Birth parent rights

What is the name of your state? Illinois

I have a friend who gave her baby up for adoption about 14 yrs ago. By pure "accident" she believes she has found that child, remind you she wasnt looking for the child, the teen just happens to be my teens best friend and they met at my house while the friend of my teenager was staying with my teen on a weekend visit, and since that time the friend has been very curious whether or not this is the child she gave up for adoption.
From what the friend has told my wife, at the time of the adoption she was told by someone, that if she ever tried to find the adoptee, or contact the parents that she would face jail time. I personally dont see what law she would break by finding out for sure whether or not this is the child she gave up for adoption, but Im not a lawyer either, and dont know the specifics about this type of law. One thing we have found out is that the birth date matches and that the child is from the same area in Illinois that the adoptive parents were from at the time of the adoption.
This has been weighing quite heavily on our friend, and would appreciate any and all input on what she can legally do and not do. Thanks

And then what? She already has the opportunity to meet and know the child as a friend of her friend's child. THat is a coincidental contact. What would be inappropriate would be making any comments about the circumstances of the adoption to this child. She did not enter into an open adoption and agreed to not seek contact. She has a right to write to her state's registry, if they have one, and if the family has sought contact fron the birth parents, she can then get in touch with the parents and introduce herself to them. What happens after that is the parents call, until the child is a legal adult.

I agree with nextwife's post. Beyond contacting the state registry, contact is the child's parents' call until s/he is 18.

No doubt there were other kids born in that area on the same day - does anyone even know if this young person is adopted? I would personally tread very carefully here, as you could unintentionally ruin the friendship your teen has with this child.