Mihaela is 'home where she belongs'
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| Mihaela is 'home where she belongs' By Neans McSweeney "SHE'S a very special little girl. From the first time I saw her in the orphanage two years ago, she bonded with me. She wanted to be chosen. "She's loving and caring and she's home where she belongs." These were the delighted words of Briege Hughes after she was reunited with a four-year-old Romanian orphan she rescued and took home. Mihaela Porumbaru, who has serious spinal injuries, was awoken from her warm bed just after 5am at her foster mother's home in Dundalk yesterday morning and brought by a Romanian social worker to Belfast for a flight home to Romania. Romanian officials said her holiday visa did not cover a medical stay. But there was confusion at the airport over tickets as she was reunited with her adoptive family yesterday afternoon. Officials were adamant that she return to Romania today, but after intense public and political pressure they agreed that she could stay in Ireland until her adoption papers come through. If she had returned to Romania, it was feared she would be sent to a psychiatric institution for adults. "It's been a terrible ordeal but we've got the right result now," said a delighted Mrs Hughes as she squeezed the smiling little girl last night. "Its amazing, absolutely brilliant and we thank all of the people who rallied together over the past 24 hours to ensure this little girl stays with us and gets the medical care she needs." Ms Hughes, a mother-of-five, will have to travel to Romania in the coming weeks to sign adoption papers. "I don't mind going. We have Mihaela here where she belongs and that's what matters. She knows exactly what has been going on all day. "When we got the good news from the solicitor she said: 'no avion'. She knew she wouldn't have to go on the plane after all and wouldn't be going back again." Michaela's injuries mean she can not walk, but her disability did not prevent her from dragging herself along the ground and playing with other children who gathered at the Hughes home yesterday. She played away in the sunshine in the garden of the country home yesterday while inside, family and friends made phone calls to officials and legal experts. Neighbour Kieran Philips said: "We are all absolutely delighted she is back." |
2001 Aug 28