Brandon Keilen and Michaela Bates Add Third Foster Child Amid Adoption Uncertainty
Brandon Keilen and Michaela Bates announced a third foster baby on Instagram, while they sidestepped fan questions about adopting the children they care for.
Brandon Keilen and Michaela Bates revealed they have fostered a third baby, and they reiterated that adoption decisions are not currently in their control. This matters because fans have been pressing the couple for adoption plans, highlighting a tension between public expectations and the family’s stated limits.
Brandon Keilen and Michaela Bates announced on Instagram that a third foster baby has joined their household, and they have said that whether they ever adopt is not their decision to make.
What we know
On Sunday, October 11, the couple’s Instagram post read,
“Since I last posted we’ve welcomed a new foster baby into our family,”confirming the addition of a third child to their foster roster. Michaela, 36, added that life has been “full lately” and that she has not yet had time to share more details.
The couple, who married in August 2015, already care for two foster sons. Their latest foster child arrives as Michaela’s father, Gil Bates, continues to recover from a recent heart attack. Gil and his wife, Kelly Jo, posted an update on October 9 describing the family’s noisy, laughter‑filled home as “the BEST medicine for recovery.”
Fans have repeatedly asked the pair whether they intend to adopt the children they foster. In an August 22 YouTube video, Brandon addressed those queries, saying,
“We’re loving the boys as long as we can, but that’s not something that’s in our court at this point in time.”Michaela echoed the sentiment, noting that social‑media comments often urge the couple to keep the boys forever or send them back home, but she emphasized that the decision is not theirs to make.
Family background and health update
Gil Bates, the patriarch of the large Bates family, suffered a mild heart attack after feeling an “unusual feeling in his chest” and seeking emergency care. He was quickly taken to a hospital room where doctors confirmed the attack. The incident occurred shortly after his son Warden married Kaybrie Bates for a second time.
Gil and Kelly Jo, who married in 1987, are parents to 19 children. Their recent Instagram post highlighted the outpouring of love from relatives, friends, and their church community, describing the household’s “noise & laughter” as a key part of Gil’s recovery.
Sources
Photo: Alena Darmel / Pexels (illustrative)