The Liberty Godparent HomeA facility for young, unmarried, pregnant women is standing by its actions in the face of claims of pressure and influence. A new podcast titled ‘Liberty Lost’ claims that some of the young women who have gone through the home felt urged to give their children up for adoption.
The Godparent Home is located on Liberty Mountain Drive in Lynchburg. This maternity home was established by Jerry Falwell Sr. in 1982 as part of a pro-life initiative at Thomas Road Baptist Church.
Now, it’s the center of the podcast, ‘Liberty Lost.’
Over the past two years, I have been examining the maternity home following interactions with multiple residents who were pregnant teenagers at the facility during the 1990s and in 2008,” said investigative journalist and podcast host T.J. Raphael. “I have also spoken with former staff members who are now speaking out for the first time, along with a former CPS investigator who worked in Lynchburg. All of my sources have highlighted various concerns regarding the operations at the maternity home.”
A former participant in the show, Abbi Johnson, became pregnant when she was just 16 years old.
“Learning that I was pregnant was traumatic and unexpected, and something I wasn’t mentally, socially, or emotionally prepared for,” Johnson said.
Johnson’s parents sent her to the Liberty Godparent Home across the country, with the assurance of a scholarship to Liberty University once everything was settled.
I truly can’t express the feeling of being left behind, fear, and detachment that comes with your family abandoning you, while referring to it as something positive, like “it’s good for you,” and “this is a plan,”” she said. “I was brought up in an evangelical household, and my mom was a pro-life supporter. I had always believed that becoming pregnant before marriage was the worst possible thing that could happen… My mom telling me, ‘You’re going to a maternity home,’ was a shock I still haven’t fully come to terms with.”
Johnson stated that she wished to retain custody of her son. Nevertheless, she believed the home had already chosen to proceed with an adoption.
ABC13’s Rachel Branning questioned, “Did you ever truly sense that you had a choice?”
No,” Johnson responded. “I felt like I was placed in extremely scary situations where I had to explain to an adult who held a different viewpoint how I believed I could manage it. That’s the scenario they would create for me, and usually, with multiple adults present, they’d ask, ‘How do you plan to do this?’ Then they’d respond with negativity… It never seemed like they were saying, ‘Here are your choices. What do you decide?’ Instead, it always felt like an attack from everyone, ‘How do you think you’re going to pull this off?’
The Godparent Home refused ABC13’s request for an interview. However, they provided a statement that says:
Since 1982, the Liberty Godparent Foundation has provided support to numerous young women by offering housing, guidance, and educational materials that promote informed parenting and voluntary adoption with kindness and care. For many years, its essential role in aiding Central Virginia has been acknowledged. Our team and volunteers dedicate themselves to this mission and have established a reputation as a reliable source and community resource. They have consistently shown compassion and honesty to everyone who has reached out for help. We disagree with the statements made by this tabloid podcast, which we consider to be careless reporting aimed at damaging this crucial work and downplaying the significance and impact of pro-life organizations.
Johnson stated that although she had a caseworker, she did not feel supported while at home.
I felt constantly discouraged,” she said. “In essence, I realized from how I was treated, being delayed so often, that the choices regarding my pregnancy would be made near the end of my pregnancy. They had various explanations for this, one being, ‘There are many girls and not enough staff. You have to wait your turn. There’s a process and you’re in line. You’re not at the front of the line.’
While residing at the home, Johnson mentioned that 20 girls passed through, with two social workers available.
It didn’t happen often that you had the chance to talk to someone about your circumstances, and you weren’t permitted to discuss your situation with any of the other staff or the other girls,” Johnson said. “Receiving support regarding your pregnancy, especially someone who took the time to talk to you about your baby, yourself, and your situation, was a rare event. The only person I truly felt cared about how I was feeling was the doctor. I remember it very clearly—it was the first time someone asked, ‘How are you doing? Are you okay?’
Raphael stated that, in theory, maternity homes can be beneficial, particularly in the post-Roe era. However, the home should not be connected to any adoption agencies.
I aim to highlight the ways in which vulnerable pregnant women are supported—or often not supported. The women showcased in ‘Liberty Lost’ had already decided against terminating their pregnancies and wished to raise their children, yet they faced constant obstacles in doing so. As maternity homes become more common nationwide, I believe they are a positive concept in theory, but problems arise when they are connected to adoption agencies, promote beliefs such as “No single woman should be a parent,” or suggest that “it’s wrong to require government help” or “it’s improper to become a single mother.” This is where ethical concerns emerge, she stated.
According to city records, the Godparent Home shares an address with the Family Life Services Adoption Agency. As perThomas Road Baptist Church’s official website, they established Family Life Services in 1983.
“These women deserved support and genuine alternatives to raise and care for their children if that was their desire,” Raphael stated.
I didn’t know a single girl living there who thought about having an abortion, and the only goal they had was to keep us apart from our children,” Johnson said. “It wasn’t about ensuring our babies survived; it was about determining who was a suitable mother. They made up their minds that because we weren’t married, we weren’t fit to be mothers. If someone is telling you that you aren’t deserving of your own child, that message isn’t loving or healthy at all.
ABC13 contacted TRBC several times for a statement regarding the claims made in the podcast, but did not receive any reply. We also requested that the Godparent Home connect us with residents who had favorable experiences at the facility, but we have yet to get a response.
Johnson and Raphael stated that for them, expressing their views and demanding responsibility from both state and local officials is the path ahead.
Help individuals feel that they have a say and that they are not overlooked,” Raphael stated. “Our goal with the podcast is to seek responsibility, but I believe it also relies on the people who reside in the community to take action as well.
I’ve received a lot of feedback on my TikTok page and other social media platforms, from many women across the country and even internationally, who have gone through forced, pressured, or shamed adoption and have permanently lost contact with their child. I’ve heard a lot of people saying they feel seen and connected, and many have told me that it has helped them escape a lot of sadness and isolation,” Johnson said. “There’s definitely a sense of sisterhood there, which is unfortunately something I don’t want to share with them, but we don’t share with anyone else. It has been very meaningful and powerful for me.”
You may listen to the podcast viaclicking here. You can also locate it on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
