Artyem Savilliev Could be Returned to the U.S.

The New York Times is reporting that 7-year-old Artyem who was returned to Russia by Torry Hansen who had adopted him six months prior became an American citizen "the day he reached American soil last September" according to Tennessee adoption attorneys.

“This child is a U.S. citizen,” said Chuck Johnson, acting chief executive of the National Council for Adoption, which is working with the State Department to place the boy if he returns. “The parental rights are still in effect.”

The Times reports:

"A tug-of-war over the boy’s nationality has begun. As prosecutors in Tennessee consider whether the adoptive mother, Torry Ann Hansen, and her mother, Nancy Hansen, will be charged with abandonment or neglect — and as new details emerged about their interactions with social workers — the international dispute over what will happen to the boy they named Justin has intensified." Russian officials say he is not an American but the "disagreed over whether the boy should remain in Moscow, be adopted in Russia or be sent back to the orphanage in Russia’s Far East."

The Sheriff investigating locally in Tenn believes the boy may have dualk citizenship.

Charles Crawford, the district attorney for Shelbyville, said prosecuting the family would be difficult. “Making it a child abuse case without the child being available to testify is a very tall order,” he said. However, infants never testify in child abandonment cases.

If he had been eight years old, as originally reported it is OK to for him to be put on a plane alone but not at seven. he was a week prior to his eight birthday. Hansen's rush may be her undoing as that may involve a crime, even if the citizenship technicality keeps he from being charged with abandonment. The driver, Arthur Lukyanov, told Russian television he had learned only at the last moment that he was supposed to pick up the boy.

United Way of Bedford County, the Tenn. Dept of Children's Services and a the adoption agency all said Hansen had never contacted them. And the agency that conducted home visits before and after Justin’s adoption, Adoption Assistance, in Smyrna, Tenn, released a statement Monday saying the Hansens had not told its social worker about the severity of their concerns. In January, the statement said, a social worker found that “the child appeared to be adjusting to his new home and family and his mother was enthusiastic about his accomplishments.” This, just three months prior to making such a rash decsion!

Despite Hansen's insistent that she was lied to, is it she that's lying?

Compassion for Hansen is being expressed by others who have adopted from Russia and dealt with the problems commonly associated with these institutionalized children who also often suffer the effects of FAS.

The executive director of the Ogden based adoption agency said Russian orphanages are not good and the children come with baggage.

"Russia has a huge incidence of fetal alcohol syndrome in their children and so Russia would be considered more of a high risk country,” said Kathleen Kaiser. She said those orphanages are poorly run and are anxious to get rid of their children.

While none condone how she handled it, they are empathetic to what she suffered. And support for not charging her criminally comes from those "in the pipeline" who fear this case will halt their adoptions!

The Hansens - Torry and her mother Nancy - have lawyered up and are now refusing any further statements unless they are charged with a crime.

A Utah mother understands the hardship of adopting a Russian child.

Cindy Lorraine-Paske said she turned her teen back to the state after years of struggles with the Russian born boy.

“He would steal, he would lie, sneak, play with fire, get involved with fire, get involved with knives, smoke, stealing alcohol,” said Lorraine-Paske.

She adopted Jason when he was nine years old. The boy was in the state’s foster program having been rejected by another family in Utah.