COSTA RICA NEWS – A complaint filed by a local radio station led authorities at the Patronato Nacional de la Infancia (PANI) – child welfare agency – to uncover a case of an illegal adoption where initial contact was over the internet.
The PANI says this is their first ever such case, and which is has been reported to the Fiscalia (Attorney General) for prosecution.
Fany Cordero, spokersperson for the PANI, explained that a 17 year old girl from Desamparados, who gave birth four months ago, by way of the website “Saludisima” had made contact with a couple in San Carlos to adopt her newborn. But, four months later the young girl regretted having given up her child and wanted it back, the couple refused, so she turned to her parents. Judicial authorities were contacted and now the baby is back with the mother.
Apparently, the young girls’s parents weren’t aware of the pregnancy, nor the adoption.
Cordero added the PANI is also investigating the couple and the girl’s parents since it is illegal to give or receive a minor in adoption without the legal process.
“The child is with the teen, an illegal situation was corrected, we acted in time … these things cannot happen”, said Cordero.
The PANI has also filed charges of trafficking of persons against the website that is based in the United States and apparently funcions as an international forum, addressing issues such as abortion, surrogacy and adotpion.
Browsing the website, under adoption and infertility, several posts involved adoptions, including one of a woman eight months pregnant looking to give up her unborn child. Another is of a frustrated woman who is looking to adopt and cannot get any responses on the forum. All the posts were dated June 9, 2014. See screenshot.
Rodolfo Meneses López, lawyer for the PANI’s Guidance and Information Centre, explained that they are investigating the site to see whether it is being used for illegal purposes.
Under Costa Rica’s Criminal Code, Article 172, sets out imprisonment from six to ten years for anyone who promotes an illegal adoption.
Source: (La Nacion);Feature photo (http://gisellephotoblog.blogspot.com/)
