14 Held In Adoption
Scheme
Costa Rican judicial
authorities detained 14
people Tuesday,
including a family court
judge and a lawyer, on
suspicion of
participating in a
scheme in which mothers
allegedly were paid to
give up their babies.
Police estimated that
Costa Rican adoptive
parents may have paid
the group an average of
us$10,000 per child.
There was no immediate
evidence that any of the
babies were sent abroad,
but police said
investigations are
continuing.
The case involves at
least three babies who
changed hands since
2006, but police suspect
there may be more. The
ring allegedly targeted
birth mothers in
financial need, police
said.
"We have evidence of the
sale of a child, who
perhaps went to a family
enthused to have a
baby," said the director
of the judicial police,
the Organismo de
Investigacion Judicial (OIJ),
Jorge Rojas. "But this
trafficking is
prohibited by law. Even
though it was a direct
deal, in which the
mother handed over the
child, it was in
exchange for money."
Two social workers were
also detained.
No formal charges have
been filed in the case.
The judge allegedly
signed adoption papers,
apparently in return for
a portion of the price
paid by the adoptive
parents, investigators
said. The detained
lawyer was the alleged
mastermind, and the
social workers may have
channeled needy mothers
into the ring,
investigators added.
Police found photos of
4,000 children at the
home of one of the
detained women. |
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