US-based couple adopts 3-year-old girl with special needs from Jalandhar

Tribune News Service

Deepkamal Kaur

Jalandhar, January 22

A US-based couple has come as a Good Samaritan for an abandoned, physically and mentally challenged three-year-old girl lodged in Nari Niketan in Jalandhar.

The couple reached here to adopt the girl, the procedure for which had been officially completed. The girl has burn marks on her head and body as her parents had reportedly tried to immolate her before abandoning her at Kapurthala railway station. But luck probably is on her side as she has found a new home in Homewood, the US.

Mathew Too York and his wife Rachel Ellyn Steep York, residents of Homewood, US, who already are parents of two, had come to India to adopt a child with special needs when they came across this case. Rachel, who is a trained special educator, said, “It had always been my desire to mother a specially abled child from India.” The couple was handed over the child in the DC office this morning.

Sarangal further mentioned that the parents had filed a petition at the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) to adopt the child, following which the local administration had sought a home study report of the applicants. “After verification of all documents, their case was found fit for adoption and I have issued an adoption certificate to the parents.”

Before issuing the certificate, the parents were called to the administrative complex and interviewed. Sarangal said that he appreciated their cause to raise a special needs child so as to give her a better life in the US. “I have cleared many adoption cases, but this one was special since no parent seeks to adopt a child who has physical, mental challenges. The irony in the case is that the natural parents of the child had acted so barbarically against her, but her foster parents are so loving and caring. Today, I really felt as if humanity was still alive and I am really happy for the child to have got a new home,” he said.

The parents said, “We are waiting for other official documents like getting the Aadhar card and passport of the child, so that we can fly back with her. This may take a few weeks and till then we shall stay here and get time to make the child comfortable with us.”

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