he would have had no way of knowing. >> reporter: ironic twist, it's baby's skyler's mixed race that on old south carolina law only allows difficult to adopt chdren across state lines. only kids 6 or older or with physical, mental, or emotional disability, or in skyler's case, mixed race. >> what dad is not supposed to be there for their child? the greatest aspect a child can have is their father's protection. >> reporter: but the out of state adoptive couple were lied to as well. told the baby's father was out of the picture. they sent emanuel a heartfelt e-mail describing it as a last plea from desperate adoptive parents who love skylar with all of their hearts, assuring him he would go to the best schools. >> what was your reaction to them? >> nobody can love my daughter the way i can. you can't take me from my daughter. give me my daughter. that's all that mattered. >> reporter: although she wouldn't talk to abc news, in the letter to the court emanuel's girlfriend said she felt she could not provide for them and skylar would be better off with the adoptive parents, in a loving,