Florida Father Battles for Custody of Daughter He Was Told Had Died

• Brandon Marteliz is battling for custody of his daughter, Amiya, after being told she had died at birth but was actually put up for adoption.
• The mother claimed the child died from sudden infant death syndrome, but court documents revealed she had consented to adoption a day after birth.
• A Florida judge ruled against Marteliz's custody due to lack of financial/medical support and absence from the birth certificate and putative father registry.

Brandon Marteliz, a Florida father, is embroiled in a heart-wrenching custody battle for his daughter, Amiya, who he initially believed had died at birth.

The mother, without Marteliz's knowledge, had put their daughter up for adoption, misleading him to believe the child succumbed to sudden infant death syndrome. However, a Florida judge denied Marteliz custody, citing his absence from the birth certificate and the putative father registry, and lack of financial or medical support during the pregnancy.

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Marteliz, unaware of these developments, was shocked to learn his daughter was alive and had been adopted. Despite his efforts, including setting up a room for Amiya and expressing willingness to provide support, the legal system's decision favored the adoption process. His struggle highlights the complex challenges unmarried fathers face in asserting parental rights, especially when not listed on birth certificates or putative father registries. Marteliz's case, unfortunately, closed with his daughter being adopted by another family, but he remains determined to fight for his rights and calls for reforms to protect fathers in similar situations.

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