What They Stole: The Dark Legacy of Korean Adoption

This episode explores the dark history of international adoption through an interview with author Paige Towers regarding her book, What They Stole. The narrative examines how Harry and Bertha Holt established a massive adoption system that frequently utilized unethical practices, such as falsifying records and coercing Korean mothers into surrendering their children. Driven by religious fervor, the Holts ignored severe medical neglect within their facilities and prioritized placing children in Christian homes over ensuring their safety. Towers connects these systemic failures to a tragic 2008 familicide, where an adoptive father murdered his four Korean children. Ultimately, the episode highlights a lack of accountability within the adoption industry for the trauma and violence inflicted upon displaced children. This overview provides a sobering look at how benevolent facades can mask deep-seated institutional corruption and personal tragedy.



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This episode includes AI-generated content.