CHARLES JACO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The 12-year-old who wanted to divorce his mother got what he wanted.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Gregory, you're the son of Mr. and Mrs. Russ at this moment.</s>JACO: And for the first time in U.S. history, a child took a parent to court, terminated their parental rights, and won the right to be adopted. Gregory said he'd only lived with his mother four years and a few months and that he does not trust her.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Did she make any promises to you?</s>GREGORY K.: Yeah.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What did she promise you?</s>GREGORY K.: She promised me she'd never put me back in foster care again.</s>JACO: Gregory claimed his mother kept marijuana in the house and often left her children alone. But Gregory's grandfather said his daughter, Rachel Kingsley, had done her best.</s>MAX SUTTON, GREGORY'S NATURAL GRANDFATHER: She's had enough abuse, you know. She's a victim of abuse here too.</s>JACO: Gregory, though, said he's the one the foster care system failed. So that's why he filed the lawsuit on his own. He said his mother tried to make him feel guilty over his attempt to be adopted by George and Elizabeth Russ.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Are you doing this because you want to hurt your mother?</s>GREGORY K.: No.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Why are you doing it?</s>GREGORY K.: I'm doing it for me. So I can be happy.</s>RACHEL KINGSLEY, GREGORY'S NATURAL MOTHER: I just want Gregory to know that I love him very much, and he is welcome to come back home anytime that he would ever like.</s>GREGORY K.: I'm just happy and excited and real glad that I get to stay here now.
CNN 20: Gregory K. Divorces His Parents, September 25, 1992