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| US ambassador tries to calm row over Texas death of adopted Russian boy | US ambassador tries to calm row over Texas death of adopted Russian boy |
| (10 days later) | |
| The US embassy in Moscow has responded to the furore over the death of a toddler adopted by American parents, calling on Russian lawmakers and media to end their "sensational exploitations of human tragedy". | The US embassy in Moscow has responded to the furore over the death of a toddler adopted by American parents, calling on Russian lawmakers and media to end their "sensational exploitations of human tragedy". |
| Ambassador Michael McFaul said he was troubled by how the Russian press was portraying the US, its justice system and citizens amid an angry response to the case of three-year-old Max Shatto, who died in Texas last month. The boy – who was born Maxim Kuzmin – has become a focal point of protest in Russia, with some officials openly accusing his adoptive mother of killing him. A US investigation has not yet stated cause of death. | Ambassador Michael McFaul said he was troubled by how the Russian press was portraying the US, its justice system and citizens amid an angry response to the case of three-year-old Max Shatto, who died in Texas last month. The boy – who was born Maxim Kuzmin – has become a focal point of protest in Russia, with some officials openly accusing his adoptive mother of killing him. A US investigation has not yet stated cause of death. |
| Authorities in Texas are still trying to piece together the events leading up to the child's demise. He was last seen alive on 21 January, in the small town of Gardendale. His adoptive mother, Laura Shatto, says she found Max unresponsive in the backyard, where he had been playing. The three-year-old was taken to hospital but could not be revived. The medical examiner in West Texas has yet to pronounce cause of death, but has said there were signs of bruising on Max's abdominal area. | Authorities in Texas are still trying to piece together the events leading up to the child's demise. He was last seen alive on 21 January, in the small town of Gardendale. His adoptive mother, Laura Shatto, says she found Max unresponsive in the backyard, where he had been playing. The three-year-old was taken to hospital but could not be revived. The medical examiner in West Texas has yet to pronounce cause of death, but has said there were signs of bruising on Max's abdominal area. |
| The Russian children's rights ombudsman, Pavel Astakhov, described the death as the "killing" of a toddler by his adoptive American parents; the state Duma has drafted a strongly-worded petition to Congress. Having led nightly news broadcasts on state TV on consecutive days, the boy's death has also sparked anti-American protest rallies in Moscow. | The Russian children's rights ombudsman, Pavel Astakhov, described the death as the "killing" of a toddler by his adoptive American parents; the state Duma has drafted a strongly-worded petition to Congress. Having led nightly news broadcasts on state TV on consecutive days, the boy's death has also sparked anti-American protest rallies in Moscow. |
| On Friday, in a blogpost, McFaul wrote: "It is time for sensational exploitations of human tragedy to end and for professional work between our two countries to grow, on this issue and many others. Just as it troubles me to see unfair stereotypes of Russians and Russia in the American press, it pains me to read these inaccurate portrayals of Americans and our values by some in your media." | On Friday, in a blogpost, McFaul wrote: "It is time for sensational exploitations of human tragedy to end and for professional work between our two countries to grow, on this issue and many others. Just as it troubles me to see unfair stereotypes of Russians and Russia in the American press, it pains me to read these inaccurate portrayals of Americans and our values by some in your media." |
| After the ambassador's intervention, Russian president Vladimir Putin's spokesman said Moscow should "temper emotions" over the case. Dmitry Peskov said harsh statements by Russian officials and lawmakers were driven by the "zero tolerance" of Russians to the deaths of children adopted by Americans. But he acknowledged that it was too early to know the cause of Shatto's death. | After the ambassador's intervention, Russian president Vladimir Putin's spokesman said Moscow should "temper emotions" over the case. Dmitry Peskov said harsh statements by Russian officials and lawmakers were driven by the "zero tolerance" of Russians to the deaths of children adopted by Americans. But he acknowledged that it was too early to know the cause of Shatto's death. |
| Russian officials have sought to use incidents of abuse in the US to back the country's controversial ban on adoption to American parents. That restriction, which was signed into law by Putin in December, has been attacked by the US government as "politically motivated". The White House has framed it as tit-for-tat retaliation to restrictions placed on officials implicated in the case of Sergei Magnitsky – a lawyer who was found dead in a Russian prison in 2009, after being arrested by the same officers he had been investigating over a $230m fraud. | Russian officials have sought to use incidents of abuse in the US to back the country's controversial ban on adoption to American parents. That restriction, which was signed into law by Putin in December, has been attacked by the US government as "politically motivated". The White House has framed it as tit-for-tat retaliation to restrictions placed on officials implicated in the case of Sergei Magnitsky – a lawyer who was found dead in a Russian prison in 2009, after being arrested by the same officers he had been investigating over a $230m fraud. |
| McFaul wrote that "more than 60,000 other children adopted from Russia have had the opportunity to enjoy loving parents, new families, and countless opportunities in America". In Moscow, more attention has been paid to the 20 children who have died in US care. | McFaul wrote that "more than 60,000 other children adopted from Russia have had the opportunity to enjoy loving parents, new families, and countless opportunities in America". In Moscow, more attention has been paid to the 20 children who have died in US care. |
| December's act banning the adoption of Russian children by US parents was named after Dima Yakovlev, a 21-month-old boy who died in a sweltering car in Virginia. His adoptive father was later acquitted of involuntary manslaughter, prompting strong media criticism in Russia. | December's act banning the adoption of Russian children by US parents was named after Dima Yakovlev, a 21-month-old boy who died in a sweltering car in Virginia. His adoptive father was later acquitted of involuntary manslaughter, prompting strong media criticism in Russia. |
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