A woman who had given up her son for adoption over six decades ago has finally found him on death row, but their reunion is complicated by the fact that he was convicted of murder. Sandra, who wishes to remain anonymous, gave birth to a baby boy named Barry at 17 in 1963 and was forced to give him up for adoption due to societal pressure and her own ambitions. The baby's father, whose identity is unknown, had been abusive, according to the woman's family.
Barry grew up with his adoptive parents, who struggled to raise him due to their own emotional issues. He eventually left New York for Florida, where he met a girlfriend who would later testify against him at trial. However, it was not until years later that Sandra discovered her son's identity and location on death row.
Sandra has been grappling with the question of why her son's life turned out the way it did, particularly in light of his impending execution. Her nieces and nephews are all successful and happy, while she struggles to come to terms with her own past mistakes.
The case raises questions about the effectiveness of the justice system and whether Sandra's son received a fair trial. His lawyers argue that he was not adequately represented by his lawyer, who failed to investigate potential mitigating evidence and did not disclose important information to him.
Sandra's decision not to visit her son on the day of his execution has sparked debate among those who support the death penalty. Some argue that it is a necessary measure for justice, while others see it as a cruel and inhumane punishment.
In this case, Sandra's story highlights the complexities of adoption and the long-lasting impact it can have on individuals and families. Her reunion with her son is a poignant reminder of the importance of family and the need to confront our past mistakes in order to move forward.
Malik Abdul Sajjad was executed by lethal injection on Thursday, November 20 at 6 p.m ET. His time of death was 6:12 p.m. He was the 44th person executed in the United States in 2025 and the 17th in Florida — exceeding the state’s record of execution in a single year.
The execution has sparked outrage among many who oppose the death penalty, with some calling it an "act of terrorism" and others arguing that it is a form of mass murder. The case highlights the need for reform in the US justice system and raises questions about the morality of capital punishment.
In a statement, Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty wrote, “Malik was determined to make the best of the time that he had left.” He “spent more than three decades studying his faith, mentoring younger men on death row, mediating conflicts, and maintaining a spotless disciplinary record” and “formed and maintained loving relationships with his families — both biological and adopted. … In its prideful quest to be the deadliest state in the nation, Florida has created more victims.”
Barry grew up with his adoptive parents, who struggled to raise him due to their own emotional issues. He eventually left New York for Florida, where he met a girlfriend who would later testify against him at trial. However, it was not until years later that Sandra discovered her son's identity and location on death row.
Sandra has been grappling with the question of why her son's life turned out the way it did, particularly in light of his impending execution. Her nieces and nephews are all successful and happy, while she struggles to come to terms with her own past mistakes.
The case raises questions about the effectiveness of the justice system and whether Sandra's son received a fair trial. His lawyers argue that he was not adequately represented by his lawyer, who failed to investigate potential mitigating evidence and did not disclose important information to him.
Sandra's decision not to visit her son on the day of his execution has sparked debate among those who support the death penalty. Some argue that it is a necessary measure for justice, while others see it as a cruel and inhumane punishment.
In this case, Sandra's story highlights the complexities of adoption and the long-lasting impact it can have on individuals and families. Her reunion with her son is a poignant reminder of the importance of family and the need to confront our past mistakes in order to move forward.
Malik Abdul Sajjad was executed by lethal injection on Thursday, November 20 at 6 p.m ET. His time of death was 6:12 p.m. He was the 44th person executed in the United States in 2025 and the 17th in Florida — exceeding the state’s record of execution in a single year.
The execution has sparked outrage among many who oppose the death penalty, with some calling it an "act of terrorism" and others arguing that it is a form of mass murder. The case highlights the need for reform in the US justice system and raises questions about the morality of capital punishment.
In a statement, Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty wrote, “Malik was determined to make the best of the time that he had left.” He “spent more than three decades studying his faith, mentoring younger men on death row, mediating conflicts, and maintaining a spotless disciplinary record” and “formed and maintained loving relationships with his families — both biological and adopted. … In its prideful quest to be the deadliest state in the nation, Florida has created more victims.”
this is just heartbreaking... Sandra's story is like a nightmare that you can't wake up from... all these years of searching for her son, only to find out he's on death row... it's so hard to comprehend how someone's life can spiral out of control like that. And the fact that he was convicted of murder is just devastating 
... I mean, we can't even begin to talk about whether justice was served or not... but what's clear is that this case highlights the flaws in our system and the need for reform 
. Sandra deserves so much compassion and understanding right now... her story is a poignant reminder of the importance of family and second chances 
. Now she's all bent outta shape because her son's on death row and he's convicted of murder... like, what did you expect? He made some bad choices in life, no need to be so dramatic about it 
. And let's not forget, she was only 17 when she had him, talk about a tough situation 
. But seriously, who do we think is more at fault here? The kid or the woman who gave up on him? 
. I mean what even is the point of the justice system here? Was he really not given a fair trial?! 
The fact that Floridians are basically saying Florida has created more victims through the death penalty just makes me wanna scream 
it's like, we're all rooting for him, but at the same time, you gotta wonder if the justice system is truly fair 
Sandra's story is just so sad and complicated - giving up her baby for adoption due to societal pressure and her own ambitions, not realizing that it would come back to haunt her like this. And now she's having to grapple with the fact that her son didn't have the best life because of circumstances that were beyond his control... 
. I think it's time for a bigger conversation about our justice system and whether we're really doing the right thing by executing people like Malik 
. His story is heartbreaking, but also highlights how adoption can affect lives in ways we never thought possible 
. Sandra's decision not to visit him on execution day is understandable, but I hope she finds some peace soon 
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I swear, it was so colorful and sweet. Anyway, have you ever noticed how some people's eyebrows are just way too perfect? Like, how do they even maintain those? 
My sister has this awesome eyebrow game going on, but I'm like, "Girl, what magic are you using?" 
. I mean, think about it, Sandra's son was convicted of murder and now he's facing the death penalty, but what about the circumstances that led to his conviction? Was he truly guilty or was he just caught up in a flawed system? And what about Sandra, her nieces and nephews, they're all successful, happy, and yet she's struggling with her past mistakes. It's like, how many people have been wrongly convicted and now facing life behind bars 
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. It's a reminder that we're all connected, somehow, someway.
his life was all messed up from day one & now he's facin a death sentence 
. it's like, we all have our own 'what ifs' and 'if onlys', but maybe this case can be an opportunity for us to re-evaluate our justice system and see if there are ways to make it more just 
. I don't think anyone would want their loved one to go through what Barry has been through, but at the same time, you can't change what happened in the past.
. Her nieces and nephews are doing great, while she's still struggling to come to terms with her own life choices. It's just not fair 
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. We should all try to be like Barry - find peace and love in whatever time you have left 
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. I don't think anyone deserves to die, especially not after they've tried to turn their life around. This whole thing just highlights how messed up our justice system can be 
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, but the bigger question is what can we do to help ppl like malik & his mom find redemption & forgiveness? can't we find a way 2 coexist w/ those who've made mistakes without taking their lives away 
, which is insane considering the US has executed over 2k people since '97 
. Florida leads the pack with its record-breaking 17 executions this year 
Over 70% of death row inmates are poor 
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