Father is desperately trying to change legal name of his toddler called 'Unakite Thirteen Hotel’
A US father is desperately trying to get his young daughter's name changed after a bureaucratic mix-up means she is currently ineligible for healthcare.
For most parents, naming their little one should be the culmination of weeks spent scouring baby books and crossing names off of lists.
But for Nebraska father Jason Kilburn, his young daughter's name has proven to be an absolute nightmare for both parent and child.
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Born in November 2022, Kilburn's daughter is called Caroline Elizabeth but is listed in legal records as Unakite Thirteen Hotel.
So how does a child end up with a birth certificate with reads Unakite Thirteen Hotel in the first place?
According to Kilburn, the unusual moniker is a 'computer generated name' created during the complicated events of her birth.
Caroline was born in the neighbouring state of Iowa and immediately placed into foster care after her birth. Kilburn, who'd been in an on and off relationship with the child's mother, later learned of her existence and sought custody.
According to an interview Kilburn gave to NBC News, Caroline's mother doesn't have any rights over the child and also faces allegations of neglect and drug problems.
However, the issues didn't end with Kilburn gaining custody of Caroline.
Instead of a birth certificate, Caroline had been given a certificate of live birth - a document which records that a person is medically alive - which precedes a full birth certificate - where she'd been named Unakite Thirteen Hotel.
Kilburn is still trying to get his daughter's name changed, as she is currently without a birth certificate and social security, and is therefore ineligible for healthcare.
"It’s like she’s a ghost," he explained to the outlet.
"It’s been very, very taxing."
The mix-up has also placed financial strain on Kilburn, as a check-up with the doctor currently cost him hundreds of dollars.
"It’s not like I’m trying to pull something here," Kilburn said of the limbo Caroline was in.
"This is stuff she’s entitled to as any American is."
Kilburn is currently working with an attorney to hopefully resolve the matter, who described his situation as 'a circuitous, bureaucratic loop'.
The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services has since responded by telling NBC that children's information is 'confidential', but added that they are working with Kilburn the matter.
"DHHS is working with the child’s father’s attorney to resolve this issue. The Department cannot go into any further detail," the statement read.
"Each state is responsible for all vital events that happen within the state including births and deaths as well as the registration of the event, the certificate, and any amendments or corrections needed."
Brenna Cooper