OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. (KFOR) -- Kasper Watkins was born in October 2022, but more than two years later, his grandmother says they're still waiting for a crucial piece of paperwork -- his birth certificate.
"It's just a wreck," said Stacy Taber, Kasper's grandmother, told Nexstar's KFOR. "We paid every time. We paid for the birth certificate and we paid like $20 extra so it could be fast shipped."
She adds they've followed up with Oklahoma authorities countless times but still have no birth certificate.
Legal technicalities may be making the situation more complicated, however.
Kasper's mother was married but separated when she got pregnant by another man.
When Kasper was born, her husband signed a denial of paternity, and the baby's father signed the birth certificate.
"So there shouldn't be any problem, I wouldn't think," said Taber. Yet more than two years later, Kasper is still without a birth certificate.
Sans a birth certificate, Kasper is unable to get a Social Security number. Without that, he is unable to get health insurance.
With no insurance, Kasper hasn't been able to receive certain medical care, like routine vaccinations, Taber explained. His family is also unable to apply for housing assistance or file taxes, she added.
Kasper isn't alone: KFOR has spoken to several families dealing with a similar situation. Families have expressed concerns over health care coverage, schooling, and even the adoption process, all impacted by a lack of birth certificates. Others have spent thousands of dollars trying to get the document.
The Oklahoma State Department of Health oversees vital records like birth certificates, and while they cannot share all the facts without violating individual privacy, they told KFOR:
"We encourage anyone who has concerns or questions that need to be escalated to contact the agency by phone at (405) 426-8880 or through our Connect with OSDH page, so we can work with them personally to resolve any issues. Birth records are permanent, legal identity documents and serve to establish the legal parentage of a child. It's vitally important for all required forms to be filled out timely, completely and accurately, so we are able to issue a record being requested."
KFOR did share the department's number with the Taber family.