Adoption freeze urged after boy returned to Russia

MSNBC ^ | April 9, 2010 | NATALIYA VASILYEVA

[COUNTrecount]

MOSCOW - Russia should freeze all child adoptions with U.S. families, the country's foreign minister urged Friday after an American woman allegedly put her 8-year-old adopted Russian son on a one-way flight back to his homeland.

Artyom Savelyev arrived in Moscow unaccompanied on a United Airlines flight Thursday from Washington, the Kremlin children's rights office said Friday.

The children's office said the boy, whose adoptive name is Justin Hansen, was carrying a letter from his adoptive mother, Torry Hansen of Shelbyville, Tennessee, saying she was returning him due to severe psychological problems.

this child is mentally unstable. He is violent and has severe psychopathic issues," the letter said, according to Russian officials, who sent what they said was a copy of the letter to The Associated Press. The authenticity of the letter could not be independently verified.

The U.S. ambassador to Russia, John Beyrle, said he was "deeply shocked by the news" and "very angry that any family would act so callously toward a child that they had legally adopted."

[keepitreal]

If she gave birth to it, then she could put him in a nervous hospital.

And, as his legal parent, she could do the same with him. She took on the legal obligation to parent him and must act accordingly. There is no difference between adopted and natural parents in the eyes of the law.

[jerseyrocks]

Morgana first children are not “its” their people, you know precious human life. If she could take her biological child to a hospital why not her adoptive child?

[writmeister]

Many of these children suffer from re-active attachment disorder due to spending their earliest childhood warehoused in orphanages. This prevents the children from developing the ability to bond with their caregivers (including parents).

The problem comes from the number of people who do an international adoption without any consideration of these potential mental/emotional issues. They see the photograph of the cute child and ignore everything else.

My wife and I have adopted a child internationally, and we are constantly amazed at how unaware so many adoptive parents are regarding these type issues.

[keepitreal]

And, it’s not like you aren’t told over and over again about all the possible issues which could arise.

What person in the international adoption community has not heard of the issues with Russian orphanages? It’s not some kind of secret. And any adoptive parent knows to look for issues with RAD. That includes those who adopt from the US foster care system.

[chris_bdba]

It isn’t just Russian adoptions. When people adopt children this old even in this country many times they are getting children that are alkready so damaged by abuse from thir parents and then the abandoment issues that it really take a special home to be able to deal with them.Most people are not equiped to deal with what these children need.

[KosmicKitty]

By “it” I meant the medical condition, not the child.

And after reading more postings, I see it’s mostly due to FAS.

[GovernmentShrinker]

They’ve often been neglected in orphanages for several years before being adopted. Some arrived at the orphanages as newborns or infants and simply never had any normal bonding with an adult human. The psychological/neurological effects of this are largely irreversible.

[keepitreal]

By one paragraph in a news article you can see how damaged a child is?

Either way, she’s his mom. She must take the responsibility.

And should those in the international adoption community send their kids back if they end up with cancer or a prolonged chronic medical condition? After all, that costs the goold old USA money too?

[GovernmentShrinker]

I knew they could fly domestically at that age, but am a bit surprised they can fly internationally that young. I think 6 or 7 is the minimum age for domestic flights, but as far as I know this is set by the airlines, not by law. A lot of kids this age are flying very frequently due to court-ordered visitation or shared custody arrangements.

[keepitreal]

Sorry, but she has to take responsibility for the child. It’s the law. Abandoning him is not taking responsibility.

[chris_bdba]

I know a family here who adopted a 5 yo boy here who ended up with the same problems. Social services did not disclose his issues because they were afraid no one would adopt him. He actually did stab his adopted Mom when he was 7yo tried to hand himself several times and killed one of their animals.They now have to pay for his foster care in a group home until he is 18 and after that who knows. You take a big chance adopting older kids because by the time they are taken from their parents many times the damage is already done and most of us are not equiped to deal with a psycopath.

[chris_bdba]

NO they do not auromatically become us citizens. That comes a few years later. It is probably why he has been sent back to Russia.

[writmeister]

I agree that you are told over and over again; but, I also think that many people do not want to listen.

[gunner03]

My cousin in Germany adopted a boy and a girl from Russia, and both had to be institutionalized due to violent behavior.

[keepitreal]

You’re wrong. Under current US immigration laws, a foreign child adopted by US parents is an automatic US citizen once he/she enters into the US. Look it up.