US Couple Adopts Specially-Abled Girl Child From Ashram In Odisha’s Cuttack

Cuttack:A couple from USA has adopted a specially-abled girl child from an orphanage in Odisha’s Cuttack city.

According to sources, David Bryant and Anna Elish from Oklahoma in USA adopted a specially-abled girl child from Basundhara orphanage  at Bidanasi here. The girl child was handed over to the couple at a ceremony by Collector Bhabani Shankar Chayani on Friday after completion of all the requisite legal formalities.

The couple, who already have three biological children, have long been waiting to adopt the child.

Speaking on the adoption, David told the media, “We adore her and are too excited to take her with us to America. We are grateful to everybody here who extended their support to us in adopting her. We feel so honoured and hope to give her a great life. We will continue to teach her about India and its culture.”

“Her name is Liliana and she will stay and study in America. Her foster parents have assured me that they would provide the four-year-old with all the required the medical treatment. I am sure, this baby will grow up to be a pride of Cuttack city,” said the collector.

The baby girl was rescued from Chandaka forest in February 2019. At the time of her rescue, 60 per cent of her face was damaged by stray dog bites. She was treated at SCB Medical College here and later plastic surgery was performed on her in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu.

Former Child Welfare Committee (CWC) official Amiya Bhushan Biswal said, “This adoption is a lesson for all those parents who abandon their newborns only because they are girl child. I think this will encourage many more families to start adopting such orphaned children.”