Mom Returns Adopted Artyom Saveliev, 7, Alone on US-Russia Flight

by Liz McKibbon | April 9, 2010 at 10:51 am

2331 views | 30 Recommendations | 13 comments

Torry Hansen, a Shelbyville, Tennessee woman, returned her adopted, 7-year-old son on a one-way flight to Russia alone with a note informing the recipients she no longer wanted to parent the child.

Artyom Saveliev (his adoptive name is Justin Hansen) was accompanied by his grandmother, Nancy Hansen, on a flight from Tennessee to Washington then went the rest of the way alone and without luggage. A driver was hired by the Hansens to take the unaccompanied child to the Russian Education and Science Ministry this afternoon.

Hansen adopted the boy September 29 and claims that the adoption agency falsified information about the child’s mental state. She says the boy was increasingly aggressive and she feared for the safety of herself and her family. Her note said simply "I return him."

"He drew a picture of our house burning down and he'll tell anybody that he's going to burn our house down with us in it," she told The Associated Press in a phone interview. "It got to be where you feared for your safety. It was terrible."

But the Saveliev said he hadn't eaten for several days, didn't attend school, was often yelled at and had his hair pulled. Russian authorities refute Hanson's claims and are investigating the case. Saveliev was hospitalized for exhaustion and then will be taken to a child care centre.

But the mother decided to make her life easier, as she writes in her application, and says that she abandoned the child because she does not want him to destroy her life, her family, and lose her friends. She thinks that she has been misled as to what the boy was going to be like. But we have the boy’s history and we can see that he is a normal boy and has no mental or physical abnormalities, he is psychologically stable.

Russia To Crack Down on US Adoption Agencies?

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov calls the act "the last straw" in a string of bad stories concerning Russian adoptions by US parents. The Russian education ministry has suspended the license of the adoption agency involved in the Hansen’s adoption -The World Association for Children and Parents.

Until we find out all the circumstances of the case, we are suspending the permit to operate an adoption in Russia for the non-profit organization World Association For Children And Parents, which assisted in the adoption of children and monitor the conditions of their life and upbringing in the US," Alina Levitskaya, ministry representative, said.

suggests a contract that accounts for punitive measures in these cases. In the past, the US has not agreed to any such contract, but it may be expected in the near future. Nearly 1,600 Russian children were adopted in the United States last year.

In 2006, Peggy Sue Hilt of Manassas, Virginia, was sentenced to 25 years in prison after being convicted of fatally beating a 2-year-old girl adopted from Siberia. In 2008, Kimberly Emelyantsev of Tooele, Utah, was sentenced to 15 years after pleading guilty to killing a Russian infant in her care. And in March of this year, prosecutors in Pennsylvania met with a Russian diplomats to discuss how to handle the case of a couple accused of killing their 7-year-old adopted Russian son at their home near the town of Dillsburg.

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Amy Judd

at 11:08 on April 9th, 2010

Oh my gosh, is this even allowed!?

stejeb

at 11:22 on April 9th, 2010

Perhaps these "adopting parents" need to be more closely scrutinised, I would hate to think that the reason they have adopted from a place so remote from them is because all local agencies have already refused them.

The childrens' welfare should be put first, particularly if they do indeed have special needs....that takes special parents.

Rory Cripps

at 12:13 on April 9th, 2010

Steve: It's extremely difficult to adopt a child in the U.S. Especially one that was born here and has no medical or emotional problems, i.e. no baggage. Quite frankly and sad to say, young couples that want to adopt don't have much of a choice and often have to look to countries such as Russia, China, etc.where the adoption agencies are not closely scrutinized. The poor kid is probably better off going back: Who deserves to be in the care of someone that is as heartless, cruel, and selfish as this woman apparently is? There are no guarantees when it comes to adoption. Parents that want to adopt need to be prepared to give their love unconditionally. Otherwise they have no business adopting a child . . . .

Carolyn Mathas (not verified)

at 07:20 on April 11th, 2010

Agencies are very closely scrutinized. Parents that want to adopt do need to be prepared - but they need to really understand what trauma has done to these little lives. It takes literally years and years to work through these issues - not months.I don't believe that this woman started out as heartless, cruel or selfish. I think she was in way over her head and didn't handle it well. The children have a honeymoon period in the beginning where all goes well. When they begin to relax is when the acting out begins in earnest. The child is not better off going back. The orphanages are also places where trauma is inflicted.And, it takes much more than unconditional love to offset early childhood trauma.

mary Devine (not verified)

at 07:58 on April 17th, 2010

I am very relieved to read intelligent comments about this adoption gone wrong. This "mother" has proven to be a manipulative tyrant, who neither helped the boy to assimilate into his new culture, or provide the stability and support that she needed. If she had a reliable partner or spouse, as is the norm in our society, she may have had another person available to bounce ideas off and rationalize, some of the "odd" behavior that the kid may have exhibited. As the mother of a 7 year old boy, I know they can be a little angry at times and show some impulse control issues; and that is with the "best of upbringing", nevermind having been raised in an orphanage. I say, if she doesn't do jail time for this, then our culture has truly gone to the dogs. Let's face it, kids have no rights in our society. We are required to be the protectors of our children; and this little boy is no exception.

Liz McKibbon

at 13:29 on April 17th, 2010

I don't think her lack of spouse is a valid reason for her struggling with this situation. She obviously had her mother to rely on, since the woman played a large part in sending the child back. I'd like to think the adoption agency had reason to believe the this woman was stable.

I agree that adopters probably need to be more fully prepared emotionally for difficult situations. Not making any excuses for the woman, it was obviously an incredibly irresponsible decision, but she apparently had no where else to turn. I think that the adoption process and companies involved need to shoulder some of the blame for the well-being of the child.

Carolyn Mathas (not verified)

at 07:22 on April 11th, 2010

Rory Cripps

at 11:29 on April 9th, 2010

Some story. JEEZ!

Yuliya Talmazan

at 13:16 on April 9th, 2010

This is a responsibility issue. There is also way more screening and education that has to be done before a family is allowed to adopt a child.

Carolyn Mathas (not verified)

at 07:13 on April 11th, 2010

I have adopted from Russia. The responsibility for education as to what one will deal with is on the shoulders of the adopting family. Although agencies that do home studies look closely at the families, lifestyle, finances, etc., and interview friends, family and neighbors, that does not ensure the adopting family really understands what they will face with children that have early childhood trauma. There is no way this child should have been put on an airplane. There was help from a myriad of sources. The agency used, other agencies that specialize in Russian adoptions would also have gotten involved. There are cases when an adoption did not work out for one family, but a second family was found that was willing to take the child in, and did so successfully.I see posts where people condemn single parents adopting, where others think that the families receive subsidies for the care of the children, and where "all you need is love." I adopted three children from Russia as a single parent. Anyone who undertakes life with a "failure is not an option" attitude can succeed at this -- although even then it's a difficult undertaking. There is no ongoing subsidy from the U.S. government for foreign adoptions -- domestic ones, yes, but for foreign ones, you're on your own. It also takes more than love to do this. It takes ongoing therapy for the child and the adoptive parent(s), it takes the ability to set tough boundaries for the children, while making sure they know they are loved and safe, and it takes reaching out to others when you know you're in over your head on any given day. Having said all this, it is inconceivable to me that families looking to adopt Russian or any older orphan think that this is a walk in the park and that just because someone says this child is "healthy" they are not without issues. Several of these children have reactive attachment disorder (RAD), several hoard food, truth out of their little mouths is a process that takes place over many years. To not educate yourself regarding their trauma and the difficulty you are undertaking is criminal (for yourself and the child). These children did not end up in orphanages because they had a good beginning. They just didn't. So, yes, of course, please consider adopting, but do so after thorough homework. Make it about what you are willing to give, not what you may get back. Chances of good you won't get anything back in terms of real affection for several years. My children were 9-6-4 when adopted. I am so proud of them. There were some days that putting them on a plane (or myself) could have been tempting. I, and thousands of other families that adopted from Russia made a commitment to these kids and we take it seriously. I love my children fiercely. And, even though it was extremely tough, I would do it again.If you are having trouble with your adoptive child, look for help. It is there If your own agency won't help, keep calling until you find someone who will. Look at RAD sites through searches and find someone in your area that can help you and your child. Fight for them - they can't do it on their own. My two cents.

Mary Devine (not verified)

at 08:15 on April 17th, 2010

You are an inspiration. I applaud what you have done. It is obvious that your children have greatly enriched your life and you theirs. I think some people don't understand how difficult it is to raise any child, let alone a child who has been traumatized, unloved or not nurtured. Rasing such a child like this, or children in your case, is hard work, every single day. And the work goes on for many years The woman in this case wrote a letter when she "returned" the boy to the Russian authorities, stating that she was annulling her adoption because she was afraid of losing her friends and her family. This boy was supposed to be her family. She returned him as if he were an inatimate object that had no feelings. She is the person with mental issues, not the boy.

Jamie renee (not verified)

at 20:21 on April 11th, 2010

Carolyn, AMEN and HALLELUJAH!!

goodle (not verified)

at 18:24 on April 21st, 2010

Carolyn Mathas, the world would be a better place if there were more like you. I don't assume the child came without problems, but a few threats to burn down a house? What angry child doesn't make threats? What were his actions? I am completely baffled by this whole situation. The child needed counseling, not abandonment.