got notice that the adoption would take place over Zoom, a video conferencing computer application, in just two days at 10 a.m.
