Six years ago, a New Hyde Park couple adopted a baby boy in the Philippines. But a failure to fill out one form turned their most joyous decision into a yearslong nightmare.

Richard and Remia Kane are celebrating their adopted son's sixth birthday - it's a day the New Hyde Park couple says brought them new hope from unbearable loss.

"As we are burying my dad, we get a phone call from my mother-in-law in the Philippines that there is a child that needs a home," says Kane.

But unfortunately for the NYPD officer and registered nurse that hope was short lived.

The Kanes hired an attorney in the Philippines to help them with the adoption.

"The family started out properly they contacted an adoption service agency. They contacted lawyers and tried to do everything the right way. What ended up happening is they hired lawyers that did not give them proper council," says immigration attorney Zahra Cheema.

Based on the paperwork filed by their attorney, Richard and Remia are Richie Boy's legal parents - but only under Filipino law. It's an adoption not recognized by the United States.
Kane says that the only way to bring Richie home is to annul the adoption, but adoptions can't be annulled in the Philippines unless he and his wife are considered abusive parents. That type of finding would preclude them from from being recognized as fit parents in the U.S.

"It's very inflexible. Many people are surprised to learn there are very strict requirements and very few exceptions to those requirements," says Cheema.

The Kanes have reached out to local politicians for diplomatic help - but no one has been able to bridge the distance between the Kanes and their son.

The Kanes have been in contact with several attorneys, but so far they haven't had any luck getting the adoption in the Philippines annulled.

News 12 also contacted several local politicians for help and is still waiting to hear back.