Judge rules birth father should have temporary primary custody

An American Fork couple took a hit Tuesday in the battle to keep their adopted baby boy.

Kootenai County District Court Judge Barry E. Watson ruled that the birth father, an Idaho man who is contesting the adoption, would have temporary primary custody.

The judge's ruling means that Jed and Cally Nielson may have to hand over their 5 1/2month-old baby to Matt Tenneson, 20, of Coeur d'Alene, as early as this week.

The Nielsons said they are talking with their attorney to see how to handle the exchange and what will happen next.

"We're absolutely devastated," Cally Nielson said. She was in tears as she spoke in a phone interview with the Deseret Morning News, from her home in American Fork.

LDS Family Services, though which the Nielsons did the adoption, has filed an appeal regarding an Idaho judge's earlier ruling in favor of the birth father's rights. For now, however, the baby, named Harvey, will remain with Tenneson.

The birth mother, Cammie Knight, 19, of Coeur d'Alene, will have visitation rights.

Knight said she was shocked at the judge's ruling Tuesday.

Knight said she hasn't changed her mind about giving up her baby for adoption, and she still wants the Nielsons to have her child.

"This isn't set in stone," Knight said. "If the appeal goes through, the baby goes back to Jed and Cally."

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E-mail: astewart@desnews.com