Dr. Thomas Hicks Biography, Age, Family, Career, Net Worth & Hicks Babies in 2026 in 2026

Dr. Thomas Hicks biography is one of the most searched dark medical stories in America. He was a small-town doctor in Georgia who secretly sold hundreds of newborn babies in the 1950s and 1960s. As of 2026, his story is still trending because of DNA tests, TLC documentaries, and the ongoing search for the Hicks Babies.

Why is Dr. Thomas Hicks famous? He ran the Hicks Clinic in McCaysville, Georgia. Behind closed doors, he told mothers their babies had died, then sold those babies to adoptive parents for cash. The case is now known as the Hicks Babies scandal.

Quick Facts

Full Name	Dr. Thomas Jugartha Hicks
Nick Name	Dr. Hicks, The Hicks Clinic Doctor
Profession	Physician, General Practitioner, Clinic Owner
Birth Date	August 18, 1888
Age	138 years 1 month old (Died in 1972 at age 83)
Birth Place	Georgia, United States
Death Date	1972 in McCaysville, Georgia, USA
Nationality	American
Known For	Hicks Babies black-market adoption scandal, Hicks Clinic
Ethnicity	White / Caucasian
Zodiac Sign	Leo
Height	5 feet 9 inches (175 cm)
Weight	165 lbs (75 kg) approx.
Hair Color	Grey / White in later years
Eye Color	Brown
Qualification	Doctor of Medicine (M.D.)
Medical License	Revoked in 1964 by Georgia Medical Board
Religion	Christianity
Marital Status	Married
Spouse	Elsie Hicks
Children	1 daughter (biological)
Family Tree	Wife Elsie Hicks, daughter, extended Hicks family in Georgia
Hobbies	Community service, local politics, church work
Current Work	Deceased – Subject of documentaries and DNA investigations in 2026
Years Active	1920s – 1964
Net Worth	Estimated $500,000 at time of death (approx. $4 million in 2026 value)
Clinic Address	Hicks Clinic, McCaysville, Fannin County, Georgia

If you follow medical figures and true-crime doctors, you may also search for Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Dr. Anthony Fauci, Dr. Phil McGraw, Dr. Death Christopher Duntsch, and Jane Blasio, who is one of the most well-known Hicks Babies and an activist helping other adoptees find their birth families in 2026.

Early Life & Education

Dr. Thomas Hicks was born on August 18, 1888, in Georgia, USA. He grew up in a rural Southern community where doctors were highly respected. From a young age, he wanted to help people and earn a stable living as a physician.

He attended local schools in Georgia and later went to medical school to earn his M.D. degree. Records from that time are limited, but he completed his medical training in the early 1900s. He then started practicing as a general doctor.

In the 1920s, he moved to McCaysville, a small town on the Georgia-Tennessee border. The town had few doctors. Hicks quickly became popular. He delivered babies, treated flu, set broken bones, and made house calls. Many locals trusted him. He also joined civic groups and was active in his church.

His early interest was in helping poor mothers who could not afford hospital births. That good image later helped him hide his illegal side for many years.

Career Journey

Dr. Thomas Hicks career started as a respected small-town physician. It ended as one of the biggest illegal adoption scandals in U.S. history. Here is the full timeline.

Beginnings in McCaysville – 1920s to 1940s

Hicks opened the Hicks Clinic in downtown McCaysville. It was both his office and a small birthing clinic. Women from Georgia, Tennessee, and North Carolina came to him. Hospital care was costly and far away. His clinic was cheap and private.

By the 1940s, he was delivering hundreds of babies per year. He was known as kind and fast. He also performed abortions, which were illegal at the time. That put him in contact with young, unmarried mothers who felt scared and alone.

The Hicks Clinic Black-Market Operation – 1950 to 1965

Between 1950 and 1965, Hicks ran a secret baby-selling ring. This is the main reason for his fame today.

Here is how it worked. A pregnant woman would come to his clinic. Some were unwed teens. Some were married women who already had too many kids. Hicks would offer to handle the birth quietly. After delivery, he would tell the mother the baby had died. In some cases, he told mothers to give up the baby for a better life.

He then sold the newborn to a couple who wanted to adopt. The price was usually $800 to $1,000 in cash. That equals about $9,000 to $11,000 in 2026 money. He gave no paperwork. No court. No legal adoption. He often forged birth certificates and listed the adoptive parents as the birth parents.

Experts now believe he sold more than 200 babies. Some researchers say the number could be over 300. Most babies were healthy and white. Couples came from Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and other states after hearing by word of mouth that Dr. Hicks could provide a baby fast.

Exposure, Loss of License and Later Years

In 1964, the Georgia Medical Board caught Hicks performing an illegal abortion. He lost his medical license. He was forced to close the Hicks Clinic. He never faced jail time for selling babies because no one reported it at the time.

He lived quietly in McCaysville until his death in 1972 at age 83. He took many secrets to his grave. His clinic building was later torn down.

Hicks Babies Legacy and DNA Search in 2026

The story stayed hidden until 1997. That year, a Hicks Baby named Jane Blasio started investigating her own adoption. She found the truth and helped expose Hicks. TLC later made the hit series Taken At Birth about the case.

As of 2026, the search is still active. More than 50 Hicks Babies have been found through AncestryDNA and 23andMe. In 2026, Jane Blasio and the Hicks Babies support group continue to run DNA drives in McCaysville. New matches are reported every year. TikTok and YouTube creators in America have made the case viral again with Gen Z audiences.

Watch this recent documentary recap that explains the case for new viewers:

Career Stats and Media List

Practice Years: 1920s – 1964 (40+ years)
Estimated Deliveries: 5,000+ births
Estimated Illegal Adoptions: 200 – 300 babies (1950-1965)
Fee Per Baby: $800 – $1,000 cash
License Revoked: 1964
TV Shows: Taken At Birth (TLC, 2019), Deadly Women, various true-crime specials on Investigation Discovery
Books: Taken At Birth by Jane Blasio, The Hicks Babies features in adoption history books
2026 Status: Subject of podcasts, TikTok series, and DNA reunion projects

Personal Life

Dr. Thomas Hicks lived a double life. In public, he was a family man and church member. In private, he ran an illegal business.

Marriage and Family

He was married to Elsie Hicks. They lived in McCaysville for decades. They had one biological daughter together. His wife reportedly helped at the clinic with paperwork and patient care. It is not clear how much she knew about the baby sales.

His family stayed out of the spotlight after his death. They rarely gave interviews.

Husband, Wife and Children List

Wife: Elsie Hicks – homemaker, clinic assistant
Daughter: 1 biological daughter, name kept private
Extended Family: Hicks relatives in Fannin County, Georgia

Relationships and Dating History

There is no public dating history or affair record for Dr. Hicks. He married young and stayed married until death. Unlike celebrity doctors today, his personal life was quiet. All major reports focus on his marriage to Elsie, not on girlfriends or affairs.

His hobbies included fishing, local politics, and supporting the McCaysville school. Neighbors in the 1950s described him as friendly and generous, which is why many were shocked by the later truth.

Awards & Achievements

Dr. Thomas Hicks did not win national medical awards. His early career did include local respect:

Served as the main birth doctor for McCaysville and Copperhill for over 30 years
Provided low-cost care to poor families during the Great Depression
Helped build community health trust in rural Georgia
Posthumously became central to U.S. adoption reform talks – his case is now taught as a warning about unregulated adoption

Physical Statistics

Photos show Hicks as an average-built older white man with glasses, often in a white coat.

Height: 5 feet 9 inches (175 cm)
Weight: Around 165 lbs (75 kg)
Body Type: Average
Hair Color: Grey-white, short and combed back
Eye Color: Brown
Skin Tone: Light
Distinct Feature: Round glasses, calm Southern accent

Quotes

Dr. Hicks left few written quotes, but witnesses and records quote him:

“Your baby did not make it. It would be best to go home and rest.” – As recalled by birth mothers at Hicks Clinic

“I can place the child in a good Christian home where it will be loved.” – As recalled by adoptive parents who paid cash

“We just wanted a baby. He told us not to ask questions.” – Adoptive father describing Hicks in TLC interview

Controversies

The Hicks Babies scandal is his main controversy. Key points:

Baby Selling (1950-1965): Sold 200+ newborns without legal adoption. Told birth mothers their babies died.
Forged Birth Certificates: Listed adoptive parents as biological parents to hide the sale.
Illegal Abortions: Lost his license in 1964 for performing an illegal abortion.
No Jail Time: Never charged for baby selling. Laws at the time made it hard to prosecute.
2026 DNA Impact: In 2026, new DNA matches still reveal painful family secrets. Some Hicks Babies learn their birth mothers never knew they were alive.

Favorites

Favorite Place: McCaysville, Georgia – lived and worked there his whole adult life
Favorite Food: Classic Southern home cooking
Favorite Activity: Fishing in the Toccoa River, church gatherings
Favorite Role: Being called the town baby doctor

Earnings and Net Worth in 2026

Dr. Thomas Hicks net worth is often searched, but he died in 1972. There are no bank records made public. Experts estimate based on his fees.

He charged $800 to $1,000 per baby. If he sold 200 babies, that is $160,000 to $200,000 in cash in the 1950s and 60s. That equals about $1.8 million to $2.3 million in 2026 dollars. He also earned from his normal practice.

At the time of his death, his estate, including his home, land, and clinic, was estimated at $500,000. Adjusted for inflation, that would be close to $4 million in September 2026. He did not live a luxury life. Most money likely went to property and daily costs.

Updated in 2026, no living family member profits from his story. Money from books and shows goes to authors and networks, not to his estate.

Interesting Facts

His clinic sat right on the Georgia-Tennessee line, which helped him avoid strict checks.
Some adoptive parents did not know the sale was illegal. They thought it was a private adoption.
Jane Blasio, a Hicks Baby herself, bought the old clinic land to stop developers and to honor birth mothers.
The town of McCaysville now holds Hicks Babies reunions and DNA events.
In 2026, TikTok videos with #HicksBabies have millions of views from young true-crime fans.
Many Hicks Babies found each other as half-siblings through DNA, not through paper records.

Did You Know Already?

Did you know Dr. Hicks sometimes delivered babies in cars and back rooms to keep births secret? Did you know some mothers were told their babies were stillborn, but no body or funeral was ever shown? Did you know that as of September 2026, over 15 birth mothers have been identified through new DNA genealogy work? The case is still growing, not closed.

Dr. Thomas Hicks has no official social media because he died in 1972. Be careful of fake accounts. For real updates in 2026, follow these verified related pages:

Jane Blasio – Hicks Babies Advocate: Facebook – Jane Blasio Hicks Babies (verified activist page)
TLC Taken At Birth: Instagram and Facebook – TLC official pages
Hicks Babies Support Group: Private Facebook group for adoptees and birth families
Website: Hicks Babies community resource sites run by volunteers

Frequently Asked Questions

Who was Dr. Thomas Hicks?

He was a Georgia doctor who ran Hicks Clinic in McCaysville. He is known for illegally selling 200+ babies between 1950 and 1965.

What is Dr. Thomas Hicks age?

He was born on August 18, 1888, and died in 1972 at age 83. If alive in 2026, he would be 138 years old.

What did Dr. Thomas Hicks do?

He told birth mothers their babies died, then sold the live babies to adoptive couples for $800 to $1,000 with fake birth certificates.

What is Dr. Thomas Hicks net worth?

His estate was estimated at $500,000 in 1972, worth about $4 million in 2026 money. Most came from his clinic and illegal fees.

Are Hicks Babies still being found in 2026?

Yes. As of 2026, DNA tests still find new Hicks Babies. Jane Blasio and volunteers help adoptees meet birth families and get true records.

Where was the Hicks Clinic?

It was in McCaysville, Georgia, on the border with Copperhill, Tennessee. The building is gone, but the site is marked and visited by families.

Conclusion

Dr. Thomas Hicks biography is sad but important. He was trusted, then he broke that trust for money. In 2026, his victims are still healing through DNA reunions and truth. If this story helped you, please share it to help a Hicks Baby find home.

Key Sources: