DNA Test Ignites Explosive Family Drama in Paternity Court!

I know. >> I AIN’T GOING TO GET TO SEE HIM NOW. I TOLD YOU. >> Was he at the hospital when she was born? >> Yes. >> No, [music] he wasn’t. No, he wasn’t in the hospital of your honor. >> He wasn’t there when you were born. >> He asked me where [music] she was. He put the robe on her and he fed her. Not only that, K when she was born. >> You ain’t never said that before. And I asked you who’s my dad. >> John Ellis. >> He said John Ellis. [music] So now it’s

a possibility somebody else might be my dad. >> Well, you got tested, son. We’re going to bring it out. We’ll bring it all out. I’m telling [music] the truth, so let’s bring it on out. Whatever my babies want to know, I’ll let you know. >> I didn’t know that. >> Oh, yes, I did. BECAUSE MY DAUGHTER AIN’T GOING TO GO THROUGH THIS FOR HER. SHE YOUNG. I TRIED TO CALL THIS WOMAN AND TALK TO THIS WOMAN LIKE A WOMAN WHEN SHE WAS PREGNANT. SO, DON’T SIT UP HERE

AND [screaming] CALM DOWN. LADIES, >> WAIT A MINUTE. LADIES and >> ladies, hold on. I’m trying to get your point. And now I get it from your perspective. >> I did love him though. I really did. But >> no, she didn’t. >> I did love you, but I just >> I mean, if you love me, you wouldn’t have never I mean, get called at work with another guy. And I read the text messages called him daddy and all that stuff. And >> Miss Jones hauls her ex, Mr. Joiner,

into paternity court and says he fathered her eight-month-old baby girl, Hazel, then vanished. Judge Lake summarizes the stakes with zero warm. Mom wants DNA proof so he’ll finally take responsibility. Mr. Joiner, a US military veteran who keeps calling himself responsible, says he’s completely certain Hazel isn’t his. The air feels tight the moment he says it. Everyone could tell this won’t stay calm for long. >> Miss Jones, you claim the defendant is an ex-boyfriend who got you pregnant and

now refuses to do anything for your 8-month-old daughter, Hazel. You and your mother petitioned the court for a DNA test to prove that he is Hazel’s father, so he will finally [music] step up. Mr. Joiner, you say you are a responsible US military veteran who would never neglect a call to duty. >> Miss Jones says she’s been doing everything alone since day one. No diapers, no formula, no money, no check-ins, nothing. She says Hazel deserves to know her father, not just hear stories about him later. Her hands

shake as she talks, like she’s holding back anger and exhaustion at the same time. Mr. Joiner admits he hasn’t helped, but repeats, “I don’t believe that baby is mine.” Like it’s a shield. >> And he’s been denying her since birth. Since I was pregnant with her, I’ve been trying to reach out to him, you know. Um, I got doctor’s appointments coming up. Do you want to come? I mean, he just have no interest really since I got pregnant with her at [music] 6 weeks.

You’ve done nothing for Hazel, Mr. Joiner. >> No, your honor, I haven’t. >> Tell the court why. >> Honestly, I just I don’t feel like it’s my baby. >> Judge Lake asks how this started, and the two of them describe two totally different worlds. Miss Jones calls it a relationship that was building into something serious. Mr. Joiner calls it casual, like it was never more than nights here and there. He even says the first time he took her home, he didn’t

know her name, which makes the courtroom react instantly. Miss Jones snaps back that they worked together, talked for hours, and still chose to have unprotected sex together. >> I mean, the first night I brought her home, your honor, I didn’t even know her name. I mean, just to be honest, you say you’re in a relationship, Miss Jones. He says it wasn’t a relationship at all. He didn’t even know your name. >> It was the first night when I went by his house. [music] his auntie, one of

his family members, brought me home from work and we chilled over here where he lives at and it just we talked for a long time. So, it’s not like he didn’t know my name. >> Then, Ms. Jones’s mother steps forward, clearly not letting anyone rewrite the past. She says she was driving her daughter around, watching them spend time together and seeing couple behavior up close. She describes her daughter staying at his place, cooking, cleaning, and moving like it was a home, not a hookup. Her tone says she’s been waiting

to say this for months. Judge Lake studies Mr. Joiner’s face like she’s comparing his story to a live lie detector. >> Spent the weekend and everything with them with my other grandson. So that’s how I know he’s denying it. He’s lying, your honor. Yes, he is. Because I used to go pick him up from the restaurant, him and her where they worked together at and everything. Yes. Do you remember her picking you guys up? And >> your honor, I’m not denying that we didn’t see each other, but what we’re

here about is the baby. >> Miss Jones’s mom adds that the family welcomed him and believed he was solid. She says there were even talks about Miss Jones moving in, which doesn’t sound casual to anyone listening. Mr. Joiner argues the family forced their way into his space and made it look deeper than it was. He also claims Miss Jones had plans to go to Texas with another man, so he felt like a placeholder. The courtroom ends up stuck between two competing scripts, committed partner versus convenient option.

>> Cuz we thought it was serious. like I’ve been with. >> Why are you spending time with her mother and her at your house and doing all that if it’s just a sexual relationship and you don’t care anything about her? >> They pushed their way in on me on her. >> No, that’s not true. >> You say this was just casual. It was nothing. But when a young woman’s mother says, “I’m over there cooking and cleaning and we going over there.” He even was thanking me.

>> When the pregnancy reveal comes up, Miss Jones says she called from the hospital and told him she was expecting. She says his first reaction was basically, “Don’t tell me that.” like the news offended him. Then she says he promised he’d call back and never did. Mr. Joiner says he needed time to think and believe she was sleeping with someone else. Judge Lake listens like she’s filing every sentence into evidence. >> My boyfriend or baby daddy, whatever it was in one week. So, as far as I knew, I

knew I I in my mind I was just going to, you know, do it or do with her for a few days and then she was going to be gone. >> But did I ever leave? Did I ever leave? Exactly. She never left. >> No, I was committed to you and only you. So, >> I never asked her, “Hey, will you be with me? Will you be my >> You have.” >> Mr. Joiner explains his doubt with a timeline he thinks is unbeatable. He says she told him she was pregnant just 3 to four weeks after they met, so he

assumed another man had to be involved. He claims people at their workplace talked like she had other partners in the mix. Miss Jones admits there was one other man early on, but says she ended that once things got serious with Joiner. Mr. Joiner still looks like he’s not buying it. And the room can feel that disbelief. >> Cuz when she came to me and said she was pregnant, it might have been 3 weeks, maybe a month after I met her. >> How do you know she was even having sex with anybody else?

>> Because we it was everybody everybody at the workplace knew. Even she she >> at the place knew that me and you were messing around too. >> Two also. >> So wait, Miss Jones, are you admitting what he says is true that you were sleeping with other people when you first started sleeping with him? >> One guy I was sleeping with. >> Judge Lake asked the obvious question. If there were other choices, why pick him as the father? Mr. Joiner answers with a jab disguised as logic, saying

the other guy was a boy while he’s a man with stability. He implies she targeted him because he looks like a provider with a home in a military background. Miss Jones insists she wasn’t chasing money and says she wanted a real relationship, not a plan. Still, she admits things turned ugly fast after the pregnancy news >> that she was sleeping with at the time and she chose that she thought that I would be the best decision. or we were together or we were dating. We were in a serious relationship

>> like everything was about Mr. Joiner when we were working together. Mr. Joiner, Miss Jones. Everybody knew us messing around. Everybody knew we was messing around. It was no other person. >> Then Mr. Joiner offers what he believes is his strongest proof. He’s had unprotected sex for 10 or 11 years and never gotten anyone pregnant. He says that history makes it unlikely Hazel is his. Judge Lake immediately calls it what it is, reckless, not responsible. She questions how anyone can brag about

a decade of unprotected sex and call it good judgment. Mr. Joiner visibly shrinks as the responsible veteran label starts slipping off him. >> Well, how was to say I’m irresponsible? Okay. Yeah, I could have. >> I’m telling you, you are for 11 years having sex and you’re not using protection. >> I I don’t think that means that I don’t think that means I’m irresponsible. >> You don’t? Well, look, I’d rather BE IRRESPONSIBLE THAN DEAD cuz you could be

that, too. Having unprotected sex for 11 years. Okay, I could be, but I’m just the first one to admit it. >> Next, Mr. Joiner’s mother, Miss Joiner, enters with a surprise that changes the energy. She says she believes Hazel is her granddaughter and doesn’t sound unsure at all. She even says Hazel’s name is already on her grandmother ring alongside her other grandkids. Miss Jones looks stunned because she expected his family to defend him, not the baby. Judge Lake notes the contrast. The

mother seems more emotionally present than the alleged father. >> Thank you so much for joining us today. No problem. >> You know, we’re here discussing baby Hazel. >> Yes, ma’am. >> Her paternity and Miss Jones asserts that your son, Mr. Joiner, is her biological father. Do you believe that? >> I do. >> You do? >> I do. >> I absolutely do. >> Tell the court why. >> Well, they brought her to see me when she was 2 days old. Um Olivia, I didn’t

find out till 2 weeks [music] before that she was pregnant. When you >> So, your son never told you? >> No, never. >> You know, you just know. >> Mr. Joiner finally explains why he keeps his heart behind a locked door. He says he went through this before in West Virginia when another woman claimed her child was his. He bonded with that baby and his mother bonded too because the child looked just like him. Then DNA results said he wasn’t the father and it crushed them. The courtroom softens for

a moment because the hurt sounds real even if his choices still look cold. >> And what makes you believe so strongly? >> As a mother, you just know. You just know. And to [music] me, she looks like him. >> Yes. >> Your honor, I have this to say. Not too long ago, a couple years ago in in in West Virginia where where I moved from, there was another situation just similar to this one right here. Girl said that she had a baby. You know, it was mine, all this. And I mean, this baby looked

identical to him. >> But Ms. Joiner doesn’t let her son hide behind old scars. She tells him flat out that he should have handled this like a grown man from the beginning. She admits neither side has been perfect, but says a baby shouldn’t pay for adult mistakes. She also reveals she’s been helping Hazel since day one with diapers, clothes, and whatever she could provide. Judge Lake points out the irony. Grandma is doing the responsible work her son keeps claiming as his identity.

>> You’re not responsible to have a baby. >> You No, >> my little my little brother, he has two of them and I don’t have any yet. It >> It has nothing to do with that cuz he ain’t got his crap together either. Neither one I mean they they’re both young. I get it. But they not responsible. Not responsible. [music] Needs to grow up. And denying it is not going to help. You missing every day that you don’t. >> Tension spikes when miss. Jones questions where the Joiner family was

during the pregnancy. Voices rise, frustration spills, and Judge Lake has to regain control of the room. Mr. Joiner repeats that he wants a DNA test before he commits to anything, especially because of his past experience. Miss Joiner fires back that if he truly wanted clarity, he would have handled the test himself already. The whole exchange turns into a tugof-war between fear, pride, and a baby’s needs >> of the situation that’s happened before in the past. >> You wouldn’t pay for it. You wouldn’t

pay for it. A man would have paid for it. $700. Just saying. Sorry. >> No, that’s what you’re here to do. >> That’s what you’re here to do. >> That’s the facts. >> I agree. I mean, when you when you say in open court that you are a responsible military veteran and you said she saw you from a mile away, >> Judge Lake presses hard. If he’s stable and so certain, why didn’t he pay for testing immediately? Mr. Joiner complains about the $700 price tag and

says she should have gone through the state system. Miss Jones’s mom explains how they struggled financially while Miss Jones raised Hazel and another child without help. The courtroom mood shifts from drama to discomfort because the hardship sounds heavy and familiar. Judge Lakes’s expression says excuses don’t feed babies. >> Go through the state and all this, you know, all this could have been done bukoo long ago. When Hazel was born, I was on the internet and I was >> I was keeping Hazel while she was

working at night. She has another child. So, she is trying. She is a single mother. She is young. She don’t know. He’s a little older. Should have enough sense to do it. >> So, Miss Jones, was it unprotected sex with the uh other person or protected? >> It was protected. >> The discussion returns to other partners because that detail keeps haunting the story. Miss Jones explains that the other man was at the beginning and that protection was involved there with Mr. Joiner. She says it was unprotected and

she believed they were exclusive. At that point, Judge Lake starts laying out the conception window with dates in Hazel’s age like she’s building a timeline on an invisible board. Mr. Joiner shifts in his seat as the numbers stop favoring his certainty. >> Conceived in a window of time when she was only sleeping with you, then you’re the only possible father. >> I am 100% positive I only in that window when she said I’m pregnant. When you go take it back to when she could have gotten pregnant in

that window, I was not the only one. >> My cartridge date was February 4th when I went to the doctor. >> Judge Lake makes it clear the only way out of this mess is science, not speeches. She calls for the envelope and the courtroom drops into that sharp kind of silence. Mess. Jones clutches her emotions like she’s trying to keep them from spilling onto the floor. Mr. Joiner stares forward like a man bracing for impact. Both mothers lock in because everyone knows one sentence is about to

change everything. In [snorts] the case of Jones versus Joiner, when it comes to 8mon-old Hazel Jones, it has been determined by this court. Mr. Joiner, you are the father. >> Yes. >> When the results are read, reactions hit fast and raw, like someone pulled a plug on everyone’s defenses. Faces change, breath catches, and emotions show up before anyone can control them. Judge Lake delivers a blunt reality check about time lost and what it costs a child when adults delay responsibility.

She makes it clear that fatherhood isn’t just biology, it’s action, and Hazel doesn’t get her months back. The final message lands heavy in the room. When a child is involved, hesitation becomes harm. >> Protecting yourself. It was almost probably a defense mechanism [music] like I’m just not buying in until I know. >> Yes, sir. >> And that’s why it’s important to get the answer as fast as [music] possible because now she’s just 8 months old. The beauty of this is she’s so young. She

won’t have to remember this. >> You can step in now and really get in there and be the kind of father that she [music] needs. Can you do that? >> Yes. >> Destiny walks into court as a teenager carrying her baby while two adult women debate who’s been the better parent. Today’s fight centers on 17-year-old Anthony Taylor and baby Osiris. Destiny’s mother, Miss Sisum, says Anthony is the father without question. Anony’s mother, Miss Riley, says there’s no way and demands proof. Judge Lake

sums it up with one blunt label. Babies having babies. >> Babies having babies. [music] Teenagers. This is upsetting. With that said, Miss Sism, you and your teenage daughter, Destiny, are here to prove that Anthony Taylor is the father of your daughter’s 8-month-old son, Osiris. Is that correct? >> Yes, [music] your honor. Miss Riley, you stand before me claiming that you are 100% positive your son is not the child’s father. >> From the start, Miss Sisum is crying and

says she’s here for her grandson, not to win an argument. She talks about growing up without her own father and not wanting that pattern for Osiris. Destiny nods along and says Anthony is the father. Period. Across the room, Miss Riley looks unconvinced and ready to pounce. The tension feels like it’s crawling up the walls. >> In your honor, that Anthony is the father of Osiris. And you are emotional already. >> Yep. [music] I have a grandson that’s eight months old. He needs his father. I

lost my dad when I was two. So I know what it’s like not to have a father. But I’m not here because of me. I’m not here because of Destiny. I’m here because of Oy. >> Destiny. You truly believe Anthony is this child’s father. >> Yes, your honor. >> The moms talk over each other until Judge Lake forces the timeline to come out. Destiny was slipping over to Miss Riley’s home under the excuse of visiting Miss Riley’s daughter. The real reason was to see Anthony and everyone

knows it now. Miss Riley calls Destiny dishonest and says she was sneaking and playing games. Miss Sisum fires back that the teens were running a whole secret relationship under both households. >> That’s a lie. Your >> son was going to HOW YOU GOING TO TELL ME WAS A LIE? >> BECAUSE THEY WAS HAVING SEX IN HER HOUSE. WHAT TYPE OF PARENT IS SHE? SHE GOING TO KILL THEM. SHE TOLD THEM SHE told Hold on. Let’s get some order. >> Let’s get some order, ladies. >> I can’t. Ladies. Ladies.

>> Miss Riley drops her first major accusation and points to what she says she saw at school. She claims Destiny was walking around with another boy before this pregnancy story even surfaced. Her argument is all about timing, saying Destiny popped up linked to Anthony only weeks before the pregnancy announcement. Judge Lake watches them like she’s tired of hearing math with missing numbers. The courtroom starts buzzing because that detail changes the vibe. >> Now, Destiny, BEFORE I GO FURTHER, WAS

MY summation of the plot correct? >> Yeah, your honor. >> Thank you, your honor. >> I see her walking WITH ANOTHER GUY, MY son at school. This is before even said anything about you was pregnant. Next thing you know, I find out she Oh, my son come telling me that she told him that she pregnant. How is that? YOU YOU JUST CAME AROUND two weeks ago. Miss Sisum responds with full certainty and says Destiny was a virgin before Anthony. In her mind, that makes the answer simple and locked in. Destiny

adds that Miss Riley refused to acknowledge Osiris for 8 months. Miss Riley denies that and insists she just wanted a DNA test before claiming anything. The mom start yelling over who helped and who didn’t. It’s not my grandbaby against you abandon him. And neither one is backing down. >> My grandbaby. >> Okay, you ain’t don’t claim him. You ain’t claim 8 months. Don’t claim him now. Y’ALL AIN’T DID NOTHING FOR HIM. I’VE BEEN TAKING CARE OF THIS BABY. THEY

DON’T DO NOTHING FOR HIM. >> That’s no lie. >> They don’t DO NOTHING FOR HIM. >> Turn on. >> All right. Not myate. AT THE END OF THE DAY, THEY WEREN’T MY LADIES. LADIES, >> MY DAUGHTER HAD BIG LADIES. LADIES, LADIES, LADIES. >> Judge Lake snaps both women back to reality and says the kids weren’t alone in this mess. She tells him the teens pulled this off because the adults weren’t paying attention. Destiny then admits she was spending nights at

Anony’s house in his bed while Miss Riley was home. The wild part is Destiny says Miss Riley even warned them to use condoms. Judge Lakes’s face says she can’t believe what she’s hearing. >> And sometimes that’s what kids do. And I’mma keep it real. With all the phone and cell phone having we got and all of this communication, Missism, it ain’t never a day in this world your daughter should be able to tell you spend a night over a friend’s house. What friend?

Who’s the mother? Where’s the number? I’m calling. I [cheering] WANT I’M TELLING YOU THIS. NO, I’M telling you this. [applause] Now, Destiny, where were you and Anthony having sex? In her house. >> Yes. >> Destiny explains how she realized something was wrong when her period didn’t come. She got sick, felt off, and eventually went to the hospital to confirm it. She says her mother knew before any doctor spoke. Like her body language gave it away. Miss Sysum claims

the moment Destiny walked in, she could tell she was pregnant. Whether it’s intuition or experience, that mom read the room instantly. After that, everything got tense and heavy. >> I would go over there. I would come I would come in say hi Miss Brenda. She say hi. We go upstairs. I spend a night. She don’t say nothing about it. >> You spend the night at at the house? Yes, your honor. >> In Anony’s bed? >> Yes, your honor. >> WELL, WAIT A MINUTE, MISS SISM. WHERE

did you think she was? >> Over her friend’s house. Her daughter is another friend. I even asked Destiny. >> Then Destiny shares the line that makes the courtroom go quiet. She says Anthony begged her to keep the baby because he didn’t feel safe outside. He believed something could happen to him in the streets and wanted a piece of himself left behind. A 17-year-old thinking about death like that hits hard. Judge Lake looks torn between sympathy and shock. The story sounds tragic and too

grown for their ages. >> If it’s Anthony baby or not. At first, Anthony, he didn’t want Osiris. He said, “We might we just we should wait.” And then he was washing dishes. He was like, “We should just wait to have a baby cuz I’m not stable. Like, you got a job, but I don’t. And I don’t want to I don’t want you to be the only one taking care of him.” So we go upstairs, we talk more about it and he said, “You know what? I don’t feel safe in the street.”

>> Destiny says Anthony talked like danger was chasing him every day. Miss Sisum breaks down and says the pregnancy news hit her so hard she ended up hospitalized for 2 weeks. Miss Riley snaps that Miss Sisum should have been parenting more closely in the first place. Miss Sisum snaps back that Miss Riley let Destiny sleep over and ignored what was happening. The courtroom turns into a loud battle of blame. Judge Lake has to keep pulling them back from the edge. >> Broke down. I have a nervous breakdown.

I had to be in the hospital for two weeks. >> Oh my goodness. Because >> because I [music] may be having a baby. >> Cuz you wasn’t being a parent. >> During the pregnancy, was Anthony with you? >> Yes. >> He came to appointments with you? >> Yes. >> And when the baby was born, were was he at the hospital? >> He cut the port empty. She even came without nobody inviting her. >> The next chapter is the delivery room chaos. And both sides describe it

differently. Destiny says Anthony showed up and supported her through labor the whole time. She claims he even cut the umbilical cord and acted proud and present. Miss Riley says when she came to see the baby, security escorted her out. She insists it was planned to embarrass her and block her from Osiris. Miss Sisum argues she was protecting her daughter from extra stress and drama. >> Anony’s participated in the birth. >> The day of THE BIRTH COMES >> BECAUSE THE HOLD ON.

>> YES, HE IS. >> I’M getting to that part. So, Miss Riley, you and your daughter come up cuz you say, “Since they’re saying it’s Anony’s baby, this is my grandchild, let me go up there for THE BIRTH, RIGHT? >> SHE has me removed out the hospital so she can get my son to sign this.” >> Judge Lake steps in and summarizes the feud in one sharp sentence. She tells them they’re so focused on destroying each other, they’re forgetting there’s a

baby in the middle. She orders them to stop trading insults and stick to facts. Miss Sisum accuses Miss Riley of interfering and stirring things up. Miss Riley accuses Miss Sisum of controlling Destiny and manipulating the situation. The emotion is loud, messy, and relentless. >> Oh, yes, I did. BECAUSE MY DAUGHTER AIN’T GOING TO GO THROUGH THIS FOR HER. SHE YOUNG. I TRIED TO CALL THIS WOMAN AND TALK TO THIS WOMAN LIKE A WOMAN WHEN SHE WAS PREGNANT. SO DON’T SIT UP HERE AND TELL THAT LIE. [screaming]

CALM DOWN. LADIES, >> WAIT A MINUTE. I JUST >> LADIES, HOLD ON. I’m trying to get your point and now I get it from your perspective. >> Anthony finally walks into the courtroom and his energy is completely different from the moms. He’s quiet, nervous, and speaks carefully like he’s choosing every word. Judge Lake askked him directly if he believes he is Osiris’s father. Anthony answers yes immediately without looking around for approval. The courtroom reacts because he doesn’t

hesitate. His certainty feels personal, not performative. >> Anthony, we have had a heated court session today concerning Osiris. Look at me when I’m talking to you. Do you believe you are [music] Osiris’s biological father? >> Yes, I do. >> You do believe that? >> Yes. >> And tell me why? >> Because I picked [music] Destiny and I took her virginity. >> Judge Lake asks why he’s so sure. And his reason surprises everyone. Anthony says he took Destiny’s virginity and he

promised her he would be there. He speaks like he sees the baby as part of that promise. For a teenager, his words sound older than his face. Miss Riley still looks skeptical, but she’s emotional, too. The room shifts from shouting to listening. >> I wanted a baby because I [music] felt like one day it was going to be time for me to die. And I wanted like I wanted I wanted just [music] like another seed in this world. So, I decided to have a baby >> and I believe you’re telling the truth.

And [music] even if your rationale weren’t necessarily truly indicative of what your future is. Anthony adds that he’s lost people close to him and has seen enough violence to think about endings. He says he didn’t want to die without leaving something behind. That’s why he asked Destiny not to terminate the pregnancy. He calls the baby a legacy, a piece of him that could live on even if he didn’t. Judge Lake softens for a moment, but reminds him fear doesn’t equal maturity. She names it

plainly as trauma mixed with immaturity and desperate thinking. >> It was for the DNA. That’s all I ever wanted to know. So my son can have a life. But now that he’s testified that he truly does believe he is Osiris’s biological father, does that change your mind? >> No. >> Destiny, we’re going to go to the results soon. And and [music] but before I do, when your mom talks about you wanting to be a pediatrician and a lawyer and you having these huge dreams for your life,

>> Miss Riley wipes her eyes and says she isn’t trying to be cruel. She’s trying to be certain. She explains she pushed for testing so Anthony wouldn’t live with doubt or be trapped by a lie. Judge Lake asks if Anony’s emotional story changes what Miss Riley wants. Miss Riley says no. She still needs proof. The courtroom may feel for Anthony, but facts still run the show here. Judge Lake nods like that’s the only solid ground in the room. >> You’re selfhappy. Just because somebody

asks you to do something for them, you [music] have to consider whether that’s in your best interest. Do you understand? >> Yes, >> we’re here now. Osiris is here now. You all are our kids. You don’t know what the world you’re doing. The rationale is so irrational, it’s scary. >> Judge Lake turns to Destiny and gives her tough love that lands heavy. She reminds Destiny that she once talked about college and becoming a pediatrician. Now she’s holding a lifetime responsibility while still

being a kid herself. Destiny starts crying and struggles to keep her voice steady. Judge Lake warns her not to sacrifice her future just to make someone else feel secure. The entire room quiets because it sounds like a warning to everyone watching. >> I get the reason, but the immaturity and the lack of understanding in which you approach this entire situation. You all, we got to do better. And truly, we still don’t know definitively if this is his biological [music] child. Are there any

other possible fathers until I get these results? >> No, your honor. >> Ron, the envelope, [music] please. >> Yes, ma’am. Judge Lake says Osiris deserves stability, not a courtroom full of grudges. She asks Destiny directly if she slept with anyone else during the conception window. Destiny says no, and the silence that follows feels intense. Judge Lake calls for the envelope because only science can end the arguing. Both mothers freeze and Anthony grips the podium like he’s holding

himself together. Destiny clutches her baby and stares forward, blinking fast. >> The case of Sism versus Riley Taylor. When it comes to 8month-old Osiris [music] Taylor, it has been determined by this court. Mr. Taylor, you are his father. [applause] [screaming] >> I don’t get TO SEE HIM NOW. I TOLD YOU. >> Judge Lake holds the results and stretches the moment with slow, deliberate reading. Anthony looks like he’s bracing for a wave. Destiny’s eyes water and her lips tremble as she

listens. Miss Sisum is rigid with hope and Miss Riley is rigid with doubt. Every pause feels like it weighs a pound. The courtroom feels like it’s holding one shared breath. Whatever is said next will decide what this family becomes. >> And in THIS MOMENT, JUST WHEN I THOUGHT these kids had pulled off a plot against both of you ALL TO DEFY THEIR MOTHER’S ORDERS and to do what they shouldn’t be doing. I SEE WHY THEY HAD OPPORTUNITY. THESE CHILDREN HAVE COME IN HERE whether they made a mistake or not. they have

spoken from their heart or why they did something. The most irrational, immature reasoning ever, BUT IT’S THEIR TRUTH. THAT’S HOW THEY GOT HERE. >> MR. Roll shows up in paternity court with two goals on his chest. He wants to prove he isn’t the father of Ms. Gallion’s twin girls. He also claims Miss Gallion is obsessed with him and won’t let go. Judge Lake introduces the setup fast, a fast food flirtation turned fallout. Two twins, Rebecca and Gracie, and one mother saying he

disappeared. Mr. Roll, you are here to prove you are not the father of Miss Gadellian’s twin daughters. >> Yes, ma’am. >> You say she’s infatuated with you and that’s the reason she wants to pin her babies on you. >> Yes, your honor. >> Miss Gdelion, you say there is no question Mr. Ro is the father of your twins. You say he left you with two babies and a broken heart. >> Miss Gallion immediately shuts down the obsessed label and tells her version calmly. She says it started with breaks

at work, drinks after shifts, and playful flirting. Then came Facebook messages, late night conversations, and him inviting her over. She describes it as a messy situationship, not stalking. Her face reads like she genuinely expected something real. Mr. Roll smirks like he thinks that’s funny. >> Of me, she will sit there. She’ll walk past my job staring at me. Then when me and my ex broke up, I I seen this like numbers of pictures that I never seen before. I didn’t even know were being

taken. So, wait. You said you saw pictures you never knew were being taken. Yes, ma’am. >> Are you obsessed with him, Miss Gadellion? >> No, your honor. I am. >> How did this relationship start? >> On breaks [music] and stuff, I would go over to his job and get drinks or whatever. >> Judge Lake notes the beginning sounds like normal dating behavior. Calls, texts, flirting, and time spent together without force. She asks the basic question, “Was Mr. Roll single during

all of this?” He answers no right away and admits he had a girlfriend the entire time. He claims Miss Gallion knew because his girlfriend’s photos were on his page. Miss Gallion says that’s false and says he never made it clear. >> After a while, he invited me over to his house. >> So, you’re saying you weren’t obsessed, you were just interested, [music] >> right? Right. >> And this was proceeding like a normal courtship would. You talked on the phone. You Facebookked,

>> right? >> Sent text. So, at this point, Mr. Ro, you’re single. >> No, >> you’re not. >> No. When she when she when she when she sent me the message on Facebook, I had pictures of [music] me and my ex together. >> Mr. Roll tries to paint Miss Gallion as the aggressor who chased him online. He claims she searched him out and pursued him despite the girlfriend. Miss Gallian says she believed he was available because he acted available. Judge Lake pushes for a clear timeline and gets

half answers wrapped in ego. The details keep wobbling every time he talks. The tension rises because someone is clearly rewriting things in real time. >> We all go trips. We do vacation. So, she was well aware I was in a relationship when she hit me up. >> Connor, >> you knew that. >> She was well aware. She went through my Facebook and were able to find out where I was at, how to message me. She seen the pictures of me and my ex. >> If you had a girlfriend at the time, how

did you end up flirting and being in this full courtship thing with Miss Gadellion? Don’t get quiet now. >> Your honor, he was cheating. >> Miss Gallian says she didn’t learn about the girlfriend until after she’d already slept with him. She says it happened in his home with no protection in a space connected to that girlfriend. Judge Lake looks offended on principal like women everywhere just got disrespected at once. Mr. Ro admits he told Miss Gallian what she wanted to hear. He basically

confesses he led her on without shame. The courtroom reacts because he says it like a flex. >> Going on a relationship starting [music] and then until he told me that he had a girlfriend. >> So he tells you I have a girlfriend. >> Told me he had a girlfriend after we already had had slept together. >> Okay. Okay. I wasn’t you you when you came to my home, you know, I wasn’t paying my bills by myself. Someone else was living there. I had pictures on the wall. >> You had her at your house?

>> Yes. >> The pregnancy topic arrives like a wrecking ball. Miss Gallian says she asked him hypothetically what he’d do if she got pregnant. She claims he responded that it would ruin his life when she later told him she actually was pregnant. She says he snapped into instant denial. He starts talking about already having two kids and not wanting more. Judge Lake reminds him unprotected sex doesn’t care about preferences. When you all were having this flirtation, you thought it was a relationship budding.

He just thought it was nothing casual. When did it change? >> When he told me he had a girlfriend, I should have stepped back and just, you know, stopped completely. But then at that time, like my feelings were already, you know, starting for him and we just kept doing it. >> Miss Gallian explains why she reached out to his girlfriend with screenshots and proof. She admits she was hurt but says the girlfriend deserved the truth. Mr. Roll calls it pure spite and says she did it to destroy him. He says the

girlfriend packed up and left after that. His anger shifts fully onto Miss Gallion and he cuts her off. The relationship turns into silence and blame overnight. >> Do what we were doing and >> I wanted to leave the girl with for her. It was just I told her what the situation was and she in my mind she she understood what was going on. Then when she start catching feelings and I know she would catch feelings cuz she would buy me things, bring me food to work and I I see that she would catch feelings. I

tried to step back [music] and then next thing you know, >> your honor, he he knew that that that I was catching feelings for him. >> Judge Lake brings the focus back to responsibility after the pregnancy news. She asked if he ever provided anything or showed up in any real way. Mr. Ro says he doubted the pregnancy because Ms. Gallion was still legally married. He claims he heard rumors she was with other men. Miss Gallion says she was separated and stuck in a long divorce process. She denies sleeping with anyone

else during conception. Even after she broke me and me and my ex broke up, she continued to send pictures of um that she’s taken to my ex. Even continued to talk to her. >> You sent her the pictures, Miss Gdallian. >> That was after I found out I was pregnant. And [music] I asked him, I said, “What would you do if I was pregnant?” And he said, “It would ruin my life.” >> Miss Gallian admits she once said something about another man during an argument. She says it was a lie spoken

out of anger to hurt him back. Judge Lake points out how that single lie poured gasoline on his doubt. Mr. Roll grabs onto it like proof of everything he wants to believe. Miss Gallion insists she said it because she felt abandoned and furious. The courtroom can see how mistrust turned into a convenient escape route. >> I ain’t I wasn’t ready to have no kids. I didn’t I didn’t I ain’t want no more. >> But you were having unprotected sex. >> Yes. >> With someone other than your girlfriend?

>> Yes. >> And telling her that you had feelings for her? >> Yes. >> Okay. That math don’t add up. >> It don’t. That’s recipe for baby making. Let me make sure I’m on point with the facts. You find out you’re pregnant, you tell him. >> Judge Lake asks about the twin’s birth and whether Mr. Ro was there. Miss Gallian says he was not present for delivery at all. She says he repeatedly told her to stop contacting him, so she eventually stopped. She reveals another

man was in the hospital room instead. That man cut the umbilical cords and was involved like a partner. Mr. Roll says that proves the twins aren’t his. No, she needed she needed to know that. >> So, at that point, you were filled with guilt. [music] >> Yes. She needed to know what was going on. You know, he needed to step up to the plate and tell her, but he never was going to tell her. >> I was going to say, but you just cannot for you cannot force me to do something that I wasn’t ready for.

>> So, when you found out she sent the pictures over and now your ex knew about this, >> Judge Lake tells him that doesn’t prove anything except that he disappeared. Miss Gallian says she even asked Mr. Ro if he cared that another man might sign. She claims he basically said he didn’t care and wanted no parts. Mr. Ro now tries to spin it into she was married. It’s between her and her husband. Judge Lake points out the twist. The man on the documents isn’t the husband. It’s

Mr. Taylor, the boyfriend who stepped in. >> So I I I’m sure that it was out of spite [music] somewhat, but regardless, at this point, when you find out she’s pregnant, your ex has been informed. Do you think you’re the father at this point? >> No, because she was married. >> What? Your honor, I was in the middle of a divorce. >> Mr. Ro then tries a different angle and brings up appearance. He says he is Bohemian and claims the twins are too light to be his. He starts talking skin

tone and hair texture like it’s a live science project. Judge Lake shuts it down immediately and reminds him babies come in every shade. She tells him genetics isn’t a courtroom vibe check. She also reminds him nobody in his family slept with Ms. Galliant. That line hits hard. >> So, Mr. Ro, your point is she wasn’t completely divorced, so she may have still been having sex with >> I thought she said slept with someone else. So like in my mind, I’m sitting there like it can’t it can’t be mine.

>> Where did you hear that? >> From people I work with and also people that works and and the partner she work also. >> Had you slept with somebody else? >> No, your honor. >> Judge Lake calls for the man whose name is actually on the birth certificates. Mr. Taylor walks in calm and stands next to Miss Gallion with steady energy. He says he knew there were rumors and doubts floating around. He says he still chose to be present because the babies needed someone. He signed the paperwork

and gave them his last name. He frames it as responsibility, not competition. >> After a while of trying and trying and trying to get somebody to be there and they keep telling you to leave them alone, eventually you just leave them alone. >> In my mind, if she as another man on the birth certificate, another man was the death of the birth, another man cut the umbilical cord. So, in my mind, these these are these are not my kids. If they were my kids, I would have had some part. You would have reached out to me

at some point in time. >> Hold on now. That’s an important fact. >> Mr. Taylor explains that where he comes from, you don’t lie down and then vanish when consequences appear. He says if you choose someone, you accept what can come with that choice. He insists it was never about fighting Mr. Ro. It was about Rebecca and Gracie having a father figure from day one. Mr. Roll tries to interrupt and say Taylor didn’t know what was really happening. Taylor stays focused and refuses to get dragged into

drama. >> So you can go and have unprotected sex with his wife, but then when she gets [music] pregnant, it only has to deal with him. Your honor, he knew it wasn’t my husband at the time. We all worked in the same building. My husband worked in the same building. [music] My boyfriend worked in the same building as me and Mr. Ro. Well, Ron, ain’t this all in the family. >> Judge Lake points out the difference everyone can feel. Mr. Taylor talks about the twins with warmth and pride.

Mr. Ro avoids their eyes and speaks about them like a problem. Taylor mentions honoring family names and how identity matters to him. It’s clear this isn’t just paperwork for him. The bond he describes sounds real and lived in. The courtroom shifts from gossip energy to something heavier. >> Now you infused doubt, even more doubt into the paper. >> It’s like throwing gas on the fire. >> LET’S BE CLEAR. BUT I WILL say if it was any little point that he could have been

checked in, you gave him a reason to check out then. >> You know, I’m Bohemian. These then the babies [music] came out way too light. >> Listen, they come in all shades and colors. >> How can you just look at the children and say, >> “I got 15.” Judge Lake gives everyone a chance to speak before the results are revealed. Mr. Roll says if the twins are his, he’ll step in fully and be all they need. He thanks Mr. Taylor for helping, but makes it clear he plans to take

over. The confidence lands more like control than care. Miss Gallion’s face tightens because she’s heard promises before. Mr. Taylor watches quietly, looking protective but restrained. >> Head full of hair babies. And when these kids were born, it wasn’t like that. >> Had anybody else in your family slept with Miss Gdallion? I MEAN, I’M NOT BEING FUNNY [cheering] because [applause] if not, her DNA was not involved. So, that can’t be a predictor of what these children going to look

like. I think we need to meet the man that’s on the birth certificate. >> Mr. Taylor responds that he doesn’t want the girls to lose his last name or the relationship they’ve built. He says removing him would rip stability away from them. Mr. Roll says if the DNA matches, Taylor’s name is coming off those papers. Now, it turns into a pride battle. The man who raised them versus the man who might share blood. Judge Lake looks tired of the ego contest and redirects to what the twins need. She

reminds them children aren’t trophies. >> These beautiful children when they were born and you were also at the hospital when Miss Gadellian delivered. >> I was um me and Sarah had built a relationship. Um I knew she was pregnant. I obviously I knew they weren’t mine. There was rumors that say they were Willies. There was rumors saying that they weren’t Willies. After our relationship built, I didn’t care. I just knew that the man wasn’t around. Judge Lake lays out the core issue in

plain term. Two little girls deserve to know their biological father. They also deserve consistency in adults who don’t run when things get hard. Miss Gallion looks torn because she wants truth, but fears the fallout. Mr. Taylor looks anxious, like he’s bracing for loss. Mr. Roll looks locked in, but the tension in his jaw gives him away. >> So, when you and Miss Gdelian started to form a relationship, you decided you wanted to give these children your last name. >> I did. Where I come from, you don’t lay

down with a woman without protection or anything like that unless you’re willing to understand that babies can have sit and deny when a woman comes up to you and says, “These children may be yours, >> but you didn’t you you didn’t know what was going on between us.” >> Judge Lake asks for the results and the envelope enters like it’s made of pressure. She warns them this ends the rumors, the social media spying, and the someone told me excuses. She tells them

science doesn’t care about pride. Mr. Roll stares forward like he’s trying to stay unshaken. Mr. Taylor clenches his hand, eyes fixed on the judge. Miss Gallian’s eyes shine like she’s trying not to break. >> Their minds I could be I’m I’m the only man that they need in their life. I appreciate what he did, but I can do it all myself. >> Anything [music] else you’d like to add, Mr. Taylor? Miss Gadellion, >> I don’t want them to lose my license.

They It’s coming off their birth certific. >> Judge Lake opens the envelope and the courtroom goes still. She begins reading slowly, naming the case and the five-month-old twins, Rebecca and Gracie. No one breathes because everyone knows this sentence flips lives. Every message, every rumor, every accusation, and every night of silence built up to this. Mr. Roll holds his face hard like he’s daring the paper to challenge him. Mr. Taylor looks like he’s praying without moving his lips. Miss Gallion

grips herself together for whatever comes next. >> These results were prepared by DNA Diagnostics and they read as follows. In the case of Ro versus Gadellion, when it comes to fivemon-old twins, Rebecca and [music] Gracie Taylor, it has been determined by this court. Mr. Ro, you are their father. One time I go up to her job to see her at work taking some lunch and um I seen her get out of the other guy’s car and I got her cell phone and I seen that they’ve been in she been in a whole

another relationship with this other guy. >> Her name is Gyra. She has my birth certificate. No, >> she has my mother’s name. Gyra Ireie Monae Lever Brown is supposed to be her name. >> The episode opens with instant friction as Miss Butes Mr. Wilson, 48, in paternity court. He’s refusing to claim two little girls, four-year-old Zarya and 19-month-old Nana. Mr. Wilson says he’s not their father because Miss Butler was unfaithful the entire time. He accuses her of flirting, sending

explicit messages, and seeing other men during both pregnancies. Miss Butler is furious and says he needs to stop denying his daughters. Wilson, you’ve opened this case to prove you are not the biological father of Miss Butler’s two daughters, four-year-old Zariah and 19month-old Nana. Claim Miss Butler had sexual encounters with other men around each [music] pregnancy, and you are certain you did not father either child. Is that correct? >> Correct. >> Judge Lake jumps in quickly and pins the

claim down to one core issue. She asks Mr. Wilson if his denial is based entirely on her alleged cheating. He answers yes without hesitation and calls her a constant liar. Miss Butler fires back that both kids are his and she’s sure of it. The arguing is sharp and fast and neither one gives an inch. Judge Lake watches closely already sensing this will get messy. >> All on the internet. I mean, you know, um go to the apartment. Everybody talking about who she messing with. >> So you say these kids aren’t yours?

>> No, they’re not mine. They’re not mine. Not at all. >> And Miss Butler, you say he’s absolutely incorrect. Yes, these kids is definitely his. >> So, let me ask you this cuz it’s it’s it’s right here in McCoy. >> Miss Butler insists there’s no possibility anyone else could be the father. She says they were always together and she wasn’t sleeping around like he claims. Mr. Wilson counters with a moment he says he can’t forget. He claims he saw her step out of another

man’s car while they were still together. Miss Butler tries to downplay it and says it wasn’t a relationship. Mr. Wilson cuts her off and says she needs to stop lying. your relationship and since there are two children here and you question paternity relating to both of them I want to start with one child and then we’ll move on to the next child so we’ll make sure the testimony is understandable okay so let’s start with Zariah can you take me to the nature of your relationship around the

time Zariah was conceived where were you in your relationship >> then Mr. Wilson brings up messages he says he personally read. He claims she was calling another man daddy and sending him nude photos. He adds that some of those were the same photos she had sent to him. Miss Butler admits she did send sexy pictures, but calls it a one-time mistake. Judge Lake pauses and asks if she really sent the same photos to more than one man. Miss Butler admits she did, though she tries to minimize how many.

>> Kind of different, though. >> Oh, you can’t be in a committed relationship unless you live together. >> I mean, I did love him though. I really did. But >> no, she didn’t. I did love you, but I just >> I mean, if you love me, you wouldn’t have never I mean get called at work with another guy and I read the text messages calling him daddy and all that stuff. And >> the courtroom gets louder when Miss Butler reveals another detail that makes things worse. She admits she attempted

to have sex with someone else while still with Mr. Wilson. She says it didn’t fully happen because they stopped before anything was finished. Mr. Wilson looks shocked and asks how someone can try to have sex and still claim it doesn’t count. Judge Lake shakes her head and says she can’t believe what she’s hearing. Miss Butler’s defense starts collapsing under her own admissions. >> So, Mr. Wilson, how did you even find out Miss Butler was pregnant with Zariah because she’s admitting to everything

you saying? >> Yeah. So, but we were still in close contact, you know, and I thought, like I said, um I gave her another chance and she talking about she wasn’t going to do it no more and you know, doing the lying like she always would do. She a habitual liar and um I thought we was being back together. So, after we had the baby, you know, I thought we was going to start all over brand new. >> Mr. Wilson says these moments destroyed his trust long before court ever happened. He explains the day Miss

Butler told him she missed a period and he told her to take a pregnancy test. When she returned saying she was pregnant with Zarya, he says doubt instantly hit him. He claims he suspected from the beginning that the baby wasn’t his. Miss Butler insists they were together constantly and there’s no reason to doubt. The tension rises because both sound certain, but the stories don’t match. >> They got phones at the hospital. They got a way to get in contact. She had called me to 3 hours later after the

baby was >> Wait a minute. You went to the hospital. You in a relationship and you went to the hospital and had the baby without even letting him know. >> Didn’t let me know. The other guy must be a nurse. >> Like I said, I didn’t have my phone. What are you talking about? >> Mr. Wilson says the labor situation made him even more suspicious. He claims he wasn’t told she was in labor until hours later. He says he didn’t even know she was at the hospital at the time it was

happening. Miss Butler says she lost her phone during labor and couldn’t reach him. Mr. Wilson rejects that explanation and says she didn’t call because she didn’t want him there. He insists he was making space for the other man. >> Told her the last name would be Wilson, my last name. So the next day I go to the hospital cuz they had they took the baby to another hospital. Come back here, go back there. The lady gave us our paperwork. It’s back Butler. So I asked him like

>> because you’ve been denying the baby. That’s why. So why would her name be your [music] last name? >> Judge Lake presses Miss Butler about the hospital timeline to see if it makes sense. Miss Butler repeats that she didn’t have her phone and couldn’t contact him. Judge Lake responds with skepticism and asks if no one around her had access to a phone. The courtroom laughs awkwardly because the excuse sounds too convenient. Judge Lake’s expression says she’s not buying it

easily. Miss Butler looks cornered as the questions keep tightening. >> So I know for sure like really for [music] real. Like >> so if Mr. Wilson is not Zariah’s biological father, do you know who is? >> No. The kids is his though. I don’t I I’m not thinking that. The kids is his. know there’s no other possibly possible father. >> Then the birth certificate becomes the next big dispute. Mr. Wilson says hospital staff asked for the baby’s last name and he told them to put Wilson. He

claims he checked later and discovered Zarya’s last name was recorded as Butler. Miss Butler argues that’s because he was denying the child from the start. She says she wasn’t going to give the baby his name while he refused to be consistent. The courtroom quiets because the detail suggests long-term conflict, not a sudden breakup. Judge Lake looks irritated by how chaotic this has been for a child. You’re not. >> Yeah, she said it. I’m not the daddy. >> Oh my gosh. That’s crazy.

>> It’s not crazy. >> Zariah. >> Yeah, she’s not my baby. >> That’s crazy. >> I’ve been telling you for >> he is not Zariah’s biolog. >> Judge Lake asked Mr. Wilson what role he played in Zarya’s life despite his doubts. He says he raised her and she called him daddy even while he questioned biology. Then he adds a strange reason for his suspicion that makes the room react. He says her eyebrows look too thick and none of his children have eyebrows like that. The

courtroom struggles not to laugh because it sounds absurd as evidence. Judge Lake looks at him like she can’t believe she has to address eyebrow testimony. >> Testimony, didn’t we, girl? >> But I did thought the both of the kids was yours. Like we always had sex without no condoms. That’s why I don’t understand. But Nana is definitely yours though. >> Lottery, ma’am. >> No, Nana is definitely yours. Let me compose myself cuz I want to get the information on Nana because I do want

her to know who her biological father is. Miss Butler says it hurts because he should already know those girls are his. She tells him she loved him and still has feeling and she claims they were intimate constantly. Mr. Wilson shakes his head and says frequency doesn’t matter when trust is broken. He repeats that she was involved with more than one man. Judge Lake warns Miss Butler that one encounter with someone else can change everything. The judge’s tone makes it clear excuses won’t undo

biology. >> Everybody running out the house. I caught a guy over there one time. I knocked on the door. She trying to hide a dude in the bathroom. Um um it’s I mean multiple occasion. I mean >> it was not no multiple. You only seen one thing? >> I only seen it one time, but everybody tell me. EVERYBODY TELL ALL APARTMENT. >> I’M ALWAYS IN THE HOUSE. What you talking about? >> That’s where you do all your nasty stuff at in the house. >> Judge Lake announces the court has the

DNA results and the room stiffens. She begins reading the findings in Wilson versus Butler. When it comes to four-year-old Zarya, she states Mr. Wilson is not the father. The courtroom reacts with gas and stunned silence. Miss Butler’s face freezes like her mind can’t accept it yet. Mr. Wilson looks grimly unsurprised. >> We wear fast and you steady having sex with her with no pro protection and potentially making babies. >> Yeah, I I thought about that and I was wrong. I I thought we can get back

together cuz she always tell we’re going to get back together and um I wanted a family. You know what I’m saying? Cuz we already got the my two kids and you know >> so this is all GOING ON DURING HOLD ON. >> Miss Butler whispers that it makes no sense and stares ahead in disbelief. Mr. Wilson shakes his head and says he’s been saying it for 4 years. The reality lands heavy as the noise fades out. The courtroom goes quiet in a way that feels uncomfortable and sad. It’s not just a

result. It’s years of doubt suddenly turning into fact. And now everyone is left facing what that means for Zarya and Nana moving forward. >> Has been determined by this court. Mr. Wilson, you are the father. [applause] >> Yeah, Mr. Righteous. You done missed 19 months of that little baby’s life. >> Well, I can make up for it. >> Yeah, you better start making up for it now. Both of you all better start making up for some stuff. >> Miss Harris steps into court with a

problem that sounds impossible until you hear it out loud. Two different men are convinced they fathered her 18-month-old daughter, Ana Yaya. Her current boyfriend, Mr. Murray, is claiming the baby. Her ex, Mr. Donaldelsson, is also claiming the baby. Miss Harris says she’s here for the truth, not more arguing. The tension is thick before anyone even takes a breath. Paris, you have been caught in a love triangle. There are two men in court today claiming to have fathered your 18-month-old daughter, Annayiah. Your

current boyfriend, the plaintiff, Mr. Murray, and the defendant, your ex-boyfriend, Mr. Donaldson. >> Miss Harris explains her history with Mr. Donaldson, and it’s painful. She says he walked away when she told him she was pregnant. According to her, he said he had feelings for another girl and chose that instead. She says he showed up for the baby shower in the birth but skipped the pregnancy journey that left her carrying everything alone when she needed support most. The betrayal sits heavy in the room.

>> Why is that? Let’s talk about these relationships. Tell me about your relationship with Mr. Donaldson. [music] >> From my understanding, we was dating. But then when I got pregnant, he told me he had feelings for another girl and he told me that he didn’t want to be with me. So I was basically alone during my pregnancy. He was there during the baby shower and came to the hospital [music] with his mom. >> Mr. Donaldson admits something that makes the courtroom react immediately.

He says when she first told him she was pregnant, he didn’t believe her. He thought she was using a pregnancy claim to keep him from leaving. Miss Harris looks stunned hearing him say it so casually. Judge Lake’s expression tightens because the accusation is cruel. The emotional damage becomes clearer with every sentence. >> You your stomach aren’t 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. >> By that time, it was too late. She was like big. I hadn’t [music] seen her in so long. >> Mr. Donaldelson says he only accepted it once her stomach started showing. He frames it like he needed proof before taking it seriously. Miss Harris looks frustrated because by then she’d already suffered through months of doubt. She says the support she needed didn’t arrive when it mattered. Mr. Donaldson shrugs like that delay is normal. The gap between their realities feels

massive. >> Oh, because you could tell then she is pregnant. >> Yeah. >> Okay. And did you accept at that time that you were the father of the baby? You did. You acknowledged it and you accepted. Yes, I did. >> Were you active in the doctor’s appointments? Did you go to those? >> Even Mr. Donaldelsson’s family was out of the loop, and that sparks another layer of drama. Miss Harris says his mother didn’t find out until 5 months into the pregnancy. What’s worse is Mr.

Donaldson didn’t even tell her himself. She says his father was the one who finally said something. His mother sits with a look that mixes embarrassment and disappointment. The silence suggests that family communication has been broken for a long time. >> I did not find out about it until she was about 5 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 [music] that’s what Chassidy stated, that he was the dad.

>> At what point, Mr. Donaldson, did you say, “Mom, I have something I have to tell you.” >> Mr. Donaldelson claims he’s only seen Annie a few times, and he blames circumstances. He says it was hard to be around as often as he wanted. Miss Harris hears that and looks like she’s done accepting excuses. Judge Lake seems unimpressed because effort is measurable. The room feels stuck between I tried and you didn’t show up. Anya’s absence from his life becomes its own

evidence. >> And your family has accepted the baby. >> Yes. Accept her. 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? >> Then Mr. Murray shifts the entire case with one confession. He admits there was a threesome with Miss Harris in December. He also says there was no protection involved. The courtroom goes silent in that stunned uncomfortable way. Miss Harris looks tense because

that detail complicates everything. Judge Lake’s face says this just became a timeline puzzle. >> We had a situation [music] December 14th. >> What’s a situation? >> Three. >> Oh, I didn’t expect you to say that. Okay. Wait, wait, that’s December. And you didn’t use protection during that? I don’t know what y’all out here doing. >> Mr. Murray’s mother, Miss Weaver, enters the story and the tension doubles. She says she learned about the threesome and

the pregnancy around March or April. She confronted her son, then confronted Miss Harris, trying to make sense of it. Miss Harris told her Mr. Murray wasn’t the father based on conception dates. Miss Weaver doesn’t fully trust that explanation, and you can see why. Two mothers are now trying to clean up their son’s chaos >> after the threesome. [music] >> Yeah. And then like around I want to say March or April, we found out that Chassity 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 Chastity told him no. And then I went to Chastity and I asked her. You did? Yes. >> And what did she say? >> She [music] said that no, it wasn’t. >> So you told Miss Weaver the baby was not Mr. Murray’s. You told her that. >> That was because of the date of conception that the doctor told. >> Miss Weaver says her doubts started changing as she spent time with Anna. She claims the baby resembles Mr. Murray

in a way she can’t ignore. She describes facial features and expressions that feel familiar. Miss Harris looks uncomfortable because resemblance arguments can become emotional traps. Mr. Murray clings to that resemblance like it’s proof. The room starts leaning into the she looks like him debate even though it’s not science >> certain but you just felt like based upon your experience Mr. Donaldson I really believe you’re the father you told Mr. Murray you’re not okay so now

Annayia is 18 months old who’s in her life as father who does she bond with as father >> Mr. Murray Mr. Murray >> Miss Weaver takes it further by pulling out baby photos to compare she says the similarities between an eye and Mr. Murray are obvious. The comparison becomes the courtroom’s new obsession for a moment. Mr. Donaldson oddly agrees with the resemblance even though he’s being pushed to the side. Miss Harris looks overwhelmed because the focus keeps shifting away from facts. Judge

Lake brings the attention back to testing because opinions won’t settle paternity. >> Annayia to see Mr. Donaldson and his mother as well. He moved out of state though. Mr. Donaldson moved out of state. Yes. Well, he told me. Did you, Mr. Donald? >> Yes, I did. >> Okay. >> The first DNA results arrive and the courtroom braces. Judge Lake reads that Mr. Donaldson is not Anya’s father. A wave of reaction moves through the room, part relief and part shock. Miss Harris

looks stunned, but also like she expected pain either way. Mr. Donaldson’s face tightens because a belief he clung to just snap. The bigger mystery remains, and it’s hanging in the air. >> In the case of Murray versus Gerald Donaldson, when it comes to 18mon-old Annayiah Harris, it has been determined by this court. Mr. Gerald Donaldson, you are not the father. >> Then the second DNA result lands like a final hit. Judge Lake announces Mr. Murray is also not the father. The entire courtroom freezes because now

both confident claims are wrong. Miss Harris looks like the ground just disappeared under her feet. Miss Weaver stares forward, shaken because the resemblance meant nothing in the end. The truth is out, but it opens a heavier question about who Anya’s father really is. >> Miss Harris. [laughter] It’s okay. It’s okay. It’s okay. It’s okay. I got it. >> It’s okay. We got you. >> I don’t want to be on the camera no more. No. >> This is um a very [music] tough result

for Terrace. And as I said earlier, some of the adult activities engage