Abuse case jeopardizes adoption agreement between Russia and US

Bristow - Just one week after the near-ban on U.S. adoptions from Russia was lifted, a Bristow couple were arrested and charged with repeatedly abusing their eight-year-old adopted son.

The Moscow Times reported that the latest case of child abuse by U.S. adoptive parents towards their Russian son could jeopardize an adoption agreement between the two countries.Daniil Kruchin, 8, was adopted from Russia in 2006 and given the new name Daniel Alexander Sweeney by his adoptive parents Matthew and Amy Sweeney. The couple, from Bristow, VA., have been arrested and charged with felony child abuse after Prince William County police spokesman Jonathan Perok said the boy had "severe bruising all over his body." Authorities said that the abuse was happening on a consistent basis. The child is now in the custody of Child Protective Services.According to Pravda the neighbors reported the Sweeney family, who have five more children of their own, were unsociable, and the adopted Russian boy was never seen. The Russian Foreign Ministry released a statement saying:"Long-term neglect by the American government agencies with regard to what was happening to Daniil Krichun again raises questions about the readiness of the United States to fulfill to the fullest extent a bilateral agreement on co-operation in the field of international adoption.We insist that they bring order to this area. On this will depend the conclusion of the procedure necessary for the agreement to enter into force and the possibility of our future cooperation in the field of adoption.”Digital Journal reported Russia came close to banning all U.S. adoptions following the death of at least 17 Russian children adopted by U.S. citizens. However the Washington Times reported that earlier this month the" near-moratorium on adoptions with Russia was lifted" when U.S. and Russian officials "signed an unprecedented pact on inter-country adoption." This new agreements is now in jeopardy due to the sadistic treatment of Daniel by the Sweeneys.