A boy who was sent back to Russia by his American adoptive mother has been placed back in an orphanage, the lawyer for an adoption agency said.
Larry Crain, who works for the World Association for Children and Parents, said he did not have further information about the orphanage, the Shelbyville Times-Gazette reported Friday.
The boy's adoptive mother, Torry Hansen of Shelbyville, Tennessee, created an international uproar in April when she sent him to Moscow unaccompanied on a plane with a note saying she did not want him anymore because he had severe psychological problems.
The 8-year-old boy, Artyom Savelyev, was adopted in September 2009 from an orphanage in the Primorye region town of Partizansk.
The family of a Russian diplomat expressed interest in adopting the boy shortly after he arrived in Moscow.
New adoptions by U.S. parents in Russia have virtually stopped after the incident as the two countries negotiate a new agreement on adoptions.
Education and Science Ministry officials have said Hansen remains the legal parent of the boy because she has not renounced her rights in court and the note carried by the boy was not a legal document.
The Shelbyville Times-Gazette also reported that Crain has filed a court petition saying another Tennessee woman was willing to be the boy's guardian.
(AP, MT)
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.