Utah Judge Removes Foster Child From Same-Sex Couple

Parents April Hoagland and Beckie Peirce said the judge cited research that children do better when they are raised by heterosexual couples.

Utah's Republican governor said a judge who ordered that a baby be taken away from her lesbian foster parents and placed with a heterosexual couple should follow the law and not inject his personal beliefs into the matter.

Gov. Gary Herbert told reporters Thursday he's puzzled by Judge Scott Johansen's ruling this week in the Utah city of Price. Herbert criticized "activism on the bench in any way, shape or form" and said the judge should follow the law even he doesn't like it.

According to NBC affiliate KSL, April Hoagland and Beckie Peirce had been caring for the 1-year-old foster child for three months. They were in court Tuesday for a routine hearing when Johansen ordered the child removed from their home.

"There weren't any concerns about the family and no concerns about the placement, it sounds like he has concerns overall with same-sex couples being foster parents," Utah's Division of Child and Family Services director Brent Platt told KSL.

Parents April Hoagland and Beckie Peirce said the judge cited research that children do better when they are raised by heterosexual couples. According to KSL, same-sex couples have been able to serve as foster parents in Utah since October 2014.

"It's my understanding they have a couple of older children, these are experienced parents," Platt said, according to KSL. "As far as we're concerned, it was an appropriate placement. It was a placement that worked for the kid and worked for the family, so we were surprised the judge issued that order."

Johansen is precluded by judicial rules from discussing the pending case. 

Utah's Division of Child and Family Services is reviewing the matter.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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