PINELLAS PARK, Fla. — A Pinellas Park woman is accused of scamming a Nebraska couple out of an adoption.
- Ceara Stowe, 26, appeared before judge Thursday
- Authorities say she entered adoption agreement with couple, then lied about birth date
- Suspect's mother now has custody of the newborn twins
Deputies say the woman lied about when she gave birth to squeeze more money out of the couple and then decided to keep the twins.
Investigators say the couple didn't find out they were being scammed until they showed up at the hospital for a birth that already happened days earlier.
Ceara Stowe, 26, made her first appearance before a Pinellas County judge Thursday.
Stowe was arrested Wednesday on two counts of felony adoption deception.
Ceara Stowe, 26, has been jailed. (Pinellas County Sheriff's Office)
Deputies say that last December, while Stowe was in the Pinellas jail on a felony robbery charge, the inmate entered into an agreement with a Nebraska couple to adopt her unborn twins.
Stowe told the couple she was scheduled to give birth in June.
Deputies say Stowe requested $2,100 on May 29 to help pay for bills.
The couple paid it through their adoption agency only to find out that Stowe had already given birth three days earlier.
According to the arrest report, when hospital staff asked about the adoption Stowe said she intended on keeping the twins.
Now that Stowe is back in jail, deputies say her 50-year-old mother took custody of the newborn twins.
Spectrum Bay News 9 was unable to reach that Nebraska couple.