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April 14th, 2010
12:00 PM ET

Exclusive: Driver talks about picking up orphan

(CNN) – Authorities in Washington D.C. and Russia are still dealing with the fallout after a boy was sent back to Russia alone by the family in Tennessee who had adopted him.

In a CNN exclusive, our Kiran Chetry talked with Arthur Lookyanov, the driver who was hired in Russia to pick the boy up at the airport.
Filed under: Controversy • Exclusive • World
soundoff (6 Responses)
  1. Skippy

    This story is just beyond sad. A child is not a thing that you buy and after you buy it decide you don't want it so you return it. I can very much understand the Russian reaction to this. I pray for the little boy. But with this said, I'd like to make a remark about adopting from other countries. I just don't understand why anyone would adopt from a foreign country when we have so many abused, unwanted, uncared for and orphaned children here in the US that need homes. Our county and our people should be any US citizens first thought.

    April 16, 2010 at 12:15 pm |
  2. Katie

    I don't understand how this child was placed on an airplane and send to another country. In the U.S., it is very difficult and expensive to send a 7 year old on an airplane. You need to pay for a chaperone, and give the name & ID information to the airlie so that person can meet that child at the gate on the other end of the flight!

    April 15, 2010 at 3:14 pm |
  3. Nikko

    I'm sure the adoption agency was totally honest about what types of issues this child had before they allowed to the family to adopt him.

    Granted, an adult should probably have accompanied the child on his return trip but then the agency most likely would have refused. I feel for all involved in this fiasco but don't hold the adoptive family to blame.

    April 15, 2010 at 12:07 pm |
  4. km

    yes, seriously, how did the airline let this kid just leave with a taxi driver? Thank God he seems to be a decent man and didn't hurt the kid. The airline should get in trouble for this as well.

    April 15, 2010 at 9:51 am |
  5. ronvan

    This act, done by this "unfit" parent has affected many. BUT, how lucky could this boy be to get in the hands of this Russian man! He is a CLASS ACT!

    April 15, 2010 at 8:03 am |
  6. sheila

    Did any airline personnel here in the US question this situation, as to who would be responsible for the child upon his arrival in Russia? I should think the airline that transported him, with an employee to 'watch' him from airport to airport, would not think it reasonable to just hand a child over to a taxi driver (total stranger)? I don't know, but it seems terribly indifferent to take a child clear across the world, and then not question the responsibility or relationship of the party that would be taking the child from that point.

    April 14, 2010 at 9:56 pm |
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