Shawn Russ (born Gregory Ralph Kingsley; July 28, 1980) is the first American child, who, at the age of 12 years, legally severed ties with his mother.
On July 21, 1992, the trial court determined Kingsley had legal standing to initiate the action for termination of parental rights.
Between August 11, 1992, and September 11, 1992, four additional petitions for termination of parental rights were filed on behalf of Kingsley: one from his foster father, George Russ; one from his guardian ad litem, Catherine A. Tucker; one from the Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services (HRS); and the last from Kingsley's foster mother, Elizabeth Russ.
They held that: After the trial, Gregory Kingsley himself said that he "hoped his case would encourage other young people to take action to gain their happiness".
She decided to take similar legal measures to divorce herself from her biological parents, Ernest and Regina Twigg, who were trying to sue for full custody of her when she wanted to remain with Robert Mays, the man who raised her as his daughter.