Birth parents want to see 'trafficked' child
Birth parents want to see 'trafficked' child
By Sean Parnell | September 03, 2008
- Girl allegedly stolen by child traffickers
- Adopted by Queensland couple
- Birth parents now want to see her
THE Indian birth parents of a nine-year-old girl allegedly stolen by child-traffickers before being adopted by an unwitting Queensland couple have now asked to see her.
Seven years after the girl was allegedly sold to an Indian adoption agency, a lawyer for the birth parents has contacted Queensland's Department of Child Safety asking for help to resolve the case.
The Australian obtained a copy of the letter yesterday as federal Attorney-General Robert McClelland promised tougher scrutiny on inter-country adoptions and revealed other applications had been frozen pending further investigation.
The letter states that the birth parents want to see the girl, in Australia or India, to bring an end to their "emotional pain".
"My clients' child was stolen by anti-social elements, who had kidnapped her in a running vehicle, when she was playing on the road, in front of (her mother) Fathima's eyes," the letter states.
"Since then, Fathima's had lost her peace (sic) and looking forward to see her child some day. My clients came to know from the local police that their child is placed in adoption to a couple at Queensland, Australia.
"My clients are eager to know about the wellbeing of their child, to have one look at the child. It has been explained to my clients, that she will not be speaking their language. But still they would like to see that their child is fine and is being taken care by the adoptive parents."
The adoptive parents could not be contacted for comment yesterday, but they are understood to have requested privacy.
It was unclear last night whether the department had received the letter.