ATLANTIC BEACH, Fla. -- Dawn Scott fought back tears Saturday as she handed over the 3½-year-old boy that she has raised since birth to his biological mother, but collapsed in the street as the van carrying the child sped away.

"How can they do this to a little boy?" she screamed several times as she was comforted by family and friends.

Evan, bundled in a blue jacket and sucking on a pacifier, was carried outside by Scott who cared for the child for most of his life along with her husband, Gene. The couple had appealed a judge's ruling transferring custody to the biological mother.

Evan was placed in a car seat in a van driven by Michael Hopkins, the husband of the child's biological mother, Amanda Hopkins, and the child was whisked away.

News crews had gathered around the Scotts' home Saturday morning in anticipation of the meeting, and the biological father and grandfather pushed a television cameraman out of the way during the transition.

The Scotts had appealed Friday to the 1st District Court of Appeal in Tallahassee, asking for permission to keep the child.

Attorney Garrett Barket, who represents the biological father, said he had been told the appeals court turned down the emergency appeal, although the Scotts attorney said she hadn't heard from the court.

The transfer, which took only minutes, was ordered late last month by Florida Circuit Judge Waddell Wallace of nearby Jacksonville.

The child, who could be heard wailing inside the home before the transfer but appeared calm inside the van, was reunited with Hopkins, whose husband is in the Navy in Illinois.

As her son was filmed inside the van, Hopkins told photographers, "Leave him alone. He's just a little boy."

The boy's biological father, Stephen A. White Jr., and his parents had flown to Florida to give emotional support to Hopkins, Barket said. He said the Whites, the Hopkins and Evan had lunch together after the transfer Saturday.

"He was happy," Barket said. "He was playing and smiling," Elaine Lucas, an attorney representing Hopkins, has said she would not comment on the transfer.

Gene Scott called it a "very emotional, traumatic situation" and said the family would continue their legal fight.

"He seemed to think it was a visit. We tried and tried and tell him it wasn't a visit ... it was for a long time," Gene Scott said. "We grieve not for ourselves; we grieve for Evan, because we know he's the one who's going to suffer through all of this."

Susan Pniewski, an attorney representing the Scotts, said she hopes the 1st District Court of Appeal would consider a separate appeal involving the little boy.

The case began about 3½ years ago when the childless Scotts met Hopkins, who was pregnant. She agreed to a private adoption, according to court files.

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Scotts Break Down, Lash Out After Evan Was Driven Away

The Scotts watched Evan's birth in May 2001, and he was placed with them two days later.

According to court documents released in the case, the couple agreed to return Evan to his biological mother if the adoption failed. The Scotts dispute they "expressly" promised to return the boy.

The adoption was supposed to be final in August 2001. But a month before that, the boy's biological father filed a motion demanding custody. The Scotts claimed White should not be able to block the adoption, but a judge disagreed.

Hopkins supported the adoption until it appeared the court might grant White's request for custody. Late last month she was awarded custody and White was given liberal visitation rights.

The decision reverberated through Evan's neighborhood.

Carl Moodispaugh, 37, who lives in the Scotts' cul-de-sac, said his 8-year-old stepson, Christopher, often played 'Hot Wheels' with Evan, and the youngster was like a little brother to his son.

"It is like one of our kids being ripped from us," Moodispaugh said.

Pat Pillmore, a retiree who lives across the street from the family, said Evan was always a presence at neighborhood cookouts and would be missed.

"This neighborhood is a family," Pillmore said. "I don't know what we're going to do."

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