With courtrooms closed, family finds a different way to make son's adoption official

It wasn't the adoption ceremony they planned, but in the end, the only thing that mattered was Dominic became an official member of the Parsons family.

Before courthouses were closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, Tania and Christopher Parsons were planning a special day for Dominic, 7. They adopted their 13-year-old daughter Angel in 2017, and it was clear how much she "loved her special day and how memorable it was," Tania told ABC News. They wanted the same thing for Dominic, but plans had to change when the coronavirus hit.

Instead of holding the ceremony in a courtroom, Judge John Cherry called the Parsons at their Pennsylvania home, and officiated the formal adoption over the phone. Cherry told Tania and Christopher they are "two angels" who will "guarantee a life of happiness and love for this child," and said the court is "so grateful to you for stepping up."

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He also gave the family something to look forward to — when kids go into his courtroom, he lets them pick out a toy, and Cherry told ABC News he "made a promise that when this is over, they can all come to Judge Cherry's treasure chest."