HAMILTON COUNTY, Ohio — When he was 12, Robert Carter went into foster care in Hamilton County, Ohio, and didn't see some of his younger siblings for years.
But when he was old enough, Carter reconnected with his family. He was granted custody of his sister and became the guardian of his brother.
Carter wanted to make sure his family was together.
Friday, Carter kept another family together when he adopted siblings Marionna, Makayla, Robert, Giovanni and Kiontae in Hamilton County.
He said he didn't want the siblings to be separated.
“When permanent custody was awarded to JFS (Hamilton County Job & Family Services), the five siblings were already placed in three different foster homes,” Adoption Worker Stacey Barton said, according to WLWT. “Mr. Carter was the only foster parent willing and able to adopt all of the children."
A Facebook post by Hamilton County JFS Adoption and Foster Care said, "Robert Carter adopted 5 children today. He spent some time in foster care himself and wanted to make sure all these siblings stayed together."
Barton said Carter's background made him aware of the importance of keeping siblings together.
Carter was already fostering the three boys when he and the foster mothers of the girls met so the kids could see each other for the first time after being separated six months before.
“I understand how they feel,” Carter said. “I understand what they went through, so it really touched me. I was already thinking about adopting all of the kids but when I saw them crying, I was like, ‘Ok, I’m going to take all five to keep them together.’”
Now he tells them, "I’m your dad forever."
