Man Turns to Gastric Surgery to Adopt Child

First posted on 08-27-2007

Gary Stocklaufer, a 34 year old truck driver, weighed in at 558 pounds when a judge removed a foster child from their home – a child they were hoping to legally adopt. On Friday, Stocklaufer underwent the surgical procedure that makes the stomach smaller and bypasses a portion of the small intestine.

Max, the 4 month old infant the Stocklaufers were trying to adopt, had been with the couple since he was just one week old and is related to the pair. Stocklaufer and his wife claim the judge discriminated against them because of Gary Stocklaufer’s weight.

Apparently, it is becoming more prevalent for courts to deny adoptions based on obesity, but this was the first time when surgery became the course of action taken by the potential parents. Citing confidentiality, the court would not confirm whether it had decided to deny adoption based on Stocklaufer’s weight.

Ana Margarita Compain-Romero, communications director for the Missouri Department of Social Services, did say that the health of the parents is one factor taken into consideration in adoption cases. Other agencies in the United States are beginning to consider parental weight when placing children, according to the National Adoption Center. And in May, the Chinese government began taking the body mass index of American parents into account for international screening of placement eligibility.

The Stocklaufers have been married for fifteen years and are licensed foster parents. Seven years ago, they adopted an eight year old relative. Ironically, the same judge granted the adoption at that time even though Gary Stocklaufer’s weight was about the same as it is today.

Stocklaufer’s surgery was performed at the Renaissance Hospital in Dallas at no cost to him. It is hoped he will drop as much as 250 pounds after recovering.

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