Utah judge reverses order to take baby from lesbian couple

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A Utah judge reversed his decision to take a baby away from her lesbian foster parents and place her with a heterosexual couple after the ruling led to widespread backlash.

Judge Scott Johansen signed an order, which was released today, that will allow the 9-month-old baby to stay with April Hoagland and Beckie Peirce, a married couple who live in the city of Price.

It comes after Judge Johansen said in court Tuesday the baby would be removed from the couple's home. Utah officials and the couple filed court challenges demanding the judge rescind the order.

In his first decision, Judge Johansen cited research that shows children do better when raised by heterosexual families. The American Psychological Association has said, however, there's no scientific basis that gay couples are unfit parents based on sexual orientation.

Messages left with Jim Hunnicutt, a lawyer for the couple, and the Utah Division of Child and Family Services seeking comments on the judge's revised order were not immediately returned today.

Hoagland and Peirce are among a group of same-sex married couples who were allowed to become foster parents in Utah after last summer's U.S. Supreme Court ruling that made gay marriage legal across the country. State officials don't keep an exact count but estimate there are a dozen or more foster parents who are married same-sex couples.