Girl, 17, Gives Birth and Abandons Baby in Burger King, Her Daughter Finds Her 27 Years Later
Katheryn Deprill was abandoned by her teenage mother at Burger King, and several years later, she shared a post, hoping to reunite with her birth mom. Deprill had no clue how far her search would take her.
Katheryn Deprill became known as "the Burger King baby" after she was found in the famous restaurant in 1986, only a few hours old. Her mother had abandoned Deprill in Allentown, Pennsylvania.
Deprill took her quest for her birth mother to Facebook 27 years later, where it became viral, resulting in a spectacular and emotional reunion.
[Left] Katheryn Deprill and her adoptive father when she was a toddler; [Right] An emotional photo of Katheryn Deprill. | Source: youtube.com/Jaguarnote
POST GAINS ATTENTION
Deprill's post gained over 30,000 shares, and in just three weeks, it garnered worldwide attention, including her birth mother's, who then decided to reach out to her through Attorney John Waldron, who arranged for them to meet. She held up a sign in her post that said:
"Looking for my birth mother.... She abandoned me in the Burger King bathroom only hours old, Allentown, PA. Please help me find her by sharing my post."
Waldron arranged for the reunion to be as beautiful as possible and made sure flowers, chocolates, and tissue boxes were on hand for the moment. Deprill was accompanied by her adoptive mother and her youngest son, 7-month-old Jackson. She said she had the support of her adoptive family.
Katheryn Deprill and her 3 children with her adoptive mother, Brenda Hollis. | Source: youtube.com/Jaguarnote
THE SPECIAL REUNION
Deprill said that meeting her birth mother for the first time brought her absolute joy. She also added that she understood why her mother did what she did after learning the heartbreaking details of her conception and abandonment.
Deprill's mother was 17 when she had the baby, and since she didn't want to keep the toddler, she dropped her off at a spot where people could easily find and rescue her. Deprill said she had already forgiven her mom, who was filled with regret.
The post Katheryn Deprill put up on facebook in search of her mother. | Source: youtube.com/Jaguarnote
Deprill, an EMT and mom of three who lives with her family outside Allentown in South Whitehall Township, said she looked just like her mom. The duo shared an emotional hug, and the moment was simply remarkable.
During their first meeting, the mother-daughter duo spent over three hours together and exchanged contact details, hoping to build a relationship away from the camera and catch up on lost time. Deprill was confident she would bond with her birth mom.
A HAPPY ENDING
Deprill is now enjoying her new friendship with her birth mother, Cathy Pochek, and she is never far from her adoptive mother, Brenda Hollis, as their homes are only 15 minutes apart.
Pochek confessed that she expected the public to turn against her but was amazed by the amount of love and support she received from relatives and the public.
Deprill's birth mom, Pocheck, said she's thrilled to be in her daughter's life and bond with her newly-found grandchildren and son-in-law. Each passing day reminds her to be grateful for family and love.
Deprill and her new mom's story show the importance of family and much more; it emphasized forgiveness and being willing to give people a chance to right their wrongs.