VORONEZH, September 14 (RIA Novosti) - A district court in the central Russian city of Voronezh refused to grant an international child adoption request from an American couple affiliated with the Mormon Church, a court spokesperson said Wednesday.
The Voronezh court ruled against giving U.S. citizens Carl and Martha Chapman custody rights over four orphaned Russian girls - two young siblings, an 11-year-old, and a 17-year-old - after finding out they already have nine biological children to care for, plus eight kids adopted in 2002-2004.
In reaching its decision, the court also took into account the unwillingness of the girls, Orthodox Christians by faith, to be raised in an American family belonging to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and the refusal of orphanage administrators to give consent to the adoption.
The court said the ruling was also due to the American couple's failure to produce all the papers required for overseas adoption, including a U.S. government agency's assessment as to whether they would be capable of providing adequate care for four more children, and a U.S. Embassy permit allowing the adoptees to enter the country.
