THE city welfare center was considering returning an abducted girl to her foster mother in Jiangsu Province after weeks of efforts to locate her biological parents failed, the Southern Metropolis Daily reported Sunday.
Microblogs helped in the rescue of the 3-year-old, identified only as Yueyue, together with Peng Wenle, a Shenzhen boy who was abducted three years ago from his home in Longgang District. Peng was returned to his biological parents but the girl s parents have not shown up.
It s true, we are thinking of taking Yueyue back to her foster mother, said Tang Rongsheng, director of the welfare center. We think it the best solution for the girl.
Tang said Yueyue was emotionally very close to her foster mother after spending three years with her. She often called for her foster mother after arriving at the welfare center. Whenever the center gives the children sweets and other snacks, she always saves some sweets in her pocket to share with her mother, Tang said.
According to his experience, there was only a small chance of finding Yueyue s biological parents. Under existing Chinese law, children rescued from abduction cannot be adopted but must stay in welfare centers until their biological parents show up.
Personally, I don t want to see Yueyue grow up in an orphanage. If the law is not changed, it is likely she will grow up here, Tang said. He added that some children in the welfare center had been there for more than seven years since they were found after being abducted.
The situation has caused heated public debate with opinion divided. Some people say it is the best the welfare center could do for Yueyue under the worst circumstances. Yueyue is a little girl who is very attached to the Jiangsu woman and she would be better off growing up with the foster mother, said a woman identified only by her online ID Wanziqianhong.
However, some people thought this would in some way legalize an illegal action and encourage abduction. The foster mother isn t clear of abduction accusations although the girl was said to have been abducted by her husband who is now dead. It s legally inappropriate to return the girl to a suspect, said a man who identified himself as Li Zheng.
Li said this would send a misleading message to society that abducting a child was all right as long as the biological parents did not show up.
Zhang Jie, a lawyer with Guangdong Shenhong Legal Firm, agreed with Li. Yueyue is too young to make a judgment. It is understandable that she is attached to the Jiangsu woman. She could become attached to any of the nurses at the welfare center if she remains there, Zhang said.
But Pan Dungang, vice director of the child protection committee of the city s lawyers association, said the authorities were legally permitted to find the best place for the children. The woman has not been convicted of abduction. The only role she played in the incident was a foster mother to Yueyue. There is nothing wrong with that, Pan said.
(SD News)
