A Las Vegas man’s claim that he may be both brother and father to a 16-year-old has reached its long-awaited resolution in court, though not the kind of clarity he once hoped for.
On Wednesday, a family court judge declared 26-year-old Logan Gifford to be the legal father of his younger brother, a teen with cognitive disabilities.
Highlights
- Logan Gifford, 26, was forced into intimate encounters by his mother and suspects his younger brother may be his son.
- A Nevada judge declared him the boy’s legal father after DNA testing proved inconclusive.
- The teen, who has cognitive disabilities, is now under Logan’s full guardianship.
The decision gives Logan full guardianship, but leaves unanswered the deeper question of whether he is also the boy’s biological dad.
Logan believed the teen was born as a result of years of being taken advantage of by his own mother, Doreene Gifford.
A Las Vegas man taken advantage of by his mother became the legal father of his brother
Image credits: Logan_Gifford98
“Clearly, we got the answer that we were anticipating,” Logan said after the hearing.
“Finally, there was closure, not only for me, as a male survivor, but also closure for someone who didn’t ask for any of this.”
As Bored Panda previously reported, Logan pursued DNA testing earlier this year, but the results proved inconclusive: both Logan and his own father, Theodore, showed a 99 percent match to the teen, leaving science unable to provide a clear answer.
Image credits: 8 News Now — Las Vegas
According to statements made in court and in earlier interviews, Logan said he had his first intimate encounter with his mother, Doreene Gifford, when he was 10 years old. The ab*se continued for years until he came forward at age 16.
Image credits: Florence McClure Women's Correctional Center
In 2015, Doreene was charged with assault of a minor and incest. Though she maintained her innocence, she eventually took an Alford plea to lesser charges of attempted assault, meaning she did not admit guilt but acknowledged prosecutors had enough evidence to convict.
She was sentenced to eight to 20 years in prison.
“Sending her to prison was halfway vindicating since I thought the largest problem of my life was originally dealt with,” Logan later said.
The main factor in the judge's decision was Logan's father's interest in taking care of the teen
The boy, who has special needs, initially lived with their father, Theodore Gifford. But after years of instability and Theodore stepping back from care, Logan assumed responsibility.
He previously served as the teen’s temporary guardian and continued to raise him after Doreene’s release on parole.
Image credits: Logan_Gifford98
“Look at the mess that I’m left with,” Logan said. “I didn’t ask for any of this. I was a child when all of this happened, and yet now I’m responsible for picking up the pieces.”
That’s when Logan asked for advanced DNA testing. However, as previously stated, the results were inconclusive.
Image credits: 8 News Now — Las Vegas
“The DNA test conducted does not have a final determination as to one of the two,” Judge Vincent Ochoa explained, revealing that his decision wasn’t made due to the arguments brought forward by Logan, but due to the teen’s father showing no interest in raising him.
“I can’t make Theodore the father if he doesn’t want to participate,” he added.
“I’m going to grant the default and declare Logan Gifford to be the legal father of the child. This is the only solution we have.”
The mother was present at the hearing and maintained that her former husband was the biological father
Surprisingly, Doreene Gifford, who is now a registered offender living in Massachusetts, was present at the hearing via phone.
“I never had any doubt that Theodore was the father, but I cannot continue this case, mentally, physically or emotionally,” she said. “I feel that it’s best that we just concede this case and stop this madness now.”
Logan’s attorney, Timothy Treffinger, acknowledged that further testing would be pointless, saying the lab “didn’t really have any options as far as a more confirmatory test.”
Image credits: 8 News Now — Las Vegas
For Logan, the ruling was less about labels and more about securing stability for his sibling.
“It wouldn’t change how I interact with him,” he said back when he first requested the test. “I have told him numerous times that he is and always will be my brother, regardless of how the test comes back.”
“If it comes back negative, I’m still filing for custody,” he said at the time. “Because it doesn’t change the obligation that I have to him now.”
Logan pushed for the DNA test to find answers surrounding his brother’s cognitive impairment
Image credits: 8 News Now — Las Vegas
During an interview, Logan delved into the true reason for the DNA test. More than custody, the test came at the request of his brother, who wanted answers as to why he was born with cognitive delays.
“This is not about me. It’s about him getting answers to why he was born this way,” he clarified.
“That has been a difficult thing to hear because that means that I want my brother to be the product of my encounters with my mother,” he said. “That is a heavy burden and quite a bitter pill to swallow.”
Image credits: Logan_Gifford98
In February, Logan launched a fundraiser seeking to get $30,000 for legal fees, therapy, and advocacy work. At the time of writing, he has received $3,608.
“I faced shame, disbelief, and a system that didn’t see me,” he wrote. “Social services missed the signs and left me unprotected.”
“The funds raised here will go toward legal fees for the custody and paternity battle, care for my brother, and advocacy efforts to amplify male survivors’ voices. Every bit helps, whether it’s a donation or just sharing this story,” he added.
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