Black-market babies. Big-whig politicians. Prostitutes. Illegitimate births.
Botched abortions. Manslaughter charges. Forged birth certificates.
Well-kept promises. Lies. Denials. Deceit.
All the makings for a great fictional detective story. But these are real deep, dark secrets, secrets that Gertie's Babies are slowly unearthing in the hope of finding answers—and the truth. The babies at the top of this page are now adults, but they have one very significant common denominator. They came into this world under the cover of darkness, under the manipulations of a greedy, conniving chiropractor and illegal abortionist, Gertrude Pitkanen. And they are not alone. Read on. Maybe, just maybe, you can help Gertie's Babies find the truth.
It's late at night, the young man slowly maneuvers the car around the corner onto the side street. He parks beside a three-story brick building. Even with the streetlight, it's dark. He wishes it could be darker. His wife looks at him anxiously then looks out the  window at the building. In her lap, her hands fumble with a blanket, a baby blanket.
They have wanted a baby for so long. And now, finally, they are going to get one. They know there is something wrong about how they are going to get it. But it can't be that bad, can it? Really? After all, they are going to give the baby so much love it won't matter how they got it.
A door in the side of the building opens a crack. A woman wearing spectacles peers out. She opens the door and walks quickly to the car. She is carrying a baby, wrapped in a small white sheet. The woman in the car rolls down the window and reaches for the baby.
The woman carrying the baby pauses, "Do you have the money?"
"Yes."
The baby whimpers and squirms as it is being passed through the window. As the man reaches across the car and hands the woman outside an envelope containing $500, his wife quickly unwraps the face of the infant.
"My goodness," the wife says, "it's still wet."
"Your friend said you wanted a young one. This one's about as young as they get. You"ll want to get rid of the afterbirth right away. Here's the birth certificate. It's got your names on it as birth parents. Remember, this didn't happen." (excerpted from an article in Rural Montana Magazine, May, 1993: Vol. 40, No. 9)
And like all the adoptive parents who visited 115 Hamilton, they kept the secret for more than 40 years. (excerpted from an article in the Bozeman Daily Chronicle, August 14, 1994)
Below are six of the Gertie's Babies pictured above:
Gertie's Babies are seeking other Pitkanen-related births and more information in the hope of finding their roots. If you, or someone you know, has a similar history or additional information concerning Gertrude Pitkanen, please contact Mable Deane at PO Box 925, Three Forks, Montana 59752, or email Mable at GertiesBabies@aol.com. All names and information will be kept confidential upon request. While Gertie's Babies are searching for their identities, several have medical problems that could benefit from information obtained about their genetic pools. Gertie's Babies harbor no ill will against Gertrude Pitkanen nor their real parents. Gertrude Pitkanen is deceased. Many of the adoptive parents are deceased. The need for secrecy is past, and it's time for the pieces of the puzzle to come together. Please share any pertinent information that you may have with Gertie's Babies and help them find closure. They will appreciate it deeply.
Montana Standard #2 Montana Standard People Magazine Info & Updates
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