Father launches $130m lawsuit to get his son back after his ex-girlfriend puts their baby up for adoption without telling him

A Utah father has filed a lawsuit seeking $130million in damages after his baby boy was given up for adoption without his knowledge. 

Jake Strickland's ex-girlfriend Whitney Pettersson gave birth to their son Jackson in 2010 and soon afterwards put him up for adoption. Mr Strickland claims he was not given the chance to seek custody.

Mr Strickland, 27, says he wanted to be fully involved in his son's life and that Miss Pettersson, conspired with the adoptive parents' adoption agency, LDS Family Services, operated by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, to give up his son.

Mr Strickland and Miss Pettersson met in 2009 while working at a restaurant. She was married but told Mr Strickland that she was getting a divorce and they began a relationship. Three months later, Miss Pettersson was pregnant. 

Mr Strickland says he assured her that he wanted to be involved in his son’s life and provided emotional and financial support, even after their own relationship began to break down. 

However in early 2011, Mr Strickland found out that Miss Pettersson had given birth to a boy a week earlier without his knowledge. 

It also emerged that she was still legally married to another man and that under Utah state law, he would be considered Jack's father.