This Morning viewers have criticised a woman who wants to track down twin babies she bought online 18 years ago.
In 2001, Judith Kilshaw was labelled “Britain’s most hated woman” as she and her ex-husband Alan hit headlines after admitting they paid more than £8,000 to buy two baby girls online from America.
However, the press and public turned against the pair after another couple claimed custody of the twins and insisted they had already paid for the babies.
Despite this, Judith and Alan still brought the babies back to the UK, but the identical twins were later taken into care and now Judith is hoping to get back in touch with the girls.
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Alan – who at the time went to the papers to tell them about the twins they bought – died in December 2018 and was never reunited with the girls, who the couple named Kimberley and Belinda before they were taken away.
Now adults, the twins have remained anonymous since they returned to the United States.
Judith told hosts Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford that Alan had a “dying wish” to see the girls to try and make contact.
She said: “I stayed out of their lives because I wanted them to have a stable upbringing until they were old enough to make their own decisions.
“I don’t want to force myself on them but if they want to contact me I would be willing and happy to meet them and talk about the past.”
Judith claimed they didn’t ‘buy’ the twins, but instead paid an £8,000 agency fee without realising the girls’ biological mother had already placed them with a couple in the States.
Eamonn asked Judith: “After all these years, they’re in their 20s now and going to university, do you think it’s a good idea to make contact? Do you think they want to make contact with you?”
Judith replied: “Well, if they want to make contact they can find me. I’m sure someone in America will know where we are.
“Whether they know the whole story or bits of the story, I don’t know. But if they want to make contact with me or give an address, a middle man can use it and put us in touch.
“I think they maybe want to get in touch.”
When asked how difficult it was to have the babies taken away from her, Judith said: “Very difficult. There wasn’t time to say goodbye. It was just so quick and instant.
“It tore the family apart. It caused a lot of heartache.”
Viewers watching from home were divided over Judith’s story.
One person said: “This lady who bought twins is absolutely disgusting, it’s 100% immoral. Why not go through the right channels to adopt, there are thousands of children needing a loving home.”
@thismorning this lady who brought twins is absolutely disgusting it’s 100% immoral why not go through the right channels to adopt there are thousands of children needing a loving home cause I’ve been told lately I can’t have children and this story upsets me #ThisMorning
— jessyoung (@jessicayoung27) 20 February 2019
Another wrote: “‘I want to be reunited with the twins I bought online.’ #ThisMorning,” followed by a meme which said “really?”.
‘I want to be reunited with the twins I bought online.’ #ThisMorning pic.twitter.com/dAplmd7MZK
— CeCe 🐱 (@_Ce_Ce__) 20 February 2019
A third tweeted: “Bought kids online. Wow why not go down the proper adoption route #ThisMorning just leave them to there lives not get it back over the media again, it’s not fair on them.”
Bought kids online 😳😳😳 wow why not go down the proper adoption route #ThisMorning just leave them to there lives not get it back over the media again , it’s not fair on them.
— Ursula ❤❤ (@ursulaamanda) 20 February 2019
However, one person said: “Regarding the twins in America I think it’s only fair everyone gets the truth and closure on it all.”
@thismorning Regarding the twins in America I think it’s only fair everyone gets the truth and closure on it all. Sad story, David x
— Enduring Mental Health (@emhorg) 20 February 2019
Another added: “What a sad story – hoping the girls want to get in touch.”
#ThisMorning what a sad story – hoping the girls what to get in touch xx
— Alison McEwan (@Alisonali77) 20 February 2019
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