I-TEAM questions key attorney in Liberty's adoption case

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The I-TEAM continues to press for answers in our investigation: Saving Baby Liberty. Today, there was a hearing and we were at the courthouse. It's a process the law shrouds in secrecy to protect children and families, but we had a chance to question a key attorney in the adoption case.

Summer Boyd is a private adoption attorney who represented Christopher and Shonna Hornback when they were awarded custody of Liberty Belle Phillips -- despite their history of domestic violence and despite Christopher having an outstanding warrant for his arrest.

All along, the I-TEAM has been asking who knew what about Christopher's criminal history when he was awarded Liberty. We've been calling and emailing Boyd since November to ask these questions and today, we saw her as she arrived at the courthouse.

"Hey Summer, I'm Lynnsey Gardner with Channel 4. We were curious why you knew about the outstanding warrant for Chris Hornback's arrest but you didn't tell the judge?"

"No comment," Boyd responded.

"Why would you find Chris and Shonna Hornback would be good parents for Liberty, given the facts that you knew, but maybe others didn't?" we asked.

"No comment," she said again.

"Why are you, do you think Liberty's even safe right now?" we asked Boyd.

The I-TEAM did not get any response to the question.

Today's hearing was in reference to Liberty's adoption case. As the I-TEAM has reported, Liberty was transferred to her paternal uncle and aunt, Chris and Shonna Hornback, in September. At that time, Summer Boyd was the Hornbacks' private adoption attorney.

Boyd also became Liberty's adoption entity -- a legal term meaning Boyd is responsible for carrying out Liberty's private adoption to the Hornbacks under Florida law. That's now on hold as the judge reexamines the case.

Liberty was ripped from her home with her maternal uncle and aunt, Keenan and Ginger Phillips, after 10 months. It was a home the guardian ad litem found Liberty was "thriving" in -- with Ginger and Keenan and their son, Colton.

The focus of our ongoing I-TEAM reports has been how Liberty could be taken from a home with relatives deemed safe and loving and moved to other family with a documented history of abuse -- especially an uncle with an outstanding warrant for his arrest in Jacksonville?

All along we've wanted to know: Who knew about Christopher Hornback's history?

We've uncovered the home studies -- that are required by the state to place children in homes -- only disqualify convicted felons and don't include criminal arrest reports in them. It's something the Department of Children and Families is looking to change following our investigation.

Meanwhile, days after Liberty was transferred to Christopher's care, we know Summer Boyd filed to be his criminal defense attorney to get the outstanding warrant for arrest recalled, and a judge agreed.

The Hornback home -- which is actually Shonna's parents' legal home, but where the couple now also live with another child -- is where Liberty remains for Christmas.

After today's hearing, Boyd wasn't the only one keeping quiet. No one -- not the attorneys and not the family members -- would speak with us. We have to assume the judge ordered them to remain silent as the court considers Liberty's future.