Vuk Tesija Zagreb  BIRN

Four Croatian couples were arrested for a second time at an airport in Zambia on suspicion of child trafficking after coming to adopt four children from the neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Eight Croats were arrested for a second time on Tuesday at Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe International Airport in Ndola, the third largest city in Zambia, after coming to the country to pick up four children from the Democratic Republic of the Congo last year to adopt.

They were initially arrested on December 9 last year at the airport in Ndola as they attempted to leave the country with the children and accused of attempted child trafficking.

But the court in Ndola dismissed the indictment against the eight Croats, Croatian Foreign Minister Gordan Grlic Radman told reporters on January 6.

By Kunal Dey

BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA: The Southwest Louisiana community was shocked by the tragic death of a 12-year-old boy in October 2022, especially in the neighborhood where he lived. Brogan Duhon's parents are facing charges of second-degree murder after he died of malnutrition. He weighed just 28 pounds at the time of his death.

Jeff Davis Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Chris Ivey said in a press release that an autopsy conducted following Brogan's death at a children's hospital in Baton Rouge determined the cause of death as complications from malnutrition, while the manner of death was deemed a homicide. While some of the boy's neighbors in Jeff Davis parish had never seen him in person, others had no idea how old he really was.

We thought he was five'

“After he died we found out from other people he was 12,” one neighbor told KPLC-TV. “Some kid 12 years old, he’s half the size of what he should be, and I don’t know what goes on in that house over there,” another neighbor offered. “We didn’t know how old he was until after he died, we thought he was five.” Brogan's parents Adam and Jennifer Duhon were reportedly new to the area and kept to themselves. “They’re kinda new to the area, they lived in Cameron Parish, and I think Hurricane Laura and Delta forced them out, and they ended up settling over here on some family property," the neighbor added.

7News searching for answers about whether Brogan Duhon’s death could have been prevented

By Theresa Schmidt

Jeff Davis Parish, LA (KPLC) - The couple accused in the death of a Jeff Davis Parish boy remains in jail, with bond set at $1 million for each. Since their arrest, KPLC’s investigative team has been trying to get answers on if Brogan Duhon’s death could have been prevented.

The 12-year-old child died Oct. 17, 2022. The preteen weighed just 28 pounds, according to hospital records. An autopsy revealed he died of malnourishment, and last week his parents, Adam and Jennifer Duhon, were arrested.

We called the school systems in Cameron and Jeff Davis parishes, where the Duhons have lived. Cameron Parish officials said abuse allegations were made to authorities during Brogan’s time in their school system, at least one in 2015.

Melanie Earley

Police in New Zealand visited an American couple wanted in the US for child neglect after the death of their adopted son.

Seven-year-old Seth Johnson died in a vomit-soaked bed after a weeks-long illness in 2015. Instead of taking him to the doctor, his parents administered “medical honey” and prayed over him, the Minnesota District Attorney alleged.

Seth’s parents, Timothy and Sarah Johnson moved to Auckland with their surviving children in 2016 and were then charged by US authorities with child neglect relating to Seth’s final days. Documents supplied to Stuff show New Zealand police were made aware of the charges at the start of 2017.

A police case summary report stated police would investigate US interest in getting the couple back to face trial.

A report published in the Times of Malta last month stated that three children adopted from outside the European Union were under state care as their parents wanted to ‘return’ them because the children had allegedly exhibited behavioural issues.

Written by: Akchayaa Rajkumar
Edited by: Vidya Sigamany

Child rights activists in India are raising concerns about the three children who were adopted by a Maltese couple and later abandoned as the adoptive parents “no longer wished to care for them.” While there were questions about the nationality of the children initially, a Maltese publication quoted Malta’s Family and Social Policy Minister Michael Falzon on January 21 confirming that the three children were from India.

It all started when the Times of Malta published a report on January 2 stating that three children adopted from outside the European Union (EU) were under state care as their parents wanted to ‘return’ them because the children had allegedly exhibited behavioural issues. Initially, it was believed that the children were adopted through a private Maltese agency named Agenzija Tama. The adoption agency is one of the two agencies listed on the Indian government’s Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) for adoptions in Malta. While Agenzija Tama does not have an official website, it has a Facebook page that is filled with posts congratulating couples on adoptions. It is to be noted that most of the adoptions mentioned on the Facebook page were from India, barring one from Vietnam and a few from Nepal.

Arun Dohle, Director of Against Child Trafficking (ACT), said that a post on Agenzija Tama’s Facebook page dated February 10, 2022 said that three siblings were adopted from India. Speaking to TNM, Arun said, “We don’t know anything about the children or how they are doing. We are not allowed to have any information about adoption cases because of confidentiality, and that makes this all the more concerning.”

Des victimes nées en Roumanie du groupe Racines&dignité ont été écoutés le 10 février 2023 par des représentants des inspections générales des affaires sociales, de la justice et des affaires étrangères chargés d’une mission interministérielle relative aux pratiques illicites en matière d’adoption internationale.Des propositions ont été faites, les victimes espèrent qu'elles seront appliquées.

Le 5 octobre 2022 le groupe Racines & dignité a déposé plusieurs plaintes auprès de la procureure de la République afin de demander l'ouverture d’une enquête judiciaire concernant les principaux acteurs ayant participé à l’exode forcé de milliers d’enfants roumains entre les années 70 et 2005, et ce sans le consentement de leurs familles biologiques. Après une confirmation d’enregistrement des plaintes par le parquet de Paris, nous n’avons, à ce jour, pas d’information complémentaire quant à l’avancement du dossier.

Le 10 février 2023, des représentants de Racines & Dignité ont été entendus par des représentants des inspections générales des affaires sociales, de la justice et des affaires étrangères chargés d’une mission interministérielle relative aux pratiques illicites en matière d’adoption internationale. Cette commission a vu le jour en novembre 2022.

Quatre adoptés présents et membres du groupe Racines & dignité ont raconté leurs histoires d’adoption, ainsi que d’autres histoires recueillies, et ont bien insisté sur le fait que la majorité des mamans biologiques n’ont pas donné leur accord de façon volontaire permettant l’adoption de leur enfant. Un large réseau d’avocats et d’agences d’adoption impliquées demandait des sommes d’argent importantes aux futurs parents adoptifs. Ils ajoutent que les conditions de vie de ces enfants, une fois adoptés, étaient bien loin d’être rose, car il y a de plus en plus de témoignages d’enfants adoptés qui mettent en lumière les abus parfois physiques, mentaux ou sexuels qu’ils ont subi dans leur nouvelle famille, et que face à ces violences il n’y a jamais eu de suivi adapté. Ces enfants adoptés, pour la plupart devenus maintenant adultes, se sentent souvent seuls, incompris et ont beaucoup de mal à s’insérer socialement et professionnellement.

L’adoption internationale navigant dans une zone grise et/ou illégale avant 1990, a été légalisée après juin 1990. Anticipant l’entrée en vigueur de la Convention de la Haye, la Roumanie s’est vue contrainte à adopter une loi dite d’abandon, qui rendait adoptables les enfants placés sous la protection de l'enfance. Ce fût le début d’un véritable marché de l’enfant où les parents étrangers en mal d’enfant n’avaient qu’à se servir. C’est près de 30 000 enfants roumains qui ont ainsi quitté leur sol d’origine et dont les familles biologiques sont encore pour la plupart traumatisées d’avoir perdu leur enfant. Heureusement, cette situation devait se terminer en 2005, condition posée par l’UE à l’adhésion de la Roumanie. 

By Barry Lowin

Jeff Davis Parish, LA (KPLC) - Brogan Duhon’s tragic death stunned the SWLA community, especially the neighborhood where his family lived.

The 12-year-old’s parents are facing charges of second-degree murder after he died of malnutrition, weighing only 28 pounds.

Some neighbors of the Duhons never saw Brogan Nash Duhon, and those who did had no idea how old he really was.

“After he died we found out from other people he was 12,” said one neighbor.

Kochi: A Anil Kumar, the administrative assistant at the Ernakulam

Medical College Hospital, who allegedly forged a birth certificate to facilitate the illegal adoption of a newborn, was nabbed by the police on Friday.

Anil, who had gone into hiding, was taken into custody from his hideout in Madurai.

The police have filed forgery and fraud cases against Anil and A N Rahana, a temporary staff of the Kalamassery Municipality.

Later in the day, Anil told police that he recived money to forge the birth certificate. He said he got money multiple account, Manorama News reported. He told reporters that he would explain many things after he secures bail.

The 50-year-old nurse, her husband and son have been arrested by the Delhi Police.

FPJ Web Desk

A seven-year-old girl was allegedly burned with tongs and beaten up by her adoptive mother and son in Delhi's RK Puram on Wednesday, according to police.

The 50-year-old nurse, her husband and son have been arrested by the Delhi Police.

According to police, the girl's biological parents are relatives of the accused.

The accused relative, who was absconding for the last few days, was working as a nurse at a Safdarjung Hospital.

Delhi Police on Thursday night arrested a 50-year-old woman from the national capital's RK Puram area for allegedly assaulting and branding a seven-year-old girl she had adopted. The woman's son was arrested the previous day and both have been sent to judicial custody, police told reporters.

The adoptive mother had absconding for the last few days, news agency ANI said. She was a nurse at the city's Safdarjung Hospital, police told ANI.

The incident came to light after the RK Puram Police Station received information on February 9 regarding a minor being physically abused in the area. According to reports, the girl's schoolteacher had seen some marks on her body and called the police.

The girl was found with scars and burn injuries on her body, as per a senior official. According to reports, the girl alleged that she was beaten up every day.