Foster parents of Jordan Belliveau seek to adopt newborn sister; father pushes back
LARGO, Fla. (FOX 13) - The foster family who had cared for Jordan Belliveau before his death is now working to adopt his newborn sister, Serenity.
Two-year-old Jordan lived with Sam and Juliet Warren for most of his life until he was returned to his biological parents. Months later, in September, his body was found in a wooded area near St. Petersburg, Florida.
His mother, Charisse Stinson initially told Largo police a stranger abducted him. She eventually admitted to hitting Jordan, which, according to investigators, lead to his death.
After her arrest for the alleged murder of Jordan, it was revealed Stinson was pregnant. She gave birth while in custody.
The baby's status was unclear until Friday when the Warrens released a statement confirming they are working toward adopting Jordan's newborn sister with Stinson's cooperation.
"Last fall, we were broken by the death of a child we loved dearly," the family's statement said. "As the fall continued, the question of what would happen to Jordan's little sister began to weigh on us. We knew that Charisse would not be able to care for her. After much prayer, we approached Charisse about allowing us to adopt the baby, and she agreed. She is with us now, and we are continuing the legal process to complete her adoption."
However, Charisse's own statements could indicate a custody dispute is in the offing.
On Dec. 26, four days after Serenity's birth, she signed papers that confirmed Jordan Belliveau, Sr. is "the lawful and biological father and that he should be given immediate full custody."
Jordan's history of being accused of gang activity and violence partially led to his initial loss of custody of his son Jordan.
But now his attorney, Jawdet Rubaii, insists that his client "was never in a gang, is working full time, ready to be a great father, and has a large family support system."
He told FOX 13, "he is going to fight for custody and will eventually have custody."
The family has asked for a "fundamental re-examination" of the state's child protective services system.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.