Brandon Riley-Mitchell, a Pennsylvania Pedophile teacher, and Tier 1 registered sex offender, found guilty of sexually abusing a minor successfully fathered a child with his husband via a surrogate, possibly taking advantage of a legal gap in state legislation.
The matter recently emerged and incited indignation following the dissemination of a video of Brandon Riley-Mitchell, 39, and his spouse with their young son extinguishing candles on a collection of cupcakes.
Brandon Riley-Mitchell, a former chemistry educator at Downingtown West High School in Pennsylvania, was adjudicated in 2016 for the sexual exploitation of a student and the possession of child sexual imagery.
Over 12,000 text conversations containing explicit photographs and videos were exchanged between the student and Brandon Riley-Mitchell, who was 30 years old at that time.
Brandon Riley-Mitchell, registered as a sex offender, served three months in incarceration and received a probation sentence prohibiting unsupervised contact with minors.
State law prohibits registered sex offenders from adopting or fostering children; however, there is no existing legislation that forbids persons from conceiving through surrogacy.
It is uncertain whether Brandon Riley-Mitchell is biologically connected to the child via the operation, which surrogacy and adoption attorney Stuart Sacks indicated to the Inquirer may represent ‘the loophole.’
The couple initiated a GoFundMe campaign in 2023 to secure funds for a gestational surrogate and the American Public donated.
In an update, they announced that they had found a surrogate ‘after three long years of searching’ when a family friend reached out.
‘Our surrogate went through extensive medical and social worker evaluations in order to be approved for surrogacy,’ the couple said.
‘Once approved, the lengthy legal and financial process began. We are so excited that our amazing surrogate will carry one of our embryos for us, helping to expand our family!’
Now, thousands are calling for the child’s removal and for an update to state law that would also protect children born through surrogacy.
‘This child is now living in the custody of a man convicted of sexually abusing a child. The public is outraged, and we are demanding immediate action,’ a Change.org petition said.
This loophole was recently brought to light in a deeply disturbing case in which a Tier I sexual offender – who was previously convicted of sexually abusing a minor – was successful in lawfully obtaining full legal parentage of a child through surrogacy,’
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