State law unseals birth records for Missourians seeking biological family
On Tuesday, multiple people got to see their birth records for the first time under a new state law.
The Missouri Adoptee Rights Act allows Missouri-born adoptees, ages 18 and older, to access a copy of their original birth certificate.
“I’ll be interested in seeing what’s on there,” said new birth certificate holder Mary Cashin. “I would love to know my real name, love to know the birth date, where I was born (and) how many siblings I really have.”
Doors opened Tuesday morning at the Capital Plaza Hotel “Breaking The Seal” event for Cashin and about 30 other people unsealing their records.
Gov. Jay Nixon signed the bill back in the summer of 2016 and signup to get a birth certificate started in October of last year.
People born before 1941 could already get a copy of their birth certificates.
Cashin started looking for her birth family more than 11 years ago.
“There’s a lot of secrets and lies,” Cashin told ABC 17 News. “A lot of people don’t want to talk about this big secret and it’s unfortunate.”
“We aren’t a threat,” said Cashin of seeking the true identity of her biological family. “I don’t need money. I don’t need a kidney. I don’t need anything. I just want to know their heart.”
Cashin also said women often used a different name at hospitals, which complicated children’s search efforts. She’s hoping to find out the last four names of her original 12 siblings.
