Boyfriend Abandoned Girlfriend During Pregnancy (Full Episode) | Paternity Court

You may be seated. Hello, Your Honor. Hello.

This is the case of Murray v. Gerald-Donaldson. Thank you, Jerome.

Good day, everyone. AUDIENCE: Good day. Ms.

Harris, you have been caught in a love triangle. There are two men in court today, claiming to have fathered your 18-month-old daughter, Aniah. Your current boyfriend, the plaintiff, Mr Murray, and the defendant, your ex-boyfriend, Mr Donaldson.

They are both in court today to prove paternity. So, Ms. Harris, please, come join me here so we can start this case and get some paternity answers.

So, Ms. Harris. .

. Now, you are currently in a relationship with Mr Murray. Yes.

But both Mr Murray and Mr Donaldson think they are your 18-month-old daughter Aniah's biological father. HARRIS: Yes. Why is that?

Let's talk about these relationships. Tell me about your relationship with Mr Donaldson. From my understanding, we were dating, but then when I got pregnant, he told me he had feelings for another girl, and he told me that he didn't wanna be with me.

So I was basically alone during my pregnancy. He was there during the baby shower and he came to the hospital with his mom when I had her. So, wait, you're dating Mr Donaldson, you're in a relationship, you all were boyfriend and girlfriend?

Yeah, we were. And so you're boyfriend and girlfriend, and you find out you're pregnant while you were in the relationship with him? Yes.

And you tell him you're pregnant and he accepts that "You're pregnant and it's my baby"? Well, he didn't believe I was pregnant. JUDGE LAKE: Oh, he didn't even believe you were pregnant?

No. You didn't believe she was pregnant, Mr Donaldson? Not at the beginning.

Why did you feel like she was lying? I felt like she was trying to ruin a relationship that I had. Oh, you felt like she was trying to hang on to you by claiming that she was pregnant because you told her you were in love with somebody else?

Yes, Your Honor. So, did you find out he wanted to be in a relationship with somebody else before you got pregnant or after you got pregnant? It was after I got pregnant.

So you were already pregnant and then you found out, he tells you, "I want to be with somebody else. " Yes. How long did this relationship last between you and Mr Donaldson?

It was like a couple of months, it wasn't that long. Just a couple of months? Yes.

And so, you say at some point, he did accept that the baby was his? I mean, he had to when he's seeing that my belly was big. (CHUCKLES) Oh, 'cause you said at first, he didn't even believe it so then when your stomach started growing.

. . No, he brought me a pregnancy test.

Oh, he did? All right. So you brought her a pregnancy test and said, "Prove it"?

Yeah. And she did? DONALDSON: By that time, it was too late.

She was, like, big. I hadn't seen her in so long. There wasn't even no point of getting a pregnancy test.

Oh, because you could tell then, she is pregnant? DONALDSON: Yeah. Okay.

And did you accept at that time that you were the father of the baby? Yes, I did. You did?

You acknowledged it and you accepted it? Yes, I did. Were you active in the doctor's appointments?

Did you go to those? No. JUDGE LAKE: Were you there when the baby was born?

Yes. You were? Yes.

Yes. At the hospital? So I want to ask your mom.

. . Did you know about this pregnancy, ma'am?

I did not find out about it until she was about five months, maybe. You never knew your son was possibly the father of this child? When he told me about it, I accepted that he was, because that's what Chasidi stated, that he was the dad.

At what point, Mr Donaldson, did you say, "Mom, I have something I have to tell you"? I didn't even tell her, honestly. I told to my father, and my father told her.

(AUDIENCE LAUGHS) That works, too, when you're scared to tell Mom. So you tell your dad, your dad tells your mom. And Mom, at what point do you actually meet Ms.

Harris? Because you don't even know her at this point. I had met her one time before, and then the second time was at the baby shower.

And you were there as the grandmother, the paternal grandmother? Yes. Did you have any doubts, or any reason to believe that someone else could be the child's biological father at that time?

No. So after the baby is born, Mr Donaldson, do you develop a relationship with Aniah? Yes, we did, but she stayed so far away from me, I couldn't see her as much as I wanted to.

So, you know, we tried to make somethin' happen, tried to make it work, but it just didn't. And so how many times have you seen Aniah, she's 18 months, how many times have you been to see her? I've seen her quite a few times.

You've seen her lot of times now? Yeah. And your family has accepted the baby?

GERALD: Yes, we accept her, but when all of this started, we kind of, just backed away from the whole situation because it was getting a little messy. So, at what point do you start having doubts that Aniah is your grandchild? The thing that really changed my mind is when my mother went to pick the baby up and saw Fred.

JUDGE LAKE: Oh. So, Mr Murray, why do you believe you could be the biological father of this child? One day I was on Facebook, and I got a message from Jalen and he told me that the baby could possibly be mine.

So you get a message from Mr Donaldson? MURRAY: Yes. Telling you that the baby could possibly be yours?

Yeah, and I needed to get a DNA test. You sent him that message, Mr Donaldson? I don't recall.

I'm not gonna say yes, I'm not gonna say no. I don't recall. And wait, you just saw a message on your account?

And what did you say when you got that? I said, "Are you sure? " (LAUGHTER) Then I had to ask her how she was feeling about it, because I was going around with her family and they was telling me that she looked just like me.

So as you started going around and meeting her family, they started telling you that the baby looks just like you? Exactly like me. Yes.

So you did sleep with Mr Murray. . .

HARRIS: Yes. . .

. while you were in the relationship with Mr Donaldson? Yes.

JUDGE LAKE: Okay. Let me try to understand all this. Mr Murray, what do you remember?

She was in a relationship with Mr Donaldson at the time, but you all ended up having a sexual encounter during that time? Yes. But you say you used protection.

JUDGE LAKE: You say you did not? Okay, that's how we get a paternity issue. So, Ms.

Harris, why are you so convinced that Mr Donaldson is the father if you admittedly had sex with Mr Murray during the time you were also having a relationship with Mr Donaldson? Because during that time, he used protection. And from that time that he's talking about he could be her father is from the time of December.

Oh, you're saying the time that you had sex without protection was in December? Yes. It wasn't during the window of conception.

No. All right. So you've submitted these dates to the court.

You said your doctor told you your date of conception was around February the 10th, is that correct? HARRIS:Yes. JUDGE LAKE: Aniah was born on October 21st.

HARRIS:Yes. Do you remember when you were intimate with Mr Donaldson? The beginning of January, the beginning of February, and the end of February, and then we stopped.

JUDGE LAKE: So the beginning of January, around here. The beginning of February with Mr Donaldson? HARRIS:Yes.

JUDGE LAKE:Okay. You said the end of February, too? Yes, I did.

All right, so the end of February. When were you intimate with Mr Murray? It was like in the middle of February, but he used protection.

JUDGE LAKE: So you were intimate with Mr Murray around this time, but you say you used protection? But Mr Murray, you say you did not use protection. We had a situation on December 14th.

What's the situation? A threesome. JUDGE LAKE: Oh.

I didn't expect you to say that. Okay. So wait, that's December.

And you didn't use protection during that? I don't know what y'all out here doing. We know young people, we know you're gonna be young, but this is.

. . This is a lot, this is too much.

The threesome's bad enough, unprotected is just outrageous, insane, unacceptable. So, Ms. Weaver, did you know your son was out here having threesomes unprotected, and also potentially getting Ms.

Harris pregnant? Did you have any idea what was going on? I found out after the threesome happened.

After the threesome? Yes. And then, like, around, I wanna say March or April, we found out that Chasidi was pregnant.

Do you immediately say to your son, "Are you the father of this baby? " Yes, I did. And he told me, no, because Chasidi told him no.

And then I went to Chasidi and I asked her. JUDGE LAKE: You did? Yes.

And what did she say? WEAVER:She said that no, it wasn't. JUDGE LAKE: So you told Ms.

Weaver that the baby was not Mr Murray's? You told her that? Yeah.

That was because of the date of conception that the doctor told her. So you were basing that off what the doctor told you? Yes.

But you all know that even with protection, we know that it's not 100% certain. But you just felt like, based upon your experience, "Mr Donaldson, I really believe you're the father. " And you told Mr Murray, "You're not.

" Yes. Okay. So, now Aniah's 18 months old.

Who's in her life as father? Who does she bond with as a father? HARRIS: Mr Murray.

JUDGE LAKE:Mr Murray? HARRIS:She looks to him like he's her father because he's been there. He been there ever since she was three months.

And so, what was it that made you decide to be a part of the baby's life, Mr Murray? That point in time she was in like, a down position. So, I just took her and her in.

Like, "I'll take care of both of y'all. " (AUDIENCE APPLAUDING) Do you still take Aniah to see Mr Donaldson and his mother as well? He's moved out of state, so.

. . Mr Donaldson moved out of state?

Yes, that's what he told me. Did you, Mr Donaldson? DONALDSON: Yes I did.

Okay. Like, we both was liking other people, I guess, I don't know. There was just too much going on.

Too much drama. It started to be dramatic? After I had Aniah, he wanted us to be together.

Oh, after you had the baby then he wanted to be a family? Yeah. But then by that time you were already with Mr Murray?

Yes. But you maintain that he's the biological father of the child? Yes.

WEAVER: But Aniah looks just like Fred. JUDGE LAKE: You believe Aniah looks like your grandchild, like your son's baby? WEAVER: Right.

JUDGE LAKE:And that's a picture of Mr Murray on the left and Aniah on the right. JUDGE LAKE: Why are you smiling like that, Mr Donaldson? 'Cause that's a real.

. . They do look alike.

(AUDIENCE LAUGHING) DONALDSON: You can't even lie. They look alike. But also submitted to the court was a baby picture of Mr Donaldson.

MURRAY:It's hard to tell. WEAVER:Right. It's definitely hard to tell.

JUDGE LAKE:So, now as you look at that picture, Ms. Weaver, you even say it's hard to tell just. .

. Just with physical characteristics. Absolutely.

Ms. Weaver, have you developed a relationship with Aniah? Oh, yes, that's my baby.

I'm Mee-maw. That's my grandbaby. JUDGE LAKE:And so, you spend a lot time with her?

WEAVER:Yes, I do. I'm with her almost every other day. So, Mr Donaldson, are you hoping she's your daughter?

Yeah, I guess you can say that. When you say, "I guess you can say that," what are you feeling? I mean, it's like, I've been missing so much of her life, I mean, I don't know, how much I'm supposed to do right now, or how I'm supposed to really feel.

That's a fair statement. DONALDSON: So. .

. At your age, I get that. I think it's time for the results.

These results were prepared by DNA Diagnostics and they read as follows. In the case of Murray v. Gerald-Donaldson.

. . When it comes to 18-month-old Aniah Harris it has been determined by this court.

. . Mr Gerald-Donaldson, you.

. . Are not the father.

(EXHALES) Ms. Harris? Is there anything else you need to say in court before we go to the next result?

I wanna give you the opportunity. I know, honey. MURRAY: Hold your head up, baby girl.

JUDGE LAKE: Yep. WEAVER: It's gonna be okay. (SNIFFLES) JUDGE LAKE: All right.

Are you ready for me to read the result? Okay. JUDGE LAKE: In the case of Murray v.

Gerald-Donaldson. . .

When it comes to 18-month-old Aniah Harris, it has been determined by this court. . .

Mr Murray, you. . .

Are not the father. WEAVER: That's okay. She's still your baby.

(SOBBING) I can't sit here no more. Ms. Harris?

WOMAN: It's okay. It's okay. WEAVER: I got her.

I got her. . .

It's okay. We got you. (CRYING) I don't wanna be on the camera no more, no.

Okay. This is, um, a very tough result for Ms. Harris, and as I said earlier, some of the adult activities you engage in, they have real-life consequences.

Real-life consequences. She is with Dr Jeff now. And Mr Murray and his family have said they will stick by her.

They are with her now. And we're gonna make sure she gets the help she needs. Okay?

So, I want you to take care of yourself, and Mr Donaldson, I hope this is a lesson learned for you, as well. I loved when you said when you found out you had potentially gotten a girl pregnant, when you said, "I told my dad. " It just touched me because it made me even realize further, I don't.

. . You know, Jerome, we don't hear that a lot.

Not a lot. "I told my dad. " We operate this.

. . Our landscape in this courtroom.

. . We're helping people find their dads.

So, when we meet young people, specially like you, when you have your dad, and you have something that you're worried about, and maybe, "I don't know how to tell Mom. "But I can go to my dad. " That's what we're trying to give this baby.

That's what we're trying to do, every day. (AUDIENCE APPLAUDING) So, I want you to. .

. I want you to learn the lesson here, but also know how blessed you are to have your father and I appreciate you coming here, so that this beautiful little girl could have the opportunity of one day finding hers. I wish you all the very best.

Court is adjourned. GERALD: Thank you.