LILONGWE (Reuters) - U.S. pop star Madonna is still keen on adopting a second child from Malawi, despite a court ruling in the southern African country preventing her from doing so, a local newspaper reported on Sunday.
Madonna, who lost an appeal against a High Court decision refusing her bid to adopt a four-year-old girl named Mercy James, said she wants to provide education and a family environment for the young girl.
“I want to provide Mercy with a home, a loving family environment and the best education and healthcare possible. And it’s my hope that she like David, will one day return to Malawi and help the people of their country,” Madonna told the Nation on Sunday newspaper in an emailed response to questions.
“Though I have been advised that I cannot publicly discuss the pending appeal regarding my desire to adopt Mercy, I do want to say how much I appreciate the level of support that I have received from the people of Malawi and my friends around the world.”
Malawi’s government came under fire after Madonna adopted a 13-month-old child, David Banda, in 2006, with critics accusing it of giving her special treatment by skirting laws that ban non-residents from adopting children.
Madonna’s lawyer, Alan Chinula, has already lodged a notice of appeal against the decision earlier this month but by last week the courts had not yet granted a date for the hearing.
In her ruling, Judge Esimie Chombo warned against celebrity adoptions, saying they could lead to child trafficking.
“Anyone could come to Malawi and quickly arrange for an adoption that might have grave consequences on the very children that the law seeks to protect,” she said.
Madonna has entertained millions around the world with sexy high-energy performances and songs like “Material Girl” and “Papa Don’t Preach,” and created controversies along the way.
The star, who was divorced last year from British film director Guy Ritchie, is one of the music industry’s most successful singers, with album sales of more than 200 million.
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The State of New Jersey Infant Adoption
New Jersey’s State adoption Statute N.J.S.A. 9:3-39 1[b, c] gives a State licensed adoption attorney the power of decision like that of King Solomon as to the future of a child. The only trouble is that the attorney thinking process is not divinely inspired. Instead, it is greed inspired! Moreover, should a N.J. attorney emulate King Solomon's wisdom, there are twenty other corrupt attorneys up to the task. This State statute allows a greedy attorney to lie and obstruct justice in the name of humanitarian placement of children. [A well-respected doctor’s office memos prove of his guilt.] This law’s concept is noble, but imperfect people oversee its application. Moreover, they are just as flawed and susceptible to the same everyday fears and temptations as you and me. This corruption can only lead to others joining in on the debauchery. Children of the World Adoption Agency of Verona, N.J. is a prime example of this ever-growing phenomenon. The Rosie O'Donnell funded adoption agency has lost its license to practice for providing false information for a Kendall Park attorney involved in an ethics violations charge by David Archuletta, [not the singer on American Idol]. These statements all proven and backed up by the New Jersey Open Public Records Act. I am sorry to say that in this Garden State, "Inter-State Child Trafficking is prevalent throughout." Thank you, my name is David Archuletta and I stand behind my statements. New Jersey as well, stood by its Statement to me in a letter,
“Your grievance, even if true does not constitute ethical misconduct or incapacity.”
New Jersey State Supreme Court
Disciplinary Review Board
Office of Attorney Ethics
P.U.L.P.
THE PUBLICATION WITH THE EVER-CHANGING ACRONYM
PUEBLO, COLORADO
A Book Review by Nicole Maio
“Odyssey of an Unknown Father”
The Complete Book on Wrongful Adoption
by David Archuletta
Just before her due date, the pregnant girlfriend of David Archuletta abruptly left town and when she returned, she delivered some bad news; while she was away, she had suffered a miscarriage; the couple’s baby was gone. But more than a year later she came forward with a surprising confession; she had not miscarried at all, but instead had secretly given up the newborn up for adoption to Children of the World Adoption Agency located in New Jersey.
At this point, Archuletta began digging for answers. At the center of his questioning was the adoption attorney and agency involved in placing his son with an adoptive family. His main concern was why he, as the birthfather had not been notified or contact acted by those facilitating the adoption --- a requirement of New Jersey adoption law --- and given fair chance to exercise his parental rights.
In his self-published memoir, Odyssey of an Unknown Father, local author David Archuletta chronicles his long, multi-year battle against the New Jersey adoption system. That system, he argues, is responsible for the wrongful adoption of his son, having placed the newborn baby in an adoptive family without the birthfather’s consent.
Stories about wrongful adoption are certainly not very common, but as Archuletta points out in his book:
“In the world of adoption, this type of deception does not happen much when gauged in numbers and percentages. However, when gauged in human lives, one is more than we should allow.”
With many different elements and layers involved, Archuletta’s account is indeed a complicated one, and it can be easy to become tangled up in the vast web of information and details that form his case. His anger with his unfortunate situation is apparent, flaring up throughout the book, and much of his writing is emotionally charged. He levels serious accusations against Children of the World Adoption Agency, along with the attorney involved with his son’s placement, and goes into much depth presenting his suspicions, that those in charge of the proceeding did not do all that was required of them by law to notify the birthfather of the pending adoption.
Utilizing the New Jersey Open Public Records Act, Archuletta cites numerous documents and letters pertaining to his case to help defend his claims. But he goes further and offers his speculations and theories as to what was going on behind closed doors.
Despite his efforts, Archuletta has never been able to see his son face to face. Acknowledging how much time has passed since his ordeal began, he notes that his intent is no longer to obtain custody but rather just to have a chance to communicate with his son. He writes:
“I must consider my son’s life as it is now, a person cannot change one’s past; he can only mold his future. Considering this, and after much thought, an attempt to mold my son’s future would be to try to change his past. This would be an act against nature. I will not seek custody.”
Because it centers on adoption laws, the writing is heavy with legal language, which might make it difficult for this book to speak simply to a larger, more general audience of readers. But beneath all of the specific legal details is a story of a father trying to connect with his lost son; and that is the theme that readers may be able to relate to and sympathize with, even if they have never directly experienced such a situation.
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