Many ‘older’ children up for adoption have behavior and mental issues that go unrecognized and undocumented (sometimes just to get them out of the system). These stories seem to be more and more common, esp. with domestic adoptions. Such a shame.
People don’t realize how dangerous this “attachment disorder” is; it’s not simply a failure to adjust and get along, but turns the child into a very violent psychopath.
It was very common among Russian adoptions, btw, probably because of the early treatment of these children while in the institutions, but also because some of them were possibly already damaged by conditions such as fetal alcohol syndrome. I was acquainted with a family who had adopted one of these children and eventually ended up spending every dime they had to pay for his permanent institutionalization because he was so dangerous (tried to kill the other children in the family, threatened to rape the mother, etc.).
I don’t know if they give any indication of this condition prior to their adoption, but it’s possible. Russian institutions were famous for never revealing the physical or mental health problems or background of the children they offered for adoption.
It sounds like he was about 8. There's no cure for fetal alcohol syndrome.
It's unconscionable for the adoption agency not to fully disclose a child's problems.