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Utah Judge Takes Foster Child Away From Gay Parents, Gives To Straight Parents So It Will Be "Better Off"

Everyone from the child's biological mother to the state's division of Child and Family Services disagrees with the decision.

A married same-sex couple in Utah plan to fight a judge's recent decision to have their newly-adopted baby taken away simply because he believes same-sex couples are unfit for parenting.

Related: Gay Parents Spend A LOT More Time With Their Kids, Study Reveals

April Hoagland and Beckie Peirce told KUTV that Judge Scott Johansen ordered the baby be removed from their home within seven days so it can be placed in a foster home with heterosexual parents, citing nothing more specific than "a myriad" of studies he claims to have read that suggest children of straight parents are better off than children of gay parents.

Hoagland and Peirce adopted the baby in order to expand their family. In the interview below, they say they wanted Beckie's two adolescent children, whom they are also raising, to have a younger sibling.

"We are shattered," said April. "It hurts me really badly because I haven't done anything wrong."

Beckie added that they believe Judge Johansen's decision was influenced by his religious beliefs, which he is now imposing on the couple. "He's never been in our home, never spent time with the child in our home or out other children so he doesn't know anything about this," she said.

The couple plans to find an attorney to help repeal the judge's decision, but they already have unwavering support from both the child's biological mother and Brent Platt, Director of the state's Division of Child and Family Services.

An attorney for the child's biological mother told KUTV that she supports the baby's placement with Hoagland and Peirce and will fight to see it through.

Thought Platt says he doesn't intend to disobey the judge's order, he plans on having his division's attorneys look into it. "Any loving couple if they are legally married, and meet the requirements, we want them to be involved," he said.

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