Bhadrak: Lady luck smiled on a baby girl, who had been deserted, possibly by her mother, in a garbage dump here way back in 2012. Aparajita, now 6, was adopted by a couple of the USA Friday. After a week, the couple – Matthew James Svoboda, 29, and Meredith Kaye Svoboda, 30.— will leave for America along with Aparajita.
The girl is expected to make her life amid the care of her American parents.
The adoption was made possible with help of the district child protection unit.
The girl was being taken care of by NGO Batsalya. Caretakers and staff of the organisation were in tears when they handed over the girl to the American couple. Matthew James is a priest in a Church while Meredith is a dentist. The couple has two sons.
The staff of the organization recalled the day (February 18, 2012) when dogs were gnawing at the baby dumped in a garbage near New Bus Stand here. Some people luckily heard her shrieks and informed the police.
Town police with the help of Batsalya rescued the baby and admitted her to the district headquarters hospital and later shifted her to SCB Medical College and Hospital at Cuttack. She lost her left hand due to dog attack. She recuperated and was under the care of the NGO.
The couple had applied for the girl’s adoption through a Keonjhar-based adoption agency SIS.
The couple was permitted by CARA to adopt the baby. They had completed all legal formalities needed for adoption.
Collector Gyanaranjan Das, ADM Shyambhakt Mishra and other district officials were present to bid farewell to the child. The couple was apparently happy to adopt the girl.
PNN