A Nigerian couple in the UK who could not have children, have been granted custody of a baby born in Nigeria, despite tests showing they were not the child’s biological parents.
The court’s ruling has created an uproar among charities, child and human rights groups who claim their story was a “charade” and might encourage trafficking. This is partly because of the manner in which the woman told the court she conceived and had a baby.
The couple who live in London but cannot be named for legal reasons failed to conceive a child despite undergoing IVF treatment in the UK.
BBC reports that they were said to be “desperate and distressed” after failed attempts to conceive and then travelled to Nigeria in 2010 where the woman began fertility treatment at a private clinic. She told the court that when she returned to the clinic months later, she was sedated.
When she regained consciousness she was handed a baby and told she had given birth.
On her return to London, a GP raised concerns. The child was taken into care and a DNA test proved the child was not related to the couple. They then launched legal proceedings to get custody.
But despite the fishy story about her conception and delivery, a High Court Judge, Mr Justice Coleridge said the pair were victims of the “most appalling scam“. He described them as “people of the highest calibre and of complete integrity” adding that he was ”deeply impressed by their humanity“.
On Thursday he awarded the parents custody of the child.
This story sounds quite unbelievable. A woman claimed that she was tricked by a doctor into believing she had given birth while sedated and a Judge lets them go. She didn’t mention she was pregnant at any time, just sedated and then, here comes the baby. “When she regained consciousness she was handed a baby and told she had given birth.”
Is this really possible? It seems like the couple just lied through their teeth to the judge and he decided to let them have custody of the child.
He probably thought it was in the best interest of the child for him or her to remain withe the couple, but I have to agree with the human rights groups that say it would encourage child trafficking. Surely this child must have its mother somewhere…
Just as Andy Elvin, the chief executive of Children and Familes
Across Borders told the BBC “These unscrupulous people will exploit people for vast amounts of money. Behind every one of these children lies an actual birth mother. She has been coerced, she may have been kidnapped or raped. These children are not given up willingly.”
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