deceased, adopted, sealed child - no record

A couple began the process to adopt 3 children. Before the process could be completed, one child died in an accident. The remaining two were adopted as expected, and after some legal maneuvering, the courts let the parents posthumously adopt the deceased sibling. Afterwards, the couple went to the temple and the living children were sealed to the parents, and the deceased child was also sealed to the couple. Now, when the couple look at their membership record, only the living children appear on their church records. Is this as it should be? Or should the membership record also show the deceased child? (All this occurred about 10 yrs ago, but the couple is just now realizing the deceased child does not appear on the records. I’ve been called as a clerk ‘after the fact’ and do not know what was recorded previously.)

If the child was added as a child of record and then recorded as deceased then they should appear on the parents' membership records. However, there is a very good chance that did not occur. And at this point you won't be able to do that either because MLS won't let you add a child of record who is 10 years old. I think the only option to get the child added on the parents' records is to contact Local Unit Support and see if they can/will do it.

Since the child was sealed the child should show up in Family Search as a child of the parents regardless of what is on the membership record.

eblood66 wrote:If the child was added as a child of record and then recorded as deceased then they should appear on the parents' membership records. However, there is a very good chance that did not occur. And at this point you won't be able to do that either because MLS won't let you add a child of record who is 10 years old. I think the only option to get the child added on the parents' records is to contact Local Unit Support and see if they can/will do it.

What is needed is not creating a membership record, so adding a child of record is not the direction to go, even if it were possible. All that is needed is to add a child to each of the parent's records. This is not adding the deceased child to the household, but just as a child. That can be done for nonmember children, deceased children, etc. -- it is mostly just genealogical information.

aebrown wrote:What is needed is not creating a membership record, so adding a child of record is not the direction to go, even if it were possible. All that is needed is to add a child to each of the parent's records. This is not adding the deceased child to the household, but just as a child. That can be done for nonmember children, deceased children, etc. -- it is mostly just genealogical information.

Excellent point. I wasn't thinking clearly. That is definitely the right course of action.