Dark Secrets of a US Sect: Women Coerced into Child Adoptions**

Women from The Truth sect allege they were forced into giving up their babies for adoption under threat of eternal damnation, with several adopted children reporting abuse.**

Women who formerly belonged to a clandestine Christian sect in the United States have disclosed to the BBC that they were compelled by the church to surrender their children for adoption. Estimates suggest that hundreds of such adoptions occurred from the 1950s through the 1990s, as reported by former members of the church, known as The Truth or the Two by Twos. Notably, some of the adopted children later revealed they faced abuse and neglect within their adoptive families.

This unsettling revelation follows a BBC investigation into extensive allegations of child sexual abuse that have lingered within the church for decades, an organization thought to encompass up to 100,000 members globally. In response to the earlier claims, the FBI has initiated a probe into the sect.

Four women, all of whom were unmarried when they became pregnant, described being left with no choice but to relinquish their babies. Some feared being cast out from the congregation and condemned to hell if they resisted the church's demands. One woman recounted the trauma of being coerced into placing her child with a married couple in the church after she was raped at the age of 17 in 1988, with the chilling thought that refusal would lead her to eternal damnation.

Others echoed similar experiences; one mother was denied even a fleeting moment with her baby before the adoption was finalized. Six individuals, once adopted during the 1960s to 1980s, recounted their harrowing ordeals, some suffering severe abuse at the hands of their adoptive families, even within the church.

The adoptions were overseen by Dr. Wally Baldwin, a prominent figure in the sect who passed away in 2004. Many memories remain of "Baldwin Babies," the term used to reference the children placed for adoption by him. Gary Baldwin, the late doctor's adopted son, noted that initial records of adoptions are no longer accessible, although he estimated the number of adoptions might be "less than 200."

The church structure lacks an official leader. Inquiries directed to several senior officials, or "overseers," yielded limited responses, with one denying any wrongdoing by stating that all adoptions were conducted lawfully and citing positive narratives.

Women like Melanie Williams recounted feeling trapped in a fear-based cult-like environment, where they believed seeking comfort in motherhood would lead to eternal damnation. Melanie became pregnant at 18 and was pigeonholed into a decision to give her baby up for adoption, believing that if she chose otherwise, she would be ostracized from her community and begin a descent to hell.

The experiences of these women reveal a common thread of emotional and psychological abuse, with adopting families having almost no scrutiny applied to them. Those who shared their stories maintained that such an inadequate vetting system rendered adopted children vulnerable to abuse.

A gathering of former and current church members has been forming in online platforms, addressing their shared experiences, and working through the ramifications of their forced adoptions. Deb Adadjo expressed empathy for the mothers, while Melanie noted the solidarity she has found among those recounting similar tales of loss. As these women reclaim their narratives, they strive to ensure that the pain of their past does not define their futures.