How Could You? Hall of Shame-Russian Adoptee Max Shatto/Maksim Kuzmin case -Child Death-Kirill Kuzmin case UPDATED

This will be an archive of heinous actions by those involved in child welfare, foster care and adoption. We forewarn you that these are deeply disturbing stories that may involve sex abuse, murder, kidnapping and other horrendous actions.

From Gardendale, Texas, 3-year-old Russian adoptee Max Alan Shatto (Russian name Maksim Kuzmin) died on January 21, 2013, Texas Child Protective Services confirmed on February 18, 2013. Allegations of “physical abuse and neglect” according to Associated Press and giving a “heavy psychotropic substance which is normally used to treat severe cases of schizophrenia in adults” according to The Voice of Russia are being investigated. No arrests have been made.

“Another Russian orphan has allegedly been killed in the US, Russia’s children’s ombudsman Pavel Astakhov told reporters Monday. A three-year old boy died in Texas. The autopsy has shown that he had been systematically beaten and fed with psychoactive drugs by his adoptive mother. Moscow hopes that those guilty of an adopted Russian child’s death in the United States will be punished, and pledges to closely follow the investigation.

Moscow hopes those guilty of adopted Russian child’s death in US will be severely punished

[The Voice of Russia 2/18/13]

Russian authorities want answers in 3-year-old adoptee’s death in Texas

[Fox News 2/18/13 by Associated Press]

“An obituary for Max Shatto published Jan. 26 by the Midland Reporter-Telegram says he was born on Jan. 9, 2010, in the town of Pskov, near Russia’s western border with Estonia. The boy lived with a family in Gardendale, about 350 miles west of Dallas, before his death on Jan. 21, according to the obituary.

The boy’s listed adoptive parents, Alan and Laura Shatto, did not return a phone message Monday.”

“Russian Foreign Ministry official Konstantin Dolgov said in a statement that the boy’s death was “yet another case of inhuman treatment of a Russian child adopted by American parents.”

Duesler said he could not immediately confirm or deny Russian allegations of abuse. Most U.S. government offices were closed Monday in observance of a federal holiday.

Dolgov also accused the U.S. Department of State of not helping Russian consular officials investigate the death. The State Department declined to comment. Crimmins said the consulate had contacted Child Protective Services.”

Russians Investigating Adoptee’s Death In Texas

[NPR 2/18/13 by Associated Press]

Max’s obituary can be seen here. There is a brother Kristopher listed. No word yet on whether he has been removed from the Shatto home. I find their quote on the memorial page  to be disgusting given the allegations: “Max was welcomed into Heaven by his paternal grandparents, Gary and Lucille Shatto and maternal grandfather, Douglas Worley. Max, you were not with us long enough to leave fingerprints on the walls but you left fingerprints upon our hearts. When we get to Heaven, we know we will hear your sweet voice singing with the angels. We love you and will always miss you.” How many fingerprints were left ON HIM!?!?

Konstantin Dolgov said “the parents gave the boy the drug Risperdal used to treat adult schizophrenia and his body had signs of beatings. He added that child protection services said the boy died “due to abusive treatment by the adoptive mother L Shatto.”

Adopted Russian murdered by US mum: Moscow

[Nine News 2/19/13]

REFORM Puzzle Pieces

Update: Big hat tip to Elizabeth Case for finding out that Max was adopted within the past 6 months from the same orphanage of Chase Harrison aka Dima Yakovlev.

 

The article in Russian can be found at http://izvestia.ru/news/545198 Excerpts Google-translated “Killed in U.S. 3-year-old boy was adopted in the same orphanage where taken away and Dima Yakovlev.”

“Murder of a U.S. citizen of Russian orphans Maxim Kuzmin will be the main topic of discussion at the Government Hour in the State Duma. Head of the Investigative Committee Alexander Bastrykin and Prosecutor General Yury Chaika made a report on February 20 before the deputies.
– I think it would be correct if Bastrykin told MPs about how the U.S. side goes towards Russia during the investigation of criminal cases filed by investigators in connection with the murder of Russian children. Do the American authorities with the investigation? Are Americans to objectively impartial review of such cases? It is important to understand that. Something has changed in recent months – said the “Izvestia”, the first deputy chairman of the Committee on Family, Women and Children Olga Batalin.
As it turned out, killed three Maxim Kuzmin was adopted in the same orphanage that died in 2008 Dima Yakovlev.”

“Maxim Kuzmin did have our students in the past year has been adopted in the U.S.. Then there was no law prohibiting adoptions abroad. Has not been six months since the shipment, so the first reporting from there we did not. Further clarification on the situation I can not, – commented the head physician Pechora orphanage Natalia Vishnevskaya. ”

“Recall, this evening the Russian Embassy in the United States became aware of the fact that in mid-January in Texas foster mother was killed by Russian Maxim Kuzmin orphan who is adopted by the Americans. In this case, the U.S. State Department told the Russian side of the incident. According to investigators, the boy died, without waiting for an ambulance. At the conclusion of Pathologists, the child had numerous injuries, which caused death.   ”

Update 2/Morning February 19, 2013:

Many important details revealed by Russian media this morning: Gladney is the adoption agency; The adoption took place on October 23, 2012; His brother identified in the obituary is his biological brother adopted at the same time.

Russia’s DUMA is demanding that Kirill, the brother, be returned to Russia. Russia is opening up its own murder investigation.

Russian media has a conflict of the whereabouts of Kirill. One says that he remains in the Shatto home. The other says that he is currently under guardianship of Shatto relatives.

Here are 4 Russia articles from this morning with Google Translation. We expect many more updates over the next week.

(1) http://www.vesti.ru/theme.html?tid=102214

Translated:
“Duma demands to return to Russia, his brother died in a U.S. boy
Vice-speaker of the State Duma  of the Secretary of the General Council of “United Russia” Sergei Neverov, who heads the working group for the development of  National Adoption Institute, said the need to return to Russia, his brother died in U.S. Maxim Kuzmin.

“The most important thing – to ensure the safety of  Kirill Kuzmin. Therefore we demand the return of the boy to  Russia, – he said. – The fact that Kirill Kuzmin remains in the foster home, the suspects in the murder of his brother, is the major concern – both for moral the child and his  safety. ”

Russian parliamentarians intend to monitor the investigation into the death of a boy in the Texas foster care Shatto, ITAR-TASS reported. According to Sergei Neverov, the fact that the U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul responded to the incident just a month after the murder of the boy, “indicates the attitude of the U.S. authorities to protect the rights of adopted children to this country from Russia.” The politician stressed that in light of recent events in Moscow itself is doing everything possible “to save the lives of our children.” MPs invited diplomat to talk about the fate of young Russians in the U.S..

Maxim and Kirill Kuzmin, received after the adoption names Max Alan and Alvin Christopher, were taken by Laura and Alan Shatto from Pechora children’s home at the end of 2012. In the same institution before moving to live in the U.S. killed Dima Yakovlev. In this regard, the Governor of the Pskov region Andrei Turchak froze all adoptions in the region. According to investigators, Maxim Kuzmin beaten to death his foster mother, and due to thescene physicians do not have time to save the life of a three-year child.”

(2) )http://www.rg.ru/2013/02/19/malchik-site.html

Translated: “On the death of the Russian child in the United States, our diplomats have learned from the newspapers
Text: Alexander Gasyuk (Washington)
02/19/2013,

Another case of ill-treatment of an adopted child to Russia, over the death of a baby, was discovered in the U.S.. As it became known, although at the end of January in the state of Texas foster mother allegedly killed three Maxim Kuzmin, still an American is not under arrest.

“The three-year Maxim has been beaten, according to the investigators, the foster mother, who has long nursed him strong psychotropic drugs on the grounds that he had a mental illness. A child diagnosed with multiple injuries, including abdominal trauma, multiple bruises on his head and legs “, – told reporters the president commissioner for children’s rights Pavel Astakhov. According to child ombusdmena due to place emergency “first aid” is not able to help a child who died before the arrival of doctors.

As it turned out, “RG”, a new tragedy with Russian child occurred on January 21 in the West Texas 560 miles from Dallas. The victim Maxim Kuzmin-Shatto lived with his brother Cyril in place a two-year Gardendale, near the town of Odessa.

Points out that the child did not have time to live in America and six months – an adoption was made Pskov Regional Court and entered into force on October 23, 2012, clarified the “RG” the Russian diplomat.

Recall, from January 1, 2013 in Russia came into force “law Dima Yakovlev”, according to which American citizens are forbidden to adopt Russian orphans. Law provoked strong public reaction, got its informal name adopted in honor of the boy who was killed in July 2008 in the state of Virginia after the adoptive father-forgotten American child in a closed car in the sun and was subsequently acquitted.

By a tragic coincidence, it is from the Pechora children’s home, where he lived Dima Yakovlev, and was adopted by Maxim Kuzmin, told “Izvestia”.

“Officially, no one is notified of the death of an adopted child to Russia, although the U.S. government should have done. On the tragedy became known through the obituary, which was published in the State of Louisiana, and then got information the Russian Embassy in the U.S. and we are connected to the investigation” – said, “WG” employee of the Consulate General of the Russian Federation in Houston, in the area of ​​responsibility which includes Texas.

A senior Russian diplomat in Washington told the “RG” confirmed – although the United States officially established 19 cases of death of adopted Russian children, most of all, “is only the tip of the iceberg” because almost all of the known incidents were revealed accidentally by short messages in the local press.

Although the foster mother named Shatto and barred from raising his younger brother who died of Maxim (Cyril placed under the guardianship of relatives and his condition not serious), American still is accused and arrested, said, “RG” in the Consulate General.

Currently investigating the death of a foster child proceeds along two lines – the study of all the circumstances of the death of a three-year deal with the kid the police and social services Texas. Maxim’s body, beaten and dosed with a potent psychotropic drug “Risperdal” which is usually used in the treatment of schizophrenia in adult patients sent for examination, the results of which will be announced within a week or two, explain the local police department.

Upon learning of the tragedy, the Russian diplomats immediately went on a trip to Gardendale and met with law enforcement officers, social workers, and the father of the deceased child. In the embassy intend to monitor closely this case and note that, apparently, the U.S. is truly interested in objective investigation.

As we found out, “RG”, who died at the hands of the adoptive mother Maxim Kuzmin has been adopted by a specialized agency of the U.S. “Gladney Center for Adoption”. However, a representative of the agency, headquartered in Texas, declined to answer questions from a “WG” of the company in Russia, doling stating that the organization turned all the activities in this country in connection with the decision by the Russian authorities banned the adoption of orphans by Americans. According to information on the site “Gladney Center for Adoption”, the agency continues to pursue international adoption, particularly in countries such as Bulgaria, China, Taiwan, the Philippines, Honduras and Ethiopia.

By the way
“We believe that the perpetrators will be punished most severely. We will monitor this closely the result, and once again state that the U.S. State Department, in contrast to the local authorities did not help our consular find out the cause of the new fatalities with Russian child in the U.S.. We expect that in the case of confirmation of these facts in the beginning of the investigation in the death of the boy guilty will be punished, “- said the Russian Foreign Ministry Commissioner for Human Rights, Konstantin Dolgov.”

(3)http://ria.ru/world/20130219/923614190.html

“U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul said the death of three-year Maxim Kuzmin in Texas terrible tragedy.

“I still do not know the details, but the death of a child – a terrible tragedy,” – he wrote in his microblog on Twitter Tuesday.

Representative of the Russian President for Children’s Rights Pavel Astakhov said earlier that adopt Russian baby Maxim Kuzmin woman from Texas fed him psychotropic drugs, and before his death was beaten badly. Russian investigators have opened a murder case and said they would apply for absentee arrest foster mother of the boy, and declaring it to an international manhunt.

Texas prosecutors, as stated by representatives of the Russian authorities, expressed readiness to cooperate with Moscow in investigating the death of a child. Russia’s assistance in negotiations with the government of Texas in the case of death of a child will have and the U.S. State Department, told RIA Novosti the eve of the U.S. Department of State.”

(4) http://www.interfax.ru/world/txt.asp?id=291322

Translated:

“Child Protection Service of the American state of Texas (Texas Child Protective Services, CPS) confirmed that it had received a report about the violent death of three Maxim Kuzmin, an adopted American family from Russia, reports CNN.

CPS representative Krimmins Patrick told reporters that his office is conducting its own investigation. He added that it is about child abuse.

Also investigating the death of a boy engaged in Ector County police, Texas, where the case came initially because of the “suspicious” death of a child. So far, the U.S. authorities have not arrested anyone. According to investigators, it is necessary to wait for the autopsy.

Boy’s adoptive parents, Alan and Laura Shatto did not return calls Monday. Their answering machine reported that they would not comment on reports that have appeared in the media.

On the eve of January 18, Russian authorities announced another murder of an adopted child from Russia in the American family.

“The three-year Maxim has been beaten, according to the investigators, the foster mother, who has long nursed him strong psychotropic drugs on the grounds that he had a mental illness. A child diagnosed with multiple injuries, including abdominal trauma, multiple bruises on his head and feet, “- said the president commissioner for children’s rights Pavel Astakhov.

As it turned out, Maxim Kuzmin was educated in the Pechora Orphanage (Pskov region), which was adopted by the foster family from Texas. Chief Doctor of the orphanage Natalia Vishnevskaya reported that the boy suffered from heart disease, but no mental problems he had. He was also not any other diseases in which you want to receive psychotropic medication.

“For us, what happened – a great sorrow, especially as a child adopted from us recently,” – said Vishnevskaya. She also confirmed that the brother of the deceased Maxima – Kirill Kuzmin – given in the same foster home. According to Astakhov, currently adopted mother was temporarily suspended from his upbringing, but she was allowed to see him.

TFR filed criminal charges

Investigative Committee of Russia initiated into the death of Maxim Kuzmin criminal case under Article 105 of the Criminal Code (murder). Using the service, the investigators requested information and materials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

According to “Interfax” agency spokesman Vladimir Markin “TFR will apply for absentee arrest foster mother” the boy, as well as to ensure that the Russian investigators participated in the investigations leading to the U.S..

Texas prosecutors, according to Astakhov, Russian investigators have promised to cooperate fully in the investigation of crime.

“Prosecutors Texas pledges to cooperate with the Russian Federation in the investigation into the death of Maxim Kuzmin American family in the waiting room,” – wrote the Ombudsman in his “Twitter” on the basis of discussions with the representative of the Russian consulate in Texas.

It should be noted that, to date, most attempts of the Russian investigators to participate in legal proceedings on the facts of attacks on the lives and health of Russian children adopted by U.S. citizens, not with understanding from the U.S. Department of Justice. This was one of the reasons for adopting the “law of Dima Yakovlev”, imposing a ban on the adoption of Russian orphans by Americans.

Only since 1996 is known about the death of 19 cases of minors at the hands of Russian children by American adoptive parents. According to Raman, at the end of last year opened and investigated nine criminal cases, four of them U.S. Department of Justice has refused to provide the Russian side of any of the requested documents.

The reaction of the authorities

Representatives of the authorities responded to a report of a violent death Russian boy once, without waiting for the results of the investigation. Governor of the Pskov region Andrei Turchak his decree suspended all adoptions in regiogne.

“We are suspending all open adoptions of children in any family,” – quotes Turchak press office.

Chairman of the Russian Supreme Court Vyacheslav Lebedev invited his American counterpart John Roberts to discuss cooperation on adoption of Russian children by U.S. citizens.

“Such cooperation is possible. We proposed Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court, I invited him to visit Russia and to sign an agreement or intention of cooperation” – said Lebedev reporters in Moscow on Tuesday.

U.S. Ambassador to Russia, Michael McFaul, in turn, called the death of the Russian child terrible tragedy

“I do not know the details, but the death of a child – is a terrible tragedy,” – he wrote in his “Twitter”.

The death of Maxim Kuzmin – already twentieth officially confirmed case of murder of children adopted by American parents from Russia. In the courts of the United States are now nine cases of infringement of life of children in Russia. The sentences are usually very mild.”

Update 3/Early Evening February 19, 2013

(1) Russian official urges immediate halt to several dozen US adoptions in progress; Silent Tribute in DUMA; More confirmation that all adoptions suspended in Pskov Oblast

“Reports of the death in Texas of a Russian adoptee are producing an outpouring of outrage from Russian political elites aimed directly at the United States.
“Why should we send our children to certain death,” Deputy Chairwoman of the Federation Council Svetlana Orlova told the Interfax news agency.
Orlova urged immediate legislation that would stop the several dozen U.S. adoptions that were already approved before Russia’s ban took effect in January. ”

“The Duma opened its session on the same day with a moment of silence, at the request of United Russia Deputy Olga Batalina, deputy chairwoman of the Committee on Family, Women, and Children.
“This tragedy concerns each and every one of us personally,” she said before asking deputies to rise and join her in a silent tribute.
Batalina’s committee said it plans to invite U.S. Ambassador Michael McFaul to come to the Duma and answer questions on the matter.
Andrei Turchak, governor of Pskov Oblast, where Kuzmin and his brother, Kirill, and Dima Yakovlev were adopted, announced that all U.S. adoptions in his region have been suspended. ”

Reports Of Adoptee’s Death In U.S. Prompt Firestorm Of Outrage In Russia

[Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty 2/19/13 by Robert Coalson]

(2) November 2012 is given in this article as the adoption date. US Embassy in Moscow initially tweets regrets. Laura Shatto’s name added to their blacklist.

“Maksim Kuzmin was adopted at the beginning of November 2012. Just two-and-a-half months later he was found dead, on January 21, 2013.

Russia has reacted extremely critically to the fact that the US waited almost a month before notifying Russian authorities about what happened. Even then, it was Texas’ law enforcement authorities that spoke out, while the other US channels remained mute on the subject.

Russia’s Investigative Committee has launched a probe into the death of Maksim at the hands of his adoptive American family. Investigators stated they will be adding adoptive mother Laura Shatto’s name to the international watch list and applying for her arrest.”

‘”The US Embassy in Russia has expressed condolences via its Twitter account.

 

“We deeply regret the death of the child in Texas. A death of a child is always a tragedy,” the statement said.

 

“It would be irresponsible to make conclusions on who is responsible for the death [of Maksim] before autopsy results are analyzed and the investigation is complete,”

“There had  been several reports of physical abuse and neglect, but the authorities  are still waiting for final autopsy results and thus far no arrests have  been made and no suspects identified.

An investigation usually  takes around 30 days, but when the law enforcement is also involved it  may take longer, said the spokesperson.”

“Maksim died before medics called by Shatto arrived at the scene, Russian Children’s Ombudsman Pavel Astakhov stated, quoting Texan authorities. Preliminary evidence showed that the boy suffered multiple injuries to his head, limbs, abdomen and internal organs prior to death.

The Russian Foreign Ministry’s special representative for human rights, Konstantin Dolgov, stated that such wounds “could only be caused by strong blows.”

“US Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul has been invited to the Duma to discuss the topic of Russian adoptive kids abroad.

First Deputy Prime Minister Olga Golodets and Education Minister Dmitry Livanov were also invited to talk about the measures Russia has in place to protect orphans from being adopted by problematic families.”

End to adoption question’: Russia shocked at another child’s death in US/

[Russia Today 2/19/13]

(3) Official US Embassy in Russia statement

See here and pasted below:
“Statement on the Death of Max Shatto/Maksim Kuzmin

February 19, 2013

We deeply regret the recent death of Max Shatto in Texas. A  child’s loss of life, whether in the U.S., Russia, or any  other country, is always a tragedy. At this early stage it  would be irresponsible to draw conclusions about the death or assign guilt before autopsy results are analyzed and an  investigation is carried out. Throughout the weeks since this terrible incident, State Department and local authorities have worked closely with Russian consular officials in Houston, facilitating consular access to Max’s sibling as well. We will continue to work closely and cooperate with Russian authorities on this matter as part of our long-standing commitment to the welfare of children adopted from abroad.”

(4) Russian article, excerpts Google-translated  http://www.dni.ru/polit/2013/2/19/248443.html

“At its meeting of legislators decided to call in the State Duma of the U.S. Ambassador. “The committee are invited U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul. Suppose will provide information on how and what they will do for the Russian children remaining in America, these children – our citizens, and the abolition of the agreement does not mean that we have no right to demand U.S. responsibility for the fate of these children, and these children return to Russia “, – said the Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Family, Women and Children Elena Mizulina.

“In this whole situation, I personally resent the lies and hypocrisy with which the U.S. State Department is trying to disown responsibility“, – quotes RIA Novosti Mizulina. She also demanded to return to Russia, his brother who was killed in a three-year U.S. Maxim Kuzmin.”

“Earlier, the chairman of the Duma Committee on Foreign Affairs Alexei Pushkov said he believes the death of three-year Maxim Kuzmin in the U.S. state of Texas the last point in the question of adoption of Russian children by Americans. “Death is one of our three-year child in the United States finally closes the question of adoption of our children in the United States. Again, the U.S. authorities are silent,” – he wrote in his microblog on Twitter.

And the head of the State Duma Committee for Security and Anti-Corruption Irina Spring did not rule out that the U.S. deliberately wanted to hide the death of another child adopted in Russia. “The fact that the Russians learned of the murder of an adopted child is not an official U.S. sources and the fact that since the death of the boy was about a month, but no decision on a criminal case, all this gives grounds to speak of deliberate concealment of the crime” – Spring stressed.

She recalled that it was contrary to all norms of law and once again confirms the inaction of the authorities in the United States for children adopted from Russia. “This situation is outrageous and unacceptable. This is a defenseless little baby. Especially in this family is the victim’s brother. U.S. fails to draw conclusions from the tragedy of the death of Russian children did not take measures to protect their lives, do not provide the level justice those who committed crimes against them. We still do not know the whole truth about those who have been taken out of Russia, and how many more tragedies hidden from the public eye, “- said the deputy.”

(5)Local report from West Texas. You can view their house in the video attached to link. The photo that they describe with scratches and eye redness came from a Daily Mail report. Again it explains that he was laid to rest in Ruston, Louisiana, not Texas.

“Little Max Shatto had just celebrated his third birthday last month and two weeks later, he was found dead. Now all eyes are on the Gardendale couple who adopted him from Russia.

Child Protective Services is also looking for answers as to how this innocent little boy died. The toddler’s death has caught the attention of officials overseas with Russia’s Investigative Committee opening up their own investigation on Monday.

The local couple is being accused of alarming acts by Russia’s Children’s Rights Commissioner. The Ector County Sheriff’s Office is also investigating the death and are awaiting autopsy results just like everyone else to find out how exactly Max Shatto died.

Headlines after headlines spiraled half way across the world as information surfaced about this little boy’s death. Russian authorities are claiming that the boy, born Maxim Kuzmin of Russia, died after being mistreated by his adoptive parents from West Texas. In the article found in The Telegraph, out of the United Kingdom, states that Russian investigators said the three year old was beaten by his adoptive mother and was fed psychoactive drugs over a long period of time.

The couple in the center of it all is Alan and Laura Shatto. Pictures surfaced of the couple once the news broke. In one picture, it shows Alan smiling and holding Max Shatto, who’s last name changed after being adopted. In another pictures, one can see scratches and swelling on the little boy’s face, along with the apparent broken blood vessels around his eyes.

Authorities have not released the type of health condition the toddler was in.

NewsWest 9 went to the couple’s home off Waldrop Road in Gardendale to find some answers. Their property had a sign saying no trespassing so we called them instead. Their answering machine changed and said, “if this is a reporter or a news agency, we have no comment.”

Patrick Crimmins, a spokesperson for the Texas Child Protective Services, says they received the report of Max’s death on January 21st and are still investigating. In a statement they released Monday it said in part: “The allegations reported to CPS were physical abuse and neglectful supervision, or simply, neglect.”

In an article from The Australian newspaper, it quotes Russia’s Kremlin envoy for children saying, “he died before the arrival of the ambulance called by his adoptive mother. According to the autopsy report, the boy had many injuries.”

Max was laid to rest in Ruston, Louisiana. The Ector County Sheriff’s Office has not taken anyone into custody.

Russian authorities recently banned American adoptions. They say the boy’s case is another example of “inhuman treatment” by American parents.”

Ector County Sheriff’s, CPS Investigating Death of Adopted Child From Russia

[News West 9 2/18/13 by Josh Navarro]

(6)Investigator for the Ector  County medical examiner is interviewed; Adoption agency WHFC makes idiotic statement

Excerpts: “Sondra Woolf, an investigator for the Ector County medical examiner, said she had been called to the emergency room at Medical Center Hospital in Odessa, late afternoon on Jan. 21, to investigate the toddler’s death. She said she was not sure what his condition had been upon arrival, but she believed the emergency room staff had worked to try to save or revive him before she got there, adding, “I don’t think they would if there wasn’t some kind of hope.”

Woolf said she was not allowed to discuss her impression of the toddler’s condition that day, adding that because the child was under 6 and the cause of death was unknown, the medical examiner had ordered an autopsy, which will take six to 12 weeks. She said she had seen the Shattos that day, adding, “I’m sure that they were grieving, as most parents would, appropriately.”

Woolf added that she believed the Shattos also have another child adopted from Russia. ”

“Sarah Mraz, director of international programs at Wide Horizons for Children, a Massachusetts-based agency that handles Russian adoptions, said Russia’s response to negative adoption outcomes in the United States appears to be rooted in historical animosities between the two countries.

“Obviously this is horrific,” she said of Max’s the death, “but there does seem to be something acute between the Russian government and press and the U.S. that we don’t see in Russian adoptions to France or Italy. . . . Statistically speaking, some adoptions don’t work out, period, and statistically speaking some parents abuse their adoptive children.”[Yes, %$^& happens…nothing to see here…move along… and don’t say anything baaaaaaad about the adoption industry and our good buddies who placed this kid…]

Typically, countries work together to try to minimize such cases. Between Russia and the United States, however, “There doesn’t seem to be a collaborative relationship,” she said. “It feels more retaliatory.”

News of toddler’s death in Texas reignites Russian adoption debate

[Daily Democrat 2/19/13 by Kathy Lally and  Tara Bahrampour, The  Washington Post]

(7) Another interview with investigator from Coroner’s Office ;Texas Sheriff Gets Louisiana Senator Mary Landrieu involved. Can we say CCAI together now?

Too much bad press…they have to call in the big political people…gosh will they make a new adoption movie called
%UCK-ed for all the adoptees who died in the US instead of STUCK? Maybe we can get a bus and tour around the US with all the pictures of the dead adopted kids on it! Maybe we can make a video called Pushing Up Daisies, too, while we are at it!

“The claims by Russian authorities that 3-year-old Max Alan Shatto was killed after “inhuman treatment” by his parents are confusing Ector County officials.

Local authorities are concerned because the cause of death of the child has not been determined.

“I’m glad they have X-ray vision and have seen some report,” Ector County Medical Examiner Forensic Death Investigator Sondra Woolf said regarding the claims. “We haven’t gotten anything back yet.”

Max, also known as Maxim Kuzmin, was pronounced dead at Medical Center Hospital on Jan. 21 after being transported from his adopted home in Gardendale. Woolf said Max’s body was sent to Tarrant County Jan. 22 for an autopsy and it could still take several weeks before getting any results.

Russian authorities claim Max died after his adoptive mother, Laura Shatto, pumped him with psychotropic drugs and abused him. The claims also state Max died before he ever got to the hospital, something Woolf said wasn’t true.

Ector County Sheriff’s spokesman Sgt. Gary Duesler said Tuesday morning that the investigation was ongoing and wouldn’t comment on whether detectives were looking at the case as a homicide. No charges have been filed in the case yet.

Duesler also said Sheriff Mark Donaldson was in contact with U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu of Louisiana and has been working with Sergey Chumarev, the senior counselor for the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Washington, D.C.

Shatto was born Jan. 9, 2010, in Pskov, Russia and was listed as living with Alan and Laura Shatto in Gardendale, an obituary in the Midland-Reporter Telegram stated.

The death comes weeks after Russia announced it was banning all American adoptions. The ban also reflects lingering resentment over Russian children who have died in the care of their American parents.”

 Ector County Officials: Claims by Russians baffling

[OAOA 2/19/13 by Nathaniel Miller]

(8)Russian article including interview with investigator from Coroner’s office;Press Secretary of the U.S. State Department Victoria Nuland ‘s comments, excerpts Google-translated

http://www.golos-ameriki.ru/content/maxim-shatto-case-investigation/1606628.html

Translated:
“The cause of death of Maxim Kuzmin be known until March
Medical examiner, “the cause of death without autopsy is uncertain”
The cause of death of three Maxim Kuzmin, who received the name after adoption Shatto, will be known only after the autopsy, said in an interview with the Russian service “Voice of America” ​​medical examiner Sondra Woolf – that she was called to the hospital to identify the causes of death of the boy.

“I was called in as a forensic scientist in the ICU waiting room to establish the causes of death. On the causes of death without autopsy is uncertain. While we’re not sure what happened. We are currently awaiting the results of the autopsy, they will come in 8-12 weeks, “- said Wulff. She noted that no previous reports”

“”What my investigation found: Boy found unconscious in the house where he lived. Firefighters took him to the emergency room of the medical center in Odessa (Texas). There, Dr. admissions recorded death. The boy tried to revive, and I’m sure they’ve done everything possible to save my life but I am not sure in what condition he was when he was taken to the hospital. ”

At the hospital, the Russian service “Voice of America” ​​declined to comment, citing the confidentiality of the information.

Answering the question, “Voice of America”, were there on the boy’s body signs of violence or injury, the medical examiner noted that it is being installed. “I saw the body. I find it difficult to tell whether a child any injury. This can be said only after the autopsy, “- said Wulff.”

“Press Secretary of the U.S. State Department Victoria Nuland in a briefing on Tuesday stressed that no one should jump to conclusions about the death of the boy to the police finished the investigation. “This is a terrible tragedy, but the Texas still investigating the cause of death, and as far as I know, they have not concluded what caused the child’s death. We are very concerned about the well-being of children, especially those who have been adopted from other countries, and supports access by the foreign state to children with dual citizenship, in the appropriate form.”

“”There are several factors based on which, we make a decision on the need to open” – says Wolfe.

First, according to the law of Texas, from forensics require the cause of death or an investigation within 24 hours of receipt of the body to the hospital. Secondly, again, state law says that if a child was less than six years and the cause of death is not a birth defect, the autopsy should be performed. “And the third reason why we do an autopsy, the cause of death in this case was unknown,” – said Wulff.

Lieutenant investigation department of the local sheriff’s office confirmed Roddy Eaton Russian service “Voice of America”, which is under investigation. “We have to investigate every death – a procedure. We are investigating, looking at the place where the body was found, interviewing potential witnesses, talking with family, study the history of the disease, “- said Eaton.

According to him, the representatives of the Russian Consulate contacted the sheriff’s office about the investigation. “We talked to some people from the Russian Consulate. We have not given them anything to not given to others. All of the information that they have, is that there is a mass media “, – said Eaton.”

Update 4/Late Evening February 19, 2013

(1)Shirley Standefer, chief investigator for the Ector County  Medical Examiner’s Office, confirms that there were signs of bruising on  Max’s body, including in the lower abdominal area . This differs from the account of Sondra Woolf who couldn’t say if any injury existed.

““Whether it’s just normal bruising from a child being a child,   or whether those bruises are from something else, I can’t  confirm or deny this,” Standefer said.

 A full autopsy will be needed to determine what kind of  bruising was on Max’s body, she said. Authorities also have not  received a toxicology report that would have details on whether  Max was being given any medication, she said.

The autopsy is being conducted in Tarrant County, where Fort  Worth is located, about 300 miles east of Odessa, the Ector County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement. A spokesman for Texas Child Protective Services says the agency is investigating  complaints of physical abuse and neglect. No one has been arrested in the case.”

No one answered the door Tuesday at the Gardendale, Texas, home of Alan and Laura Shatto, the couple who adopted Max and his biological brother from the same orphanage in northwestern  Russia, according to a Russian official. The Shattos did not  return several phone messages. Other relatives could not be reached for comment.”

Another excerpt: “The Russian embassy in Washington confirmed in a statement Tuesday that two Russian officials had spoken to Alan Shatto as  well as local authorities. The embassy said it had “the deepest  concern” based on the information it had.”

“Sheriff’s spokesman Sgt. Gary Duesler said the office had been in contact with a Russian embassy official, and the U.S. State Department said it was working with both the embassy and the Russian consulate in Houston.

“We take very seriously the welfare of children, particularly children who have been adopted from other countries and we  support appropriate access for concerned foreign officials to  children who have dual or foreign citizenship,” State Department  spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said. “But I want to just underscore that nobody should jump to any conclusions about how this child died until Texas authorities have had the opportunity to investigate.”

Excerpt featuring Chuck Johnson. He fails to mention (Associated Press fails to put two and two together) that this case involves HIS MEMBER AGENCY GLADNEY, not some random unlicensed agency. HIS MEMBER AGENCY IS HAGUE ACCREDITED.

“Chuck Johnson, CEO of the Virginia-based National Council for  Adoption, said an agreement ratified last year between the United States and Russia would have prevented the conditions that led to many deaths and high-profile abuse cases. One change in particular would have required all adoptions to go through agencies licensed in Russia.”

“The deaths were terribly tragic, horrible,” Johnson said in an   interview. “But the frustrating thing has been that those cases have become the face of inter-country adoption, and they  shouldn’t be.”

He said the Russian officials implying that American-adopted children would be mistreated “are not being fair or accurate,  although I understand their indignation.”

Texas Official: Bruises Found on Dead Russian Boy

[ABC News 2/19/13 by Associated Press]

(2) Information on birthmother, from Russia article

http://lifenews.ru/news/110932

Excerpts, Google-translated: “”It is learned that the mother of Maxim and Cyril – 23-year-old resident of a village in the Pskov region Yulia Kuzmina. Woman leading racket, had been deprived of their parental rights to the baby’s adoptive parents killed Sept. 28, 2011. Julia abuse alcohol, never worked, intoxicated she has a violent outbursts.

Exactly one year later, on 20 September 2012, the Pskov Regional Court ordered the adoption brother in the American family. The long-awaited family life turned into a living hell for the kids.”

(3)Russian article indicating Kirill is out of Shatto home with once weekly visits from Shattos and confirmation about bruising

http://www.newsfiber.com/p/s/h?v=EB2QIsEmpopM%3D+TXro4e%2B4gN4%3D

Excerpt, Google-translated: “Astakhov said that the murder took place at the end  of January, and said that “during the investigation Reception American mother excluded from the education of another child, even though it is allowed once a week to see him.” Senior investigator forensic department Ector County Texas Stendefer Shirley said Tuesday that the body of the deceased in Texas Maxim Kuzmin found bruises. “

(4) “Texas authorities today confirmed that a  three-year-old boy adopted from Russia was covered in bruises and unresponsive  when he was brought into hospital last month, where he was later pronounced  dead.”

“An autopsy into Max’s cause of death is  pending  but Ector County Medical Examiner’s office today gave weight to the Kremlin’s  claims after it confirmed marks on the child’s body that  could have been caused by abuse.”

“Texas Child Protective Services spokesman  Patrick Crimmins confirmed  the agency had received a report on Jan. 21 of the  death of a three-year-old named Max Shatto, and that the Ector County Sheriff’s  Office in West  Texas was investigating.

Crimmins said CPS had received allegations of physical  abuse and  neglect, but had not determined whether those allegations were  true.”

Texas authorities confirm bruises were found on unresponsive Russian toddler when he was brought to hospital as Kremlin alleges murder at hands of adoptive mother

[Daily Mail 2/19/13 by Associated Press and Daily Mail Reporter]

(5) New York Times has Louisiana Senator Landrieu being the spokesman for this Texas case!She apparently KNOWS that the investigation will take 2 weeks. They say Kirill IS still in Shatto’s house but being monitored.

“On Jan. 21, the day Max died, Texas child welfare authorities received a report of his death, as well as accusations of physical abuse and neglect. A spokesman for the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services said on Tuesday that the death was being investigated. Senator Mary L. Landrieu, Democrat of Louisiana, said that the investigation would be completed in about two weeks and that appropriate actions would be taken.”

“The authorities in Texas were more cautious in their remarks, saying they were awaiting the results of an investigation. Patrick Crimmins of the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services said his agency had not received any previous accusations of abuse against the Shatto family, and declined to offer any details about signs of physical neglect or abuse.       

“We may want to wait for a medical examiner’s report and/or toxicology results,” he said in a statement. In the meantime, he said, Max’s younger brother remains in the Shatto home. “We are monitoring the household to ensure his safety,” he said.”

“A triumphant note on Laura Shatto’s Facebook page last November celebrated her return to Texas with Max and his younger brother, Kirill, 2, whom the Shattos call Kristopher. Natalia Vishnevskaya, the head doctor at the orphanage in Pskov where they were adopted, told Russia’s Channel One that the boys’ biological mother took no interest in the boys’ lives and that her parental rights had been stripped when her sons were 1 and 2 years old.

She said the Shattos had visited the brothers repeatedly at the facility and never aroused any suspicions among the staff. “

“On Tuesday, no one responded to phone messages or answered a knock at the door of the family’s house in Gardendale, a rural unincorporated community with a population of 1,600. Two Russian television crews were among the journalists who had parked at an intersection near the house, which sits at the end of a gravel road. “

After Adopted Boy Dies in U.S., Russian Officials Accuse Texas Woman

[New York Times 2/19/13 by Ellen Berry, Manny Fernandez, and Staci Semrad]

(6) Laura was previously a teacher at Midland High who taught economics.

“Meanwhile Max Shatto’s younger brother is being monitored by CPS.

New Details Emerge in Death of Adopted Russian Boy

[News West 9 2/19/13 by Geena Martinez]

Update 5/February 20 afternoon

(1)Three articles about what happened that afternoon of January 21. One from Russia calling the incident an accident One US article is more detailed from US LE and explains the neglect allegation. The other US article describes bruising all over his body.

US Article quoting Sheriff

“An ambulance pulled up to an unassuming Gardendale home in the mid-afternoon Jan. 21, shortly after two children were playing in the yard.

One of the boys was on the ground, and would die about an hour later at Medical Center Hospital.

Sheriff Mark Donaldson said his deputies arrived to the home in Gardendale at 16097 North Waldrop Ave. home as the ambulance was leaving with Max Alan Shatto, a 3-year-old adopted Russian boy who was pronounced dead at 5:43 p.m. by a Medical Center Hospital emergency room doctor.

Donaldson said his office was notified of the ambulance call at 4:49 p.m. Jan. 21, and were dispatched to the home. The 9-1-1 call was on a report of cardiac arrest.

Donaldson said deputies have spoken with the adoptive parents of the boy.

Laura Shatto, the boy’s adoptive mother, told deputies that she was inside when Max Shatto became unresponsive, Donaldson said.

“We know the child was outside playing with the other child. They were both out there,” Donaldson said. “The mother went out there – she wasn’t out there – and when she came out there he was on the ground.”

Donaldson said that was just before the ambulance was called, but wouldn’t elaborate on what injuries the boy had and how he could have gotten them.

The Ector County Medical Examiner’s Office has previously stated the boy had bruises on his body, including his lower abdomen, but would not say where the bruises are believed to have come from.

Although the sheriff’s office periodically releases information about death investigations, Donaldson said they don’t release in-depth information on every death.

He also said despite previously releasing information on other autopsies, he’s not going to release information on this one. [Who is asking that this not be released?] Donaldson said one of his deputies did observe the autopsy performed by the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office.

“My interest here to start off with is a 3-year-old boy that’s dead,” Donaldson said. “And as far as I’m concerned, he’s a Texas boy because he’s living in the state of Texas and Ector County.”

Donaldson said he could not find any record of the sheriff’s office being dispatched to the address before the 9-1-1 call on Jan. 21.

The death comes at a time when tensions between the United States and Russia are high regarding adoptions between the two countries.

Several weeks ago, Russia announced it was banning all U.S. adoptions in a bill signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Max Shatto was adopted from a Pskov, Russia, orphanage along with his brother, Kristopher Elvin Shatto.

Russian media outlets are alleging torture and murder, although local authorities insist neither Russian media outlets nor government officials are privy to information other than what has already been released.”

Sheriff: Adopted Russian boy was outside before death

[OA online 2/20/13 by Jon Vanderlaan]

US Article about bruising all over and another confirmation that  they will not be releasing a preliminary report

Excerpt:

“The adopted mother of a 3-year-old Russian boy who died in Texas told authorities the boy was outside playing with his younger brother before she found him unresponsive, a sheriff said Wednesday.

Laura Shatto told deputies that she was inside the family’s home outside of Odessa, Texas, on Jan. 21 and came out to find Max Alan Shatto on the ground, Ector County Sheriff Mark Donaldson said.

Deputies arrived at the home as the ambulance was leaving with Max, he said, and the boy was pronounced dead at the hospital a short time later. No one has been arrested in the case, authorities said.

The mother said Max was playing with his biological brother, 2-year-old Kristopher Shatto. Donaldson said he wasn’t sure if anyone else was at the home besides Laura Shatto and the boys, whom Shatto and her husband Alan recently adopted.

The medical examiner’s office said it couldn’t immediately be determined if bruises on several parts of Max’s body were intentional or accidental, but Russian authorities have blamed Max’s death on “inhuman treatment” by the adopted parents.

Shirley Standefer, chief investigator for the Ector County Medical Examiner’s Office, says there were signs of bruising on Max’s lower abdominal area.

A full autopsy will be needed to determine what kind of bruising was on Max’s body, she said. Authorities also have not received a toxicology report that would have details on whether Max was being given any medication, she said.

Donaldson said he didn’t know when the final autopsy report would be completed.

A preliminary report from the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office has been received by county officials, but they decline to release it.

The death comes weeks after Russia announced it was banning all American adoptions in retaliation for a new U.S. law targeting alleged Russian human-rights violators. The ban also reflects lingering resentment over the 60,000 Russian children adopted by Americans in the past two decades, of which at least 19 have died.

Texas mom: Russian boy was playing before he died

[Salon.com 2/20/13 by Betsy Blaney]

The high temperature that day was 51 degrees. I mention this because being found outside is eerily similar to Hana Williams death case in which she was found outside in a 50 degree temperature.

Leaving newly adopted 2-and 3- year old children outside to play by themselves is now part of this story on at least the neglect side. Were they sent out as punishment following another incident ? Were there dangerous objects in the yard?Were the bruises part of what happened outside or when he was with Laura? Is basic childcare covered in a Gladney homestudy?

It is unknown if this will rise to criminal negligence or criminally negligent homicide, manslaughter or other . Criminal Negligence is defined in Texas as “Sec. 6.03.  DEFINITIONS OF CULPABLE MENTAL STATES…

(d)  A person acts with criminal negligence, or is criminally negligent, with respect to circumstances surrounding his conduct or the result of his conduct when he ought to be aware of a substantial and unjustifiable risk that the circumstances exist or the result will occur.  The risk must be of such a nature and degree that the failure to perceive it constitutes a gross deviation from the standard of care that an ordinary person would exercise under all the circumstances as viewed from the actor’s standpoint.”
Criminally Negligent Homicide in Texas is defined as “Sec. 19.05. CRIMINALLY NEGLIGENT HOMICIDE. (a) A person commits an offense if he causes the death of an individual by criminal negligence.(b) An offense under this section is a state jail felony.”

Recklessness  in Texas is defined as “Sec. 6.03.  DEFINITIONS OF CULPABLE MENTAL STATES…c)  A person acts recklessly, or is reckless, with respect to circumstances surrounding his conduct or the result of his conduct when he is aware of but consciously disregards a substantial and unjustifiable risk that the circumstances exist or the result will occur.  The risk must be of such a nature and degree that its disregard constitutes a gross deviation from the standard of care that an ordinary person would exercise under all the circumstances as viewed from the actor’s standpoint.” That would be underlying a manslaughter charge.

Manslaughter in Texas is defined as “Sec. 19.04.  MANSLAUGHTER.  (a)  A person commits an offense if he recklessly causes the death of an individual.

(b)  An offense under this section is a felony of the second degree.”

 

Russia article doesn’t mention the two toddlers playing alone outside

“Russia confirmed Tuesday that its officials had visited a site in Texas in connection with the death there of a Russian toddler who died at an area hospital last month, but described the incident as an “accident” and voiced hope of continued work with local US authorities to clarify the circumstances of the tragedy.

“We can confirm that a senior diplomat from the Russian Embassy and a consular representative from the Russian Consulate General in Houston have visited the place of the accident and had an opportunity to talk to appropriate representatives of the local authorities,” the Russian Embassy in Washington said.”

“The Russian embassy statement however said Russia was awaiting results of the investigation and, in language qualifying the earlier accusation of murder, added that “if there is a criminal component to the child’s death, we expect those responsible to be severely punished.”

The embassy statement said Russian diplomats had spoken with the adoptive father of the boy but made no mention of contact with the mother.

Russian officials have accused US authorities of failing to facilitate their access to information about cases in which Russian children adopted by US parents have died or been mistreated, but the embassy statement also downplayed that aspect of this emotional dispute between the two countries.

“We received initial assistance from Ector County authorities and we would like to rely on continued cooperation to fully clarify all the circumstances of this tragedy,” the statement said.”

Russia Cites ‘Accident’ in Texas Adopted Child’s Death

[RIA Novosti 2/20/13]

(2) Russia is the one who informed US DOS about Max’s death on February 5, 2013

http://www.interfax.ru/news.asp?id=291619
Excerpt,Google translation
” U.S. State Department officials  in Houston  first learned  about what happened to  the child  of adoption of Russian  Maxim  Kuzmin  February 5  from  the Russian Consulate  in Texas.

According to a  U.S. State Department, Russian diplomats in  Houston  called  the U.S.  State Department  on February 5 and  was asked to help   contact the local authorities  to arrange a meeting  with the brother of the deceased  child.  They are  employees of  the State Department  in Houston  heard about the  death  of Maxim  Kuzmin.”

(3)Putin will visit Max and Kirill’s old orphanage next month and a public board will be set up and meet with regional officials. They continue to talk about bringing Kirill back to Russia.

http://www.vesti.ru/doc.html?id=1036710&cid=8
Excerpts, Google, translation
“In early March 2013 during a visit to the Pskov region, Russian President Vladimir Putin to inspect Pechora orphanage, from which American families gave Maxim Kuzmin and Dima Yakovlev, who was tragically killed in the United States.The trip is timed to the anniversary of the battle with the forces of local airborne at an altitude of 776 fighters during the second Chechen war.

It is expected that by that time local Social Security will be able to find the brother of the deceased boy, Kirill Kuzmin, new foster parents.Appropriate instruction given before the head of the Pskov region Andrei Turchak, reminds agency “Interfax”.

Meanwhile, in light of recent events in the children’s ombudsman in the Kemerovo region will create a public board, which will include representatives of 34 municipalities in the region, as well as members and community groups.It is expected that the first meeting of the organization will be held on February 28.”

 

(4) Russia has stated in a few articles that they have 10 families to over a dozen that have come forward …in one week no less..to adopt Kirill. That brings up the question again about corrupt placements. Some reformers STUCK in the early heyday of flowing Russian adoptions still cling to Russia not being corrupt, but diverting children from domestic placements to international ones for money happens and that is but one of the corruptions in Russia. Having over a dozen families come forward to adopt Kirill shows two things: due diligence in a local placement does not seem to have occurred here and PAPs everywhere love to adopt young children. That will forever leave the question of: What If A True Effort to place Max and Kirill locally had happened instead of this international placement? They could have been placed locally and anyone who says otherwise is STUCK in the 1990s.

This article also includes the hysteria of Russian Senators calling for all Russian adoptees to return and a missing 2000 kids in US (this number used to be 400 and it refers to postplacement reports missing. On that note, how many missing postplacement reports are attributed to Gladney?)

“”We should not judge the Americans – it was out mistake and we should demand that America return all our children. If we need to, we will sell some owners’ yachts, but we will raise our children, and this step will belittle them [the Americans],” Kondratenko said.

Andrei Borisov, a representative of the Pskov region, said Maxim Kuzmin had a brother called Kirill.

“We, the people of Pskov, are now concerned about the fate of Kirill and over a dozen of families are ready to adopt him. The Federation Council should promote this boy\’s return to Russia,\” Borisov said.

The discussion also addressed the creation of a special commission on interaction with the U.AS. at the level of the parliament on issues relating to the adoption and fate of Russian children. Some meeting participants said the fate of 2,000 children adopted from Russia remains unknown, adding that this situation is unacceptable.”

Russian senators call for return of all Russian children adopted by U.S. families [Russia Beyond the Headlines 2/20/13]

(5) Interview with Pavel gives statistics and some plans for moving forward with helping orphans and funding foster families in more regions.

“Russian children’s rights ombudsman Pavel Astakhov, 47, is a man with a controversial mission: to end once and for all the American adoption of Russian children. In an interview with Anna Nemtsova, he said he wants to end foreign adoption entirely. Three years ago, when he was appointed ombudsman for children’s rights, he declared that foreign adoption was “shameful” for Russia. In early February, Astakhov was appointed adviser to the president.

Astakhov has had a diverse and storied legal career. In his past work as a defense lawyer, Astakhov frequently criticized the Russian court system. Later he gained more notoriety for being the star judge on a televised legal education show “The Hour of Judgment.”

His international family lives in Moscow and in France; he is married with three sons. His youngest was born in France and his oldest son studied in the United States and United Kingdom. When asked if he would consider adoption, Astakhov said, “That is very difficult; I have no time to see my own children.”

At the time the Russian government decided to ban U.S. adoption at the end of 2012, about 1,000 American families were in the midst of adoption proceedings. The new law was named after Dima Yakovlev, a toddler who died of heat stroke in Virginia, after his adoptive father left him in a parked car for many hours.

More than 60,000 American couples have adopted Russian orphans; 19 of the adopted children have died, some at the hands of their adoptive parents in the United States.

RBTH: One of the main arguments lawmakers made for banning adoption was that it had become impossible to monitor or control Russian orphans once they were in the United States. The owner of a ranch in Montana, Joyce Sterkel, told Kommersant newspaper that if you had asked her properly, she would have received you. Are you aware that she was upset that you referred to her ranch as “a prison for kids”?

P.A.: To be honest with you, I did not read the interview but I can imagine things she said to defend her reputation. A Russian consul visited her ranch in 2010 and saw 30 children including 10 Russian orphans living there. As far as I know, parents paid the ranch owner about $4,000 for every child.

She runs a profitable business – she also receives state subsidies for each child that brings her up to $120,000 a month. We have copies of papers going back eight years for children coming to stay at her ranch from adoptive families, who did not want to bring them up. Some of the children moved back with their adoptive families, some went to juvenile prisons, a few ended up in psychiatric clinics.

RBTH: You described the most dramatic cases of failed American adoptions to Russian deputies in Parliament. Americans adopted more than 60,000 children in the past 20 years and many of them had a chance to live a much better life. Are you aware that some Russian orphanages look more like gulag prisons than homes for children?

P.A.: I have personally visited 1,022 Russian orphanages, baby homes and boarding schools – they are all very different in different Russian regions. Conditions at the orphanages in Nizhny Novgorod and Vladimir regions are worse than in Kaluga region, for example. It very much depends on the position of the region’s governor, and his conscience.

In Kaluga, governor Victor Baburin is doing everything to find families for every orphan; he has already closed down most of the orphanages.

RBTH: Several hundred Russian orphans who had a chance to go to the United States and live in families stayed in Russia due to the adoption ban. What alternative do you have for them in Russia?

P.A.: The only acceptable alternative is to find a family for each child, either adoptive or a real one. My goal, the idea I am promoting, is called Russia Without Orphans. Last year we managed to find families for hundreds of orphans and closed around 100 orphanages.

Many of these places have disgusting environment for children. Children live like inmates in jails, while 99 percent of them have relatives, aunts, uncles or grandparents who cannot afford taking them home because of low incomes. Our surveys show that 75 percent of parents abandon their children because of they live in tiny apartments without any income, and 84 percent of abandoned children have living parents who have been deprived of their parental rights.

The time has come to turn the system from its head back on to its feet, find jobs for such parents and provide medical treatment for them, if they are sick.

RBTH: Are there any state programs offering significant financial support to adoptive families in Russia?

P.A.: The ministry of education and science, which oversees adoptions in Russia, has increased financial support to families adopting children with disabilities from 13,000 to 100,000 rubles ($3,300); that will be a one-time help, but the difference is significant.

RBTH: The adoption ban was an act broadly criticized by the international community. Do you feel concerned that your name is going to be remembered as an inspiration for the law?

P.A.: Who would be the judges? I wish American adoption was banned back in 2010, when an American mother put her adoptive son, the Russian Artem Savelyev, on the plane and sent him back to Russia. I get rivers of critical mail. But there is a Russian saying: “tanks are not afraid of dirt.” My job here is to struggle in the regions against those who ignore the issues we have with orphanages, against corruption, people who benefit from stealing from orphanages.

RBTH: Would you suggest that Russia should ban adoption to Europe as well?

P.A.: Nobody takes orphans away from France or Norway or Switzerland. Not a single European country gives children away to America. Europeans did not want to welcome Romania to the European Union because of its foreign adoption practices.

Why should Russia be a donor of orphans? We are a great country, self-respected and self-sufficient. In the midst of the crisis of the 1990s, we allowed foreign adoption. But it is time to put an end to it. I am personally against foreign adoption. The Dima Yakovlev law would not have been signed if I did not report to the government that we have fewer and fewer orphanages in the country.

RBTH: What is the situation with Russian orphans now? How many are there? Different sources have different numbers. Is it true that Russian families feel reluctant about adopting seriously sick children and now, due to the new law, many disabled kids are stranded in orphanages?

P.A.: We have around 653,000 orphans in Russia; 522,000 live in families, about 20 thousand 16-17 year old orphans live in special dorms and 105,000 in orphanages. Journalists often use the wrong statistics. Or they find some example to criticize us with, using a disabled child and waving with it, as with a flag.

I can give you 10 cases of Russian families adopting kids with Down syndrome. We are attacked for not giving away our disabled children. But isn’t it a real shame to give away sick children! We can solve our problems at home, with help of state programs. We also find state funding to transfer children abroad for treatment, if it cannot be provided in Russia.”

Russian children’s rights ombudsman wants to end foreign adoption

[Russia Beyond the Headlines 2/19/13 by Anna Nemtsova]

Update 6/February 20 Evening

(1) Russian article from Update 5, item 1 has now been updated. They no longer are using the term “accident.” Instead, they are reporting the information from the US article with the Sheriff interview. See here.

(2) Kirill’s birthmother is begging to have him back.

Mother Asks Putin to Return 2nd Son After Death in Texas  [New York Times 2/20/13 by Andrew Roth] says “His birth mother, Yulia A. Kuzmina, pleaded with President Vladimir V. Putin in a letter on Wednesday to restore her parental rights to the younger boy, Kirill, 2.       

Russian social services officers took the children from Ms. Kuzmina in 2011, when Kirill was an infant, saying that she was unfit to raise them because of alcohol addiction. The American couple, Alan and Laura Shatto of Gardendale, Tex., adopted the two boys from a Russian orphanage late last year. Texas officials have received complaints that Max was physically abused and are investigating his death.

 

“I am the birth mother of Maksim Kuzmin, murdered in the United States by his adoptive family, the Shattos,” Ms. Kuzmina wrote, referring to Max by his pre-adoptive Russian name. “These people have my second son. I accept my guilt before the children, have found work and have the ability to provide for the child. Help me please, don’t allow the death of my second child, Kirill.”

“In an interview on Russian state television Wednesday, Ms. Kuzmina said she was returning home from a store with sweets for the children in 2011 when she learned that social services had taken Maksim and Kirill.

“I am guilty for everything that has happened,” she said through tears during the interview. “Now I want to take him back.”

Former alcoholic Russian mother who gave up two sons for adoption makes tearful TV plea for return of her younger boy after his brother was found bruised and dead at home of Texan couplek [Daily Mail 2/20/13] says “the 23-year-old woman reiterated her request in an emotional interview with Russian tabloid Life News

‘I would like to appeal to the president, the state prosecutor and [attorney] Pavel Astakhov, asking them to take my second child from these adoptive parents so the same thing that happened to my first son doesn’t happen again,’ Kuzmina said in a Russian-language video posted on the paper’s site.

‘I will do everything to make it up to Kirill,’ she added.

Speaking to Life, a pale and gaunt Kuzmina tearfully recalled how she traveled to another city for work and left her alcoholic mother in charge of her two sons.

When she returned, the 23-year-old mother was informed that Maksim had been taken away by social services. A year later, she lost custody of Kirill. According to Kuzmina, she was not made aware that the children were adopted by a U.S. family until much later.”

(3) Quote from Sheriff Department Sergeant and impression of the medical examiner

“A medical examiner raised questions about possible abuse after a preliminary inspection of the boy’s body, which is now undergoing an autopsy.
State and local authorities are proceeding with an investigation into the death of three-year-old Max Shatto on January 21 in Odessa, Texas, but they still have no determination of cause and have not made any arrests. Ector County Sheriff’s Department Sergeant Gary Duesler says several local agencies became involved in the case very quickly.
“The Medical Examiners office and, of course, our office is involved in it, Child Protective Services because it did not look like a natural death to us,” said Duesler.”
Texas Authorities Investigate Death of Adopted Russian Child

[Voice of America 2/19/13 by Greg Flakus]

(4) Narrower window for children being outside?

This is the only article I have seen so far that seems to narrow the time that the children were alone. Ector County Sheriff Says Adopted Russian Boy Was Found Outside Before Death [Permian Basin 360 2/20/13 by Marianne Elisak]

“Ector County Sheriff, Mark Donaldson, says that Max’s mother,  Laura Shatto, left Max and his 2-year-old brother, Kristopher  Elvin Shatto, playing outside just before she came out to a  shocking scene.

“She was outside with the two boys” says Donaldson, “she went inside for a bit of time, she came back out and found the boy on the ground and called 9-1-1”.

Update 7/February 21, 2013

(1) Two theories discussed-sudden death from Risperdal or Max hurting himself!
“Although the autopsy results are not in, several international media outlets say Max was given Risperdal, which is used to treat schizophrenia.

While the medication may seem too harsh for a toddler, local medical experts say it’s not unusual of to see it prescribed to children.

“Risperdal was one of the earlier medications that was approved by the FDA to be administered in children,” explained Odessa Psychiatrist Shanthi Thangam.

Dr. Thangam says in her 14 years practicing she’s only seen a handful of kids suffer from early onset schizophrenia.

But she also tells us Risperdal is commonly used to treat other mood disorders.

“These medications are a lot of times not just used for schizophrenia,” said Dr. Thangam. “They are commonly used in autism spectrum disorders.”

While the drug is FDA approved for kids, it’s not given out without an intimidating list of side effects.

“Multiple side effects are there,” stated Dr. Thangam. “For example, sudden death is a symptom that’s reported with many of these medications.”

A recent study done by HealthMe shows that since 1997, 40,000 people reported side effects from taking Risperdal.

And out of that number, 1,400 died after taking the drug.

“Extreme caution has to be used,” said Dr. Thangam. “A total medical screening has to be done. Children have to be monitored very carefully.”

We spoke with the pharmaceutical company that makes Risperdal.

They did not answer any questions in regards to sudden death from taking the drug, but they did confirm that it can be given to children.

Although the drug may explain the boy’s cause of death, one thing it doesn’t resolve are the bruises that were found on Max’s body.

Dr. Shanthi tells us Risperdal is not known to cause bruising, however she says if Max suffered from a mood disorder it’s possible that he could have hurt himself.”

West Texas Medical Experts Say That Perscription [sic] Drug May Have Killed Max Shatto

[Permian Basin 360 2/20/13 by Jenn Andersen]

(2)USDOS official confirms that they learned of Max’s death from Russian Consulate on February 5

“The same day, State Department officials contacted a Texan sheriff, who suggested speaking to the local child protection authority.

“State Department officials did so in the morning on Feb. 6, obtained consent to a meeting between Russian diplomats and Maxim’s brother and handed over to them contact details for the child protection office,” the official said.

“Russian diplomats in Houston and a Russian diplomat who had arrived from Washington visited Maxim’s family and met with the local sheriff and members of staff of the local child protection office early last week. The Russian diplomats expressed satisfaction with the visit. There were no complaints or grievances, nothing but professional interaction and cooperation,” the official said.

“The Russian diplomats called State Department representatives in Houston on February 18 to apologize for sensational stories in the Russian media and distance themselves from premature conclusions on the causes of [Maxim’s] death and false allegations that the State Department and local authorities had failed to help the Russian side,” he said.

The official said the State Department had been contacting Russian diplomats from the time to time afterward, briefing them on new developments.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, the head of the Duma Committee on Family, Women and Children, Yelena Mizulina, said U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul and Russian Education and Science Minister Dmitry Livanov were invited to a planned discussion in the State Duma on aspects of adoption in connection with the death of one more Russian child adopted by an American family.

Yet McFaul is not going to attend a planned hearing, an embassy spokesman told Interfax on Wednesday.’

U.S. State Department first heard about adoptee’s death from Russian diplomats – official

[Russia Beyond the Headlines 2/21/13]

(3)Only a few minutes outside alone?

“Sheriff Donaldson said Laura Shatto told investigators she had left her two sons unattended only for a few moments as they played together in the family backyard.

She reportedly said that when she returned, the older boy was on the ground and unresponsive.”

Russian Prosecutors Ask U.S. For Updates On Adopted Boy’s Death

[Radio Free Europe 2/21/13]

(4)Criticism of US Ambassador

“The head of Russia’s parliament criticizes the U.S. Ambassador to Moscow for declining an invitation to speak about the death of a 3-year-old adoptee in a session of the State Duma
US Ambassador Michael McFaul defended his actions, saying U.S. Ambassadors do not normally participate in foreign parliament sessions.

Altshuler agrees that McFaulhad “no moral or legal right” to talk about the case before a definte statement can be made by the investigators. By contrast, children’s rights ombudsman, Pavel Astakhov, originally used the words “killed” or “murdered” to describe the toddler’s death and now has had to withdraw his statements now that new facts about the toddler’s death have emerged.”

Russian Parliament Criticizes US Ambassador for Not Speaking About Russian Adoptee’s Death [Voice of Russia 2/21/13 by Crystal Park]

(5)  Gladney stripped of its right to  complete any remaining adoptions? and ill-treatment caused internal and external injuries on autopsy?

http://www.utro.ru/articles/2013/02/21/1102743.shtml

Google-Translation, excerpts:

“It turned out that the boy died as a result of ill-treatment. The corresponding statement was made by the Russian Foreign Ministry commissioner for human rights, democracy and the rule of law, Konstantin Dolgov. He said that such a conclusion was reached based on the results of the autopsy of the child, says “KP”.

On the deceased child’s doctors found “multiple injuries”, with both internal and external, Dolgov said. He recalled that the investigation continues and no charges filed was not, so we can not yet say that this is the foster mother of the boy is blamed for his death.”

“Meanwhile, it was reported that the agency was engaged in adoption of Maxim Kuzmin, dies. “Prepared by the order for termination of the representation of the foreign agencies that accompanied the adoption of Maxim and Kirill Kuzmin, due to the late provision of information about the death of a child” – quoted by RIA “Novosti” deputy director of the state policy in the field of child protection, Ministry of Education and Science Vladimir Kabanov.”

(6)About Gardendale-no one knew them in the 1600 person town ?

Plus “Gardendale, as described by Jennings and other residents, is a place filled with retirees, oil field workers and commuters to Midland or nearby Odessa, and many of its residents come to enjoy the wide-open spaces or to avoid the scrutiny of government”

Tiny Texas community thrust into U.S.-Russian adoption debate

[Chicago Tribune 2/21/13 by Monique Ching,Reuters]

(7)Pskov prosecutor files for annulment of Kirill’s adoption

Texas Case Rekindles Russia-U.S. Adoption Spat
[Wall Street Journal 2/21/13 by Gregory White and Nathan Koppel]
“Local prosecutors in Pskov, where the boys were born, filed a motion in court to have Kirill’s adoption annulled. Court officials said that move was unprecedented and noted it wasn’t clear how it would be enforced in the U.S. if the court backed it.”

Update 8/February 22, 2013

(1) Max’s death will be “key topic” in Kerry-Lavrov meeting

“The death of a Russian child adopted in the United States will be a key topic when Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov meets US counterpart John Kerry next week, a senior diplomat said Thursday.

“This issue, primarily the death of Maxim Kuzmin, will be among the key issues on the agenda of Lavrov’s negotiations with Kerry scheduled for next week,” Russian Foreign Ministry Human Rights Commissioner Konstantin Dolgov told a State Duma committee on family, women and children affairs.

He did not reveal when or where the two top diplomats would meet.

Claiming the US side was taking the case “under special control,” Dolgov said Moscow would obtain all the necessary information. “They will do whatever they can so that the case is investigated properly,” the Interfax news agency quoted him as saying.

Dolgov said numerous injuries, both external and internal, had been found on the boy’s body during an autopsy. If Kuzmin’s foster mother was proven to be the killer, “we’ll seek the most severe punishment,” the official said.

Acting US Consul in Russia Bill Bistransky told Kommersant’s radio station in response the autopsy results had not been made public yet. “It’s now too early to draw any conclusions on the causes of the child’s death,” he said.

Bistransky also noted Kirill Kuzmin, Maxim’s brother, would stay with his adoptive father. “It is premature to discuss the boy’s returning to Russia as he is a citizen of the US and lives in a specific space under the control of the local law enforcement and judicial bodies,” he said.

Pavel Astakhov, Russian children’s rights ombudsman, said in an interview with a local TV station the boy’s foster mother would be prosecuted regardless of the case’s development.

“Even if she is found not guilty of deliberate infliction of damage and manslaughter, leaving a child in danger is a crime in the state of Texas,” Astakhov said, adding the mother left Kuzmin alone in the playground and had left him at home.”
Lavrov-Kerry meeting to discuss adopted child’s death

[Global Times 2/22/13]

(2)Ambassador to US’ blog post

Reflections on the Tragic Death of Max Shatto says “Back in Moscow today after a few days away, I find myself distressed about a number of issues surrounding a tragic death in the United States. Since many in the press, on social media, and in parliament have asked for my opinion on this matter, I thought I would share some initial reactions here.

Most importantly, as I said publicly days ago, I was deeply distraught to learn of young Max Shatto’s death. My sorrow over this tragedy has nothing to do with the fact that Max was an American citizen, a Russian, or an adopted son, and everything to do with the death of a young boy.

I also am concerned by how the legal system in my country is being portrayed by some Russian commentators. When a tragic death occurs, all societies, including my own, demand answers and accountability. And that is exactly what the responsible authorities in Texas are doing right now. As law enforcement professionals, they are conducting a thorough investigation to discover exactly what happened to Max. As they do so, they are abiding by a very important law and norm in American society – the idea that one is innocent until proven guilty. As they complete their investigation, there is every reason to believe that we will learn the facts in this tragedy, and if necessary, justice will be sought.

I also am troubled by how American diplomats are being portrayed by some in comments I have read in the Russian press. From the moment we in the State Department learned about Max Shatto’s death, we have worked closely and quietly with Russian diplomats in Moscow and Houston to provide consular access to Max’s brother. And from the earliest stage, local Texas authorities have been in touch with Russian diplomats in the U.S. On February 5, a State Department representative in Houston linked up the Russian Consulate with local law enforcement and Texas Child Protection Services. Several days later, representatives from the Russian Consulate and Embassy visited the Shatto family. Russian diplomats called our State Department representative twice over the last week to express appreciation for the excellent cooperation. I personally have been engaged in facilitating contacts and providing information, as have many others at the highest levels in my government. I also would like to express my gratitude to the Russian government for working closely and professionally with us when we must deal with cases of American deaths in Russia.

Some in the press are portraying me as unwilling to engage with Russian officials or the public on these issues. As a worldwide practice, American ambassadors do not testify before foreign parliaments when summoned to do so. Yet, I am always willing to meet with anyone on any issue, including Duma deputies, if the objective of the meeting is to advance understanding between our two countries. I believe firmly in engagement, openness, and transparency. In my willingness to meet with everyone in the Russian government and society, in doing numerous media interviews, and in my daily engagement with Russians on Twitter and Facebook, I think I have made clear my commitment to these principles.

Finally I am troubled by how my people and my country are being portrayed by some in the Russian press. Like all countries, the U.S. has citizens who commit heinous crimes. Tragically, some Americans have abused their children. Because my wife worked at an organization called the Family Violence Prevention Fund for many years, I am all too aware of the kind of violence that haunts and destroys some families. But I also know that the overwhelming majority of American parents provide loving and safe homes for their children, irrespective of whether they are biological or adopted, or were born in the U.S., Russia, or elsewhere. I am saddened and appalled that 20 children adopted from Russia over the last two decades have died. But I am proud 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. I have met some of these kids, and their stories of renewal and success are simply amazing. And their stories are also part of the real America that I know and love. 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.

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. I personally, and our entire Administration, remain eager to work with all in this country who seek to develop our bilateral relations based on common interests and mutual respect.”

(3)”“Even if she is not found guilty of murder, she will face negligence charges,” Mr. Astakhov told the television channel Rossiya 24. “

Russia Backs Off Claim of Murder in Death of Adopted Boy in Texas

[NY Times 2/21/13 by David M Herszenhorn, Andrew Roth, Staci Semrad]

(4)Another Russian article confirming action to be taken against Gladney

http://lenta.ru/news/2013/02/21/close/

Google-translated excerpt: “In Russia will close representation of the foreign agencies, through which Americans adopted Maxim Kuzmin, who died later in the U.S., and his brother Cyril. As informs “Interfax”, Ministry of Education has prepared the appropriate order: it was announced in the State Duma Ministry spokesman Vladimir Kabanov.

Speaking at a meeting of the State Duma Committee on Family, Women and Children, Kabanov said that the order would be signed in the coming days. Explained the decision that the agency did not timely informed the Russian authorities about the death of Maxim Kuzmin. Kabanov said that after closing the representation agency still needs to be accountable to the Russian authorities on the fate of adopted children through it.

The name of the adoption agency, which has been discussed, Kuzmin does not have, saying only that the organization has worked in Russia since 2007 and annually through her adopter 14-15 Russian children. Meanwhile, earlier reported that Kuzminykh adopted through an agency Gladney Center for Adoption, which is based in Texas.”

(5) Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty article
All Eyes On Texas Town At Center Of Russian Adoption Drama [2/22/13 by Richard Solash] has the following new information:

• Confirms Gladney as placing agency
• Kirill is in the custody of  JUST Alan Shatto according to US Embassy in Moscow AND Sheriff Donaldson
• Bruising over a lot of his body and chief investigator for Medical Examiner ‘s office is not a doctor. “”We did see bruising. He had bruising — over a lot of his body,”  Standefer says. “Now, whether or not those bruises are him being a     kid, or whether or not those bruises are consistent with, you know,     injury or something, I’m not a doctor and I can’t tell you that.””
• “late on January 21 the county’s chief medical  examiner, Dr. Nathan Galloway, received full toxicology results. He  should be ready to issue an official ruling on the cause and manner of the child’s death as soon as the beginning of next week, she  says. That ruling could point to a homicide, an accident, natural  causes, or undetermined causes.”
• Laura supposedly left Max and Kirill outside just to go to the bathroom
• Max was found near swings and a slide “Standefer says that she and   an investigator from the local sheriff’s office interviewed Laura and Alan Shatto at the hospital. She says Laura Shatto was crying and shaking, but “forthcoming” when questioned.
  “By the mother’s account, Max was found outside the house,”  Standefer says. “She had been outside watching the two boys and had to go inside to use the bathroom. She said when she came out she  found Max on the ground in close proximity to play equipment — the slide and swing.”
• Laura quit teaching after 2011/2012 school year to be a SAHM to the kids
• Three neighbors did not even know they had kids.
• Arin Thomas, a recent graduate from the school, provided RFE/RL with one of the few accounts of Shatto to have surfaced. “She showed us the files of her adoption,” said Thomas, who was a student in  Shatto’s class in 2011. “She was really happy and showed us pictures of her sons. She was one of those teachers who got really close to  you and shared her personal stories.”

(6)    Max and Kirill’s biological mother detained by police after alleged drunken behavior on train back to Pskov, while DUMA votes unanimously to request to the US Congress to send Kirill back to Russia

“Nevertheless, the Russian State Duma on Friday voted unanimously in support of requesting the US Congress to help bring Kirill Kuzmin to Russia – though not necessarily to Kuzmina – “over concerns for his safety.”

Russian Mother of Adopted Boy Who Died in US Caught Drunk

[RIA Novosti 2/22/13]

Update 9/February 27, 2013

(1)Gladney is under investigation by Texas licensing officials. See here.

(2)Register for Russian Adoptees suggested
“The Children’s Rights Commissioner for the Russian President, Pavel Astakhov, has suggested setting up an interstate register of orphaned Russian children who have been adopted in the United States.

When addressing a news conference in Moscow earlier today, he deplored the fact that the US has failed to exercise control over the situations that the adopted Russian children get in, in the United States, the Voice of Russia correspondent reports.

Astakhov feels that more Russian orphans will die in the US for lack of such control, with 200 to 300 adopted Russian kids getting lost, as it were, in the US every year.

Russia opened a criminal case earlier this week over the death of a three-year old boy, Maxim Kuzmin, in the United States last month. He was adopted by a Texas family and died of brutal beating by his foster mother.

Federation Council to ask Congress to find out about adopted Russian kids

The Russian Parliament’s upper house, the Federation Council, has decided to ask the US Congress to find out all about the Russian children, adopted in the United States, and agree joint moves to protect them. According to the Federation Council, an appeal to that end may be adopted as early as later today.”

Astakhov suggests setting up register of orphaned Russian children adopted in US

[The Voice of Russia 2/20/13]

(3)Texas CPS says returning Kirill will not happen

“Texas Child Protective Services say they have no plans to remove two-year-old Kirill Kuzmin from his adoptive family, US media reports. On Friday Russian lawmakers called on US Congress to facilitate the boy’s return to his country of birth.

Kirill is the brother of Maksim Kuzmin, who died several months after the two boys were adopted by the Shatto family in the US.

The incident immediately caused outrage across Russia as the initial report from Russia’s Children’s Ombudsman Pavel Astakhov alleged the boy was killed. Astakhov has recently withdrawn his initial accusations though, after US authorities issued an official report rejecting the Russian version of events surrounding the death of three-year-old Maksim.
The campaign to have Kirill returned to Russia, however, had enough time to gain momentum, with the State Duma the main driving force behind it.
“That’s nothing that we would consider at all,” said Patrick Crimmins, spokesperson for the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, in an interview to CBS7.
He said they were investigating the Shatto family after Maksim’s death, and even if they ever found the boy was to be removed from his home they cannot send the boy back to Russia. “But we’re a state agency in Texas that operates under laws, under Texas state laws, and we wouldn’t be involved in doing anything other than placing that child within Texas.”

Brother of dead Russian adoptee to stay in Texas – US officials

[RT.com 2/23/13]

(4)”Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov called on the Russian public “to moderate emotions” and wait until forensic medical analysis findings are made public.

Kremlin spokesman calls for refraining from hasty conclusions on adopted child’s death in US

[The Voice of Russia 2/23/13]

(5)Shattos’ lawyer makes statements

“A lawyer for the parents of Max Shatto, the Russian adoptee whose death last month in the U.S. state of Texas provoked outrage in Moscow, says he believes his clients did not kill their child.

Speaking to the local “Odessa American” newspaper, attorney Michael J. Brown said, “There’s no evidence whatsoever that I can see that would indicate that either of the Shattos killed their child.”

Brown also said the Shattos have been receiving phone calls calling them “baby killers.”

He described the situation as a “nightmare” for the family.”

Lawyer Says Shattos Did Not Kill Adopted Russian Child

[Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty 2/26/13]

“The lawyer for the parents of Max Shatto, the Russian adoptee whose death last month in the U.S. state of Texas provoked outrage in Moscow, says bruises found on the child’s body were “self-inflicted.”
“It’s complicated. The child, himself, was subject to self-inflicted bruising,” criminal defense attorney Michael J. Brown told RFE/RL.
“There is a very long story with respect to bruising which does not fit in [the Russians’] little formula. When they go and find the bruising on the child, they immediately say, ‘Well, the parent caused it,’ [but] there’s a lengthy story with respect to the entire Russian adoption process and the child himself.”

Asked if he was suggesting that an emotional disturbance was behind the child’s alleged actions, Brown said, “Yes.” He did not elaborate.”
“Attorney Brown, who told RFE/RL he was hired by the Shatto family shortly after the child’s death, said the Russian accusations in the case are unfounded.

“Astakhov has no access to facts. It was an accusation that he just made for political purposes,” he said.

“I’m not expecting that charges will be brought. That doesn’t mean that they couldn’t be, but based upon what I’ve seen [and] based upon my conversations with everybody that I’ve talked to, I’m not. I don’t think [Laura Shatto] had anything to do with [Max Shatto’s] death at all.”

In a February 20 interview with the “Dallas Telegraph,” a Russian-language Texas publication, Sergei Azizov, the vice consul at the Russian Consulate in Houston, said Russian diplomats had visited the Shatto family before Moscow made its public accusations.
Azizov also said that Texas Child Protective Services were only allowing Laura Shatto to spend two hours per day with her other adopted child, Max Shatto’s two-year-old half-brother, Kristopher.

Russian lawmakers have demanded that Kristopher be returned to his birth country.

Brown confirmed that Russian officials had spoken to Alan Shatto, the boys’ adoptive father. He said, “Nothing that Alan would have told them would have led them to any conclusion like [the one they drew], so they just sort of went on their own.”

He also confirmed Laura Shatto’s limited access to her surviving adopted son. Brown said Kristopher, whose Russian name is Kirill, is in his father’s custody and that both remain in the family’s home. He said Laura Shatto is staying elsewhere.

“[Child Protective Services] will do this for a little while and then, most likely, her access will be increased. Of course, I’m putting pressure on them to let her back in the house, period,” he said.

“That’s just per CPS procedure. There’s nothing to be drawn from that other than a child’s death occurs, she was in the house when the death occurred, and it’s been widely publicized that there was bruising on the child. Therefore they go on their little formula.”

Lawyer For Shatto Family Says Bruises On Adopted Russian Child ‘Self-Inflicted’

[Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty 2/27/13 by Richard Solash]

“An  attorney for the adoptive parents of a Russian boy who died last month in West  Texas says they’re not responsible for the death of the 3-year-old.

Michael  J. Brown said Wednesday that Laura and Alan  Shatto “sure as heck” didn’t kill Max  Shatto, who the couple adopted from Russia last fall.

Brown  says the Shattos don’t believe medication Max had been prescribed to treat  hyperactivity played a role in his death.

Attorney: Couple did not kill adopted Russian boy

[San Francisco Chronicle 2/27/13 by Betsy Blaney/Associated Press]

(6)”Moscow will not apologize to the United States over the situation around a three-year-old Russian child who died in a U.S. foster family, a senior diplomat said Wednesday.

“I don’t understand what apology in the given context one could make. There is no ground to talk about the apology,” Konstantin Dolgov, the Foreign Ministry’s envoy for human rights, democracy, supremacy of law, told the Voice of Russia radio station.

Local media reported last week that Russian diplomats had apologized to U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry after a hint from the Kremlin that it was too early to judge what had actually happened with Maxim Kuzmin, the dead boy.

Dolgov said the Russian authorities have exercised their duty toward a Russian citizen who died in a foreign country, adding that Moscow’s position was “clear and simple.”

The diplomat said Russia would continue to monitor the life of Russian children adopted by Americans.

Dolgov urged not to succumb to emotions when it comes to the fate of children, saying: “I’d ask here not to yield to the emotional and politicized issues which unfortunately take place.”

Moscow denies reports of apology to U.S. over adopted child’s death

[Xinhua.com 2/27/13]

Update 10/March 1, 2013

(1) On March 1, 2013, the “county’s medical examiner determined Max Shatto’s death Jan. 21 was not intentional, Ector County Sheriff Mark  Donaldson and District Attorney Bobby Bland said.” Yet, an investigation on abuse and neglect is still ongoing.

“The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services said Friday it found no violations at the Gladney Center for Adoption in Fort Worth, the agency that processed the Shattos’ adoption. The state’s Child Protective Services division is  proceeding with a separate investigation into allegations that Max was subject to physical abuse and neglect, but has not  determined whether those allegations are true.”

“Preliminary autopsy results had indicated Max had bruises on several parts of his body, and Bland said Friday that the bruises appeared to be self-inflicted. He also said no drugs were found in Max’s system.

“I had four doctors agree that this is the result of an accident,” he said. “We have to take that as fact.”

Alan and Laura Shatto adopted Max, born Maxim Kuzmin, and his half brother, 2-year-old Kristopher, from an orphanage in western Russia this past fall. Laura Shatto told authorities she found Max unresponsive outside their Gardendale, Texas, home while he was playing with his younger brother. The boy was pronounced dead a short time later.

The Shatto’s attorney, Michael J. Brown, said he agreed “with the conclusion that it was an accidental death and I’ve been saying it all along.”

“This is not a surprise to me at all,” he said.

The investigation into the boy’s death continues, Bland said. Once investigators complete their work, Bland will meet with them and decide whether to pursue charges such as negligent supervision or injury to a child by omission.

Russian authorities and state-run media have blamed the Shattos for Max’s death and used the case as justification for a recently enacted ban on all American adoptions of Russian children. Russia’s Investigative Committee has said it has opened its own investigation. It’s unclear whether the committee could charge the Shatto family or force their prosecution.

Alexander K. Zakharov, the Russian consul general in Houston, said he wanted to see an official report from authorities before commenting on Friday’s announcement.”

Autopsy: Russian adoptee’s Texas death an accident

[WDAM 3/1/13 by Besty Blaney/Associated Press]

“According to the report, Shatto died from a “lacerated artery” due to blunt force trauma in his abdomen. His bruises were ruled “self inflected”, saying that Shatto had a mental disorder and that caused him to hurt himself.”

 [ As we laid out the possible charges in Update 5, I defined Criminal Negligence. Again it is “A person acts with criminal negligence, or is criminally negligent, with respect to circumstances surrounding his conduct or the result of his conduct when he ought to be aware of a substantial and unjustifiable risk that the circumstances exist or the result will occur.” If Death occurs, then it is Criminally negligent homicide. If the lawyer and now all articles are claiming he self-harms and Laura decided to leave him outside alone KNOWING that he self-harms, then “substantial and unjustifiable risk” was part of it. But, the wagons are circling and they won’t be charged as they should. I want to know if there was some farm implement in that yard that he fell on.]

Shatto Death Ruled Accidental 3/1/13

[CBS 7 KOSA 3/1/13]

(2)Contrast that to Thursday’s Russia article: “A US social worker has said she believed the adopted Russian boy, Maxim Kuzmin, also known as Max Shatto, died after being abused by his American foster parents.

This came today in a statement by Russia’s children rights ombudsman Pavel Astakhov, who cited the woman as saying the 3-year-old was mistreated by his adoptive mother, Laura Shatto. According to the social worker, there is no proof the boy was “uncontrollable” or “prone to self-harm.”

US police have confirmed the boy’s death doesn’t look natural. The Russian ombudsman quoted a pre-trial autopsy report that revealed numerous bruises to Maxim’s head and legs, as well as internal injuries that could have been caused by a forceful blow to the abdomen.

Investigators called the death of Max Shatto one of those difficult cases when there is no witness evidence to determine the suspect’s guilt.

As of now, Laura Shatto is the only suspect, although police haven’t dismissed the complicity of her husband, Alan Shatto. “The inquiry will focus on both foster parents,” Mr. Astakhov told reporters.
The lawyer of US foster parents who stand trial over the death of their Russian child, Maxim Kuzmin, has told reporters the boy was undergoing treatment for ‘hyperactivity disorder.’

Michael Brown, Shattos’ defense attorney, said the Texan couple used psychotropic medications that were prescribed by physicians.

He stressed the accused never intended to kill the three-year-old and were merely following doctor’s recommendations.”

Foster parents abused Russian adoptee Maxim Kuzmin – US social services

[Voice of Russia 2/28/13]

(3) Chuck Johnson of NFCA ,whose member agency is Gladney, tries to claim that Hague prevents bad things from happening…except Russia isn’t Hague, now is it and I have never seen him beg Russia to join Hague Convention. See here. An interesting quote: “But some Russian officials say the United States needs to provide better safeguards. In some cases, that is true, according to Michele Goodwin, a University of Minnesota Law School professor and author of the book “Baby Markets: Money and the New Politics of Creating Families.” She says many U.S. couples want children from Russia and eastern Europe simply because of their race and do not focus on cultural differences.
“They may think this is a white child coming into a white family and they don’t take into account the fact that this happens to be a child coming from Russia. That means the child has a Russian name. That also means there is a language barrier and a language barrier that may be very difficult to overcome,” Goodwin said.”

Michele Goodwin has an interesting perspective on trafficking. See her impressive resume here.

Update 11/March 1, 2013 evening

“a laceration to the small bowel mesentery artery due to blunt trauma in the abdomen” that is “consistent with self injury””

Max Shatto, Adopted Russian Boy at Center of an International Dispute, Died of an Accidental “Self Injury,” Autopsy Finds

[Dallas Observer 3/1/13 by Eric Nicholson]

From http://med-lib.ru/english/oxford/mes_tr.php, 2 points:

(1) “Mesenteric injury occurs in 18 per cent of patients with penetrating  abdominal injury and 5 per cent of those with blunt abdominal trauma. “

(2)”Mesenteric injury in blunt trauma arises from a shearing force (see Fig. 3 1348, Section 26.1). In experimental animals the injury can be reproduced by compression between two opposing surfaces such as the abdominal wall and spine. In this animal model the site of injury cannot be related to the intraluminal pressure, the fixation of the bowel at the ligament of Treitz, or the presence or absence of air and fluid
within the intestine. Such shearing forces can be generated not only by the traumatic incident itself but also by protective devices such as car safety belts during a sudden deceleration, especially if these are worn across the abdomen rather than across the bony pelvis. Experimentally, more severe intra-abdominal injuries are associated with higher abdominal compression loads.”

Update 12/March 3, 2013

(1) Part of Russia’s response

“Russia’s Foreign Ministry has said US findings were “inconclusive” in ruling that the death of a 3-year-old adopted Russian boy in Texas was accidental. Moscow requested documents verifying the investigation amid a separate ongoing Russian inquiry.

The medical examiner of Ector County, Texas, concluded that the January 21 death of Max Shatto, born Maksim Kuzmin, was not intentional, Sheriff Mark Donaldson and District Attorney Bobby Bland said on Friday.

However, Russia believes those conclusions are only based on a“preliminary investigation,” said Konstantin Dolgov, the Russian Foreign Ministry’s special representative for human rights.

Dolgov noted that Russia is still waiting for US authorities, both in Texas and at the federal level, “to forward all the information relevant to the investigation and its conclusions… We ask the US to hand over relevant forensic documents, including Maksim Kuzmin’s death certificate and the return of his Russian passport.”

He added that Russia regrets that it heard about the results of the investigation through the media, and not through official channels of communication.

The Russian Investigative Committee has also requested all available information regarding Shatto’s death.

Preliminary autopsy results showed that the toddler had self-inflicted bruises on parts of his body. No drugs were found in the child’s system. The cause of death was a ruptured mesentery in the small intestine.

“I had four doctors agree that this is the result of an accident,” Bland said, adding that “we have to take that as fact.”

The probe into the death continues, Bland stressed, with the possibility to pursue charges such as negligent supervision or injury to a child by omission.

Shatto’s death sparked outrage in Russia, as the initial report from Russian Children’s Ombudsman Pavel Astakhov alleged that the boy had been murdered.

Astakhov recently withdrew his initial accusations, after US authorities issued an official report rejecting the Russian version of events surrounding the Shatto’s death.

Earlier, the ombudsman claimed that the boy “was killed by his adoptive US mother,” who had reportedly also given the child strong psychotropic medicine intended for treating schizophrenia in adults.

According to Russian newspaper Kommersant, Russian authorities have already issued an informal apology to the US for jumping to conclusions on the matter.

“I would like to appeal to the president, the state prosecutor and Pavel Astakhov, asking them to take my second child from these adoptive parents so the same thing that happened to my first son doesn’t happen again,” Yulia Kuzmina said in a video posted on Lifenews.

The 23-year-old lost custody of her sons Maksim and Kirill in 2011 after a court deemed her an alcoholic and incapable of providing for the children. In 2012, Alan and Laura Shatto of Gardendale, Texas, adopted the siblings from an orphanage.

According to the adoptive mother, she found Maksim unconscious outside the family’s home. After being taken by emergency personnel, he was pronounced dead at the hospital. The Shatto family’s lawyer, Michael J. Brown, said he was”satisfied with the conclusion that it was an accidental death and I’ve been saying it all along.””
US findings on Russian adoptee’s accidental death are ‘inconclusive’ – Moscow

[Russia Today 3/2/13]

(2) More detailed quote from Ector County DA

“The Texas Ector County District Attorney said the case will continue, despit ruling the death accidental.

“We will look at the circumstances surrounding the child’s death and everything that goes along with that and make a determination of whether there was a violation of the law,” he said.

“It is a terrible tragedy when a child of three years old dies,” Bland said. “However, based on the medical information that we have, I had four doctors look at it and they told me it was accidental.

“Obviously, this is a major piece of evidence that influences how we proceed and what possible charges could be filed.”

Texas child welfare authorities also are investigating allegations of child abuse and neglect. The priority is to ensure the safety of Max’s brother, who remained in the home.

The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services on Friday cleared the adoption agency that facilitated Max’s adoption, finding no violations after an unannounced inspection.”
“Adopted Russian child’s death ‘accidental'”

[Al Jazeera 3/2/13]

(3) 12,000 rally in Moscow supporting Adoption Ban

“Russia voiced strong skepticism Saturday about the U.S. autopsy on a 3-year-old adopted Russian boy in Texas and demanded further investigation as thousands rallied in Moscow to support the Kremlin ban on U.S. adoptions of Russian children.Max Shatto’s death in January, ruled accidental, came a month after Moscow passed a ban on international adoptions in retaliation for a new U.S. law targeting alleged Russian human rights violators. Russian officials have pointed at Max’s case to defend the ban, which has drawn strong public criticism.The boy, born Maxim Kuzmin, died Jan. 21 after his adopted mother, Laura Shatto, told authorities she found him unresponsive outside their home where he had been playing with his younger brother.

Ector County Sheriff Mark Donaldson and District Attorney Bobby Bland said Friday that four doctors reviewed the autopsy report and agreed that the boy’s death was not intentional. Preliminary autopsy results had indicated Max had bruises on several parts of his body, but Bland said Friday that those bruises appeared to be self-inflicted. He also said no drugs were found in Max’s system.Foreign Ministry rights envoy Konstantin Dolgov said Saturday that Moscow “proceeds from the understanding that these are the preliminary results of the investigation” and urged U.S. authorities to produce autopsy documents and the boy’s Russian passport.

The Investigative Committee, Russia’s top investigative agency, has opened its own probe into the case. It said has sent a formal request to the U.S. to provide the autopsy and other related documents. The committee’s spokesman, Vladimir Markin, said it also has urged U.S. authorities to allow Russian investigators take part in the U.S. probe.Children rights ombudsman Pavel Astakhov, who initially claimed that the boy had been “murdered” by his adoptive parents, tweeted that Russia should “demand convincing proof.”Pro-Kremlin groups rallied in central Moscow to back the ban on U.S. adoptions of Russian children and call for more adoptions by Russian parents.

Protesters held signs with pictures of adopted Russian children who died in the U.S. in recent years and wore ribbons in the colors of the Russian flag with slogans demanding Max’s half brother Kirill be returned to Russia.”Today people are telling us that Maxim supposedly maimed himself to death with a blunt instrument and damaged his own internal organs. That’s a slap in the face of our country and our people,” Irina Bergset, one of the march’s organizers, said in a speech at the rally.

Demonstrators carry Russian flags and a huge poster reading “March in Defense of Children” during a massive rally in Moscow, Saturday, March 2, 2013. Russia voiced strong skepticism Saturday about the U.S. autopsy on Max Shatto, a 3-year-old adopted Russian boy in Texas and demanded further investigation as thousands rallied in Moscow to support the Kremlin ban on U.S. adoptions of Russian children. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)Olga Batalina, a lawmaker from the Kremlin-backed United Russia party who reportedly authored the adoption ban, said Saturday that Russia should work towards liquidating orphans as a class by focusing on state-sponsored “basic moral values.”Organizers claimed upwards of 20,000 attended, though police estimated numbers at 12,000. Two people were arrested.

Approximately 25,000 attended a protest against the U.S. adoption ban in January.The atmosphere at Saturday’s march was festive and rather bizarre. Marchers included large groups of old people in fur coats, members of obscure esoteric communist parties, and organizations that had no apparent link to the march, including the Gardener’s Union and a group for victims of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster in Ukraine. Organizers herded people into columns and handed out balloons as eerie pop music sung by children wafted over loudspeakers.”I came here because Americans beat our children they adopt,” Ivan Levin, a participant, said. “Ideally, that shouldn’t happen.”A significant number of demonstrators had been bused in from as far as hundreds of miles away from Moscow, a common tactic to boost numbers at pro-Kremlin rallies. In the days leading up to the march, classified ads and letters on United Russia stationery appeared online offering people money to attend or demanding that business owners and university directors bring 50 people.Organizers vehemently denied that anyone had been paid or coerced to attend. The independent RBK news agency, however, posted photos on Twitter of what it said were marchers being paid after the march ended.

President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said on independent Rain TV Saturday that the rally demonstrated that “this problem has been very painful and sensitive for our people.” He said that Russian diplomats had taken action to return the boy, but acknowledged that it would be difficult to achieve because the adoption process was in accordance with Russian law. ”

Moscow skeptical about autopsy ruling 3-year-old Russian adoptee’s death accidental in Texas

[The Republic 3/2/13 by Max Seddon/Associated Press]

“Thousands of people have marched through Moscow to support a ban on adoptions of Russian children by Americans.

Carrying signs with slogans including “Children are our future” and “America – hands off our children”, activists mixed bitter criticism of the United States with calls for improvements in Russia’s own care system.

“These children are ours. We shouldn’t give them away,” said Natalya Bakhinova, 56, walking in one of two columns led by marching bands that converged in Moscow’s Pushkin Square on Saturday.

Police said 12,000 people joined the rally, which was inspired by the government’s announcement of an adoption ban. Organisers denied that marchers were coerced or paid to attend.

The death of the Russian-born three-year-old Max Shatto – who died in January in Texas, where his adoptive parents live – was the impetus for the ban, although courts ruled his death was an accident.

US and Russian relations have been strained by uprisings in Libya and Syria and Vladimir Putin’s charges of US meddling and his treatment of opponents since he returned to Russia’s presidency last May.

Activists on Saturday called for Max Shatto’s younger brother Kris to be taken from the family and returned to Russia.

A few held photos of Max Shatto, bearing his Russian name Maxim Kuzmin, and of other Russian-born children who have died in the care of their adoptive American parents.

“We gave away something that is ours, and we need to take it back,” said one demonstrator, Alexei Dobrenkov, 40.

Some Russian officials have suggested Max Shatto died as a result of abuse and lawmakers appealed to US Congress last month to help return Kris, born Kirill Kuzmin, to Russia.

Texas authorities ruled the death an accident on Friday, saying he died from a torn abdominal artery and had bruises consistent with injuring himself.

The US authorities said investigations into allegations of child abuse and neglect would continue and the priority was to ensure the safety of Kris Shatto, who remained in the adoptive family’s home in Gardendale, Texas.

A Russian foreign ministry statement on Saturday expressed “concern” about the Texas authorities’ findings and said it assumed they were only preliminary.

Demonstrators in Moscow echoed the official sentiment. “That’s nonsense – there is no way he could have killed himself,” said Sergei, 57, who would not give his last name. “Too many of our children have died in America.”

Russian officials say there have been at least 20 such deaths in two decades and that US authorities have been too lenient on the parents.

There are more than 650,000 orphans in Russia, and 110,000 of them lived in state institutions in 2011. There were about 7,400 adoptions by Russian families in 2011, and 3,400 adoptions by families abroad.

Americans have adopted more than 60,000 Russian children since the end of the Soviet Union in 1991, but now only a few dozen children whose adoptions were approved before 1 January will be able to go.”

Russians march in support of ban on adoptions in US

[The Guardian 3/2/13]

(4)Max “Occasionally butted his head on objects or other people”

“Laura Shatto said she had found him unconscious outside the family’s home and he died later in hospital.

When he died, Russia’s children’s commissioner Pavel Astakhov alleged he had been murdered by his adoptive mother.

But the Shattos’ lawyer said the toddler had suffered from behavioural issues and occasionally butted his head on objects or other people.

According to preliminary results of a post mortem examination released on Friday, the child died accidentally from a torn artery in his abdomen and had bruises consistent with injuring himself.

“I had four doctors agree that this is the result of an accident, District Attorney Bobby Bland said. “We have to take that as fact.””

“No drugs or medicines had been found in his body and the coroner said he had a mental disorder that caused him to hurt himself.

The Russian foreign ministry said “it is with concern that Moscow has studied reports that, according to an official theory… Maksim Kuzmin died ‘accidentally from a torn artery in his abdomen'”.

In the statement, the foreign ministry drew attention to the lack of medicines found in his body, even though the adoptive parents said they had been treating him with “a strong psychotropic medication”.
‘Big politics’

Russia’s investigations committee has asked the US authorities to provide documents surrounding the case, including a report by forensic pathologists, as part of its own criminal investigation, Interfax news agency reports.

Mr Astakhov also questioned the Texas authorities’ findings, going on Twitter on Saturday to describe the boy as a “victim of big politics”. “The triumph of justice?” he tweeted.

However, he told Ekho Moskvy Radio that the results were still preliminary and the Texas authorities were still “considering the possibility of instituting charges over negligent treatment of the child and involuntary manslaughter”.”

Russia ‘concerned’ over Max Shatto Texas death ruling

[BBC 3/2/13]

(5)Still trying to figure out how he died and Laura still not living with Kirill

“Bland says the child’s bruises were ruled “self inflected” and were connected to a mental disorder that caused him to hurt himself.

According to District Attorney Bobby Bland, after 4 doctors reviewed the child’s body they determined he died from a “lacerated artery” due to blunt force trauma to his abdomen.

Although they showed his death to be an accident, Bland and Ector County Sheriff Mark Donaldson say this doesn’t prevent possible litigation.

No drugs were found in Shatto’s system but this doesn’t mean that he was or was not supposed to be on medication for his condition.

“I can’t speculate into that [medical history]. I can tell you that the death was ruled accidental,” said District Attorney Bobby Bland.

The family’s attorney Michael Brown says that Laura Shatto found her adopted son in the backyard unconscious. Law enforcement officials are still trying to determine what caused the trauma to his abdomen.

They say the family has worked closely with them during the process.

“They’ve been very cooperative in this whole process and so we’ll continue on from there…we’re going to put everything together,” said Ector County Sheriff Mark Donaldson.

This cooperation from the family is not the same case with media.

The Shatto family’s statement regarding the autopsy results and the investigation into the 3-year-old boy’s death is painted on a sign outside of their home. It reads “no comment”. They’ve blocked off the road to their home.

Although autopsy reports show it was an accident, charges could still be on the way.

“We will look at everything on this; nothing is precluded at this point right now. The autopsy findings direct where we can go on this. An intentional killing is not that likely if there has been a ruling of an accident. But we have to look at every aspect of it … to determine where something needs to be charged,” said Bland.

The family’s lawyer Michael Brown says that CPS is still looking into the death.

He says that Laura Shatto is not allowed to be with Max’s half brother without supervision. So far the father, Alan Shatto, still has custody of the child.

Both Donaldson and Bland say this isn’t the end of the road on the investigation.”

Russian Adopted Child’s Death Ruled Accidental, Charges Could Still Come 3/1/13
[CBS7 KOSA 3/1/13 by Felicia Bolton]

Update 13/March 4, 2013

(1)Pavel Astakhov,Russia Ombudsman, weighs in

“Pavel Astakhov, Russia’s children’s rights ombudsman, has questioned the accidental death conclusion of Texan authorities investigating the death of Russian-born Max Shatto. His comments to Voice of Russia on Sunday come shortly after the foreign ministry expressed “concern” over the findings.

Mr Astakhov called attention to a number of circumstances: firstly, that the news of the three-year-old’s death did not come to light until after one month, and the subsequent forensics were rushed through.

Secondly, the child – born Maxim Kuzmin – was buried in Louisiana, which makes a second autopsy on him legally difficult because it falls under a different jurisdiction.

The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services has indicated it had reasons to suspect cruel treatment of Max at the hands of his adoptive mother, Astakhov said.

And finally, the ombudsman said it was strange that the US probe failed to discover psychotropic drugs in Max’s system, because his adoptive father and the family’s lawyer never denied that the boy was heavily medicated with sedatives normally prescribed to adults only.

Mr Astakhov called on the US judicial authorities to submit more conclusions as soon as possible.

The ombudsman said he fears that repatriating Max’s brother Kirill to Russia would be a politically-charged move, because Kirill holds dual citizenship. However, he said that Russia will do everything in its power to repatriate Kirill or at least ensure his safety in the United States.

Foreign Ministry’s “concern”

The foreign ministry said earlier that it learned of the coroner’s findings that Max’s death was an accident “with concern.”

The foreign ministry’s Rights Representative Konstantin Dolgov said in a statement that it considered the results of the autopsy to be incomplete and demanded that US officials provide Russia with the necessary documents to help shed light on the case, including the boy’s death certificate.

“Only an examination of these documents will enable meaningful conclusions to be reached about the circumstances surrounding the Russian child’s death and determine our possible future steps,” Dolgov said.

“We are expecting that the US side will fulfil its obligations on this matter fully and without delay.”

US promises transparency in such cases – Lavrov

The reactions came after Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s first official meeting with John Kerry as US Secretary of State last week, when the issue of US/Russian child adoptions was discussed.

Twenty Russian-born children have died while in the care of their US adoptive parents.

Mr Lavrov said that Kerry had acknowledged the reality of the problem and promised that the US would take all necessary measures to ensure transparency and accountability in such cases.

Shattos cleared of wrongdoing

The coroner’s report said that Max, who was found unconscious in the backyard of his Texas home in January and died in hospital, had died from a lacerated artery in his bowel due to blunt force trauma in his abdomen.

A toxicology report found no drugs or medicines in the boy’s system and the coroner also noted that he had a mental disorder that caused him to hurt himself.

Dolgov took issue with the toxicology findings, saying that a lawyer for the Shattos had said the parents “had been giving the boy a strong psychoactive drug over an extended period of time.”

Dolgov also complained that his ministry had learned of the autopsy results through the media instead of through official channels and that the boy’s Russian passport had not yet been returned.

Although four doctors who reviewed the autopsy results cleared Laura and Allen Shatto of wrongdoing, they could still face negligence charges for leaving the toddler alone in the yard, where he was found unconscious.

The Moscow-based Investigative Committee, which earlier opened a probe into the boy’s death, said in a separate statement that it had also requested US authorities to forward to Russia the results of the investigation into the boy’s death.”
Astakhov questions accidental death finding in Max Shatto case

[The Voice of Russia UK edition 3/2/13]

(2) Even Famous/Infamous adoption service providers weigh in and question the validity of the self-injuring!But NCFA’s Chuck Johnson doubles down on his belief in the findings…

Seriously, somewhere the following is happening:

“A medical report describing the death in Texas of a 3-year-old adopted Russian boy as “accidental” raises valid questions about just how Max Shatto died and how authorities reached their conclusions, US child health experts said on Monday.

“The institutionalized children, like in Romania, and the Russian children, if they’re older and have been institutionalized longer, you have a higher percentage of self-injury,” said Ron Federici, a pediatric neuropsychologist and director of Virginia-based Neuropsychological & Family Therapy Associates who specializes in adoption trauma medicine.

“But when they’re two, three years old – it’s unlikely at that age,” he said.

Federici said he has been called as a psychological expert in multiple cases involving the deaths of Russian children in the United States.

“In all of them the defense is RAD (reactive attachment disorder), self-injury, self-mutilation behavior… These kids have a complex pattern of developmental failures because they haven’t gone through normal developmental stages, but is it possible they can injure themselves to the point of death? No,” he said.

Federici’s comments echoed expressions of skepticism and outrage coming from Russia, where thousands of people marched in Moscow on Saturday to demand better treatment for Russian orphans and officials charged the real cause of Max’s death earlier this year had still not been illuminated.

At least 19 Russian children adopted by US parents since the collapse of the Soviet Union have died as a result of abuse or negligence. While that number is relatively small, such cases have received extensive media coverage in Russia, which late last year banned further adoptions by US couples.

Max Shatto, also known by his Russian name, Maxim Kuzmin, was adopted along with his younger brother by Alan and Laura Shatto of Gardendale, Texas in November.

Ambulance workers who were called to the home on the afternoon of January 21 found the older boy unresponsive and transported him to an area hospital where he died a short time later.

At a news conference Friday in Odessa, Texas, Ector County District Attorney Bobby Bland announced a report certified by four medical examiners following an autopsy of the boy concluded his death was “accidental” and resulted from trauma “consistent with self-injury.”

But Jane Aronson, a pediatrician and adoption medicine specialist who is also the founder and CEO of the nonprofit Worldwide Orphans Foundation, said she too was skeptical of the conclusions from Texas authorities.

“Self-injury is not a large component of behavior in children as young as three,” Aronson told RIA Novosti.

“Older children yes, but we need to look into the forensics in this case,” she said. “This is a child who likely did have attachment issues and behavioral issues, but the amount of force that’s necessary to cause death would not occur.”

The issue of institutionalized children who act out emotional suffering by injuring themselves physically has been raised repeatedly by adoptive parents whose children were harmed, sometimes fatally.

According to Federici and other experts in international adoption, it is a behavior that has been documented more frequently in children from Russia and former East Bloc European nations, where rates of fetal alcohol syndrome and exposure to drugs are higher than in some other regions.

“Maybe the kid was careless or reckless – we know coming from an institutional setting they have more aggressive behavior. But not of the level of severity to cause a death? No way,” Federici said.

An attorney hired to represent the Shatto family however said in the short time since his adoption in November, the parents had taken Max to the doctor several times because of alarming behavior.

“He was suffering from some behavior problems, he would bang his head against things, hit things, cry all night, do a lot of things which have been found to be not uncommon in children from institutions,” said the attorney, Michael Brown. [also known as NORMAL behaviors in children adjusting after international adoption. This is not a disorder.]

That recent medical documentation, said Bland, played a role in helping investigators determine whether the death was accidental.

“I feel completely confident in the doctors’ findings here,” he said.

Chuck Johnson, president and CEO of the National Council For Adoption, a nonprofit adoption advocacy group, concurred, saying abnormal behavior was not uncommon among children adopted from state institutions where basic developmental and emotional needs were not met.

“They engage in behaviors to satisfy something inside them, even if it doesn’t make sense to us,” Johnson said.

“It’s why you see them rocking back and forth, slapping their faces, clapping or swinging their hands in the air. Taken to the extreme, they mutilate or harm themselves.”

Authorities in Texas said the investigation into Max’s death was still in progress. Officials in Russia meanwhile have demanded that they be privy to all information gathered in the probe.”
Russian Boy’s Death Still a Mystery, Despite Medical Findings

[RIA Novosti 3/5/13 by Maria Young]

Update 14/March 6, 2013

Sheriff Donaldson clarifies the abdominal injury.

“After the Ector County district attorney on Friday announced Max Shatto’s death had been ruled accidental, Russian authorities quickly decried the findings and asked for proof.

According to the Associated Press, The Investigative Committee in Russia, the top investigative agency in the country, has opened its own probe and has sent formal requests to the United States to provide the autopsy and other documents.

Shatto, born Maxim Kuzmin, was a 3-year-old Russian boy adopted out of Pskov, Russia, in late 2012.

He was pronounced dead Jan. 21 after his adoptive mother Laura Shatto called 9-1-1 when she found him unresponsive in their yard.

Ector County District Attorney Bobby Bland announced Friday the death was ruled an accident by four forensic pathologists, but said investigations would still continue on possible criminal charges.

Sheriff Mark Donaldson said he received a request from the Russian Consulate General for the autopsy, to which he responded with a news release given to the media during the Friday press conference.

Bland said Friday that many bruises on the boy’s body were consistent with self-injury, but would not clarify the nature of the injury to his abdomen.

That sparked some confusion about the injury to Max Shatto’s abdomen that caused the fatal internal laceration. Donaldson said he does not believe the injury was self-inflicted.

“I don’t think it could be. Unless he jumped off something and did it on purpose,” Donaldson said. “When they say accident, I’m looking that he fell on some of that equipment outside or maybe in the house.”

The equipment referenced by Donaldson includes some playground equipment, referenced by the Shatto’s attorney on Friday as something possibly being investigated by law enforcement.

The boy’s plight went public about a month after his death when Russian media and authorities began looking into the situation.”

Sheriff clears up confusion on boy’s bruises

[OAOA.com 3/5/13]

Update 15/March 7 morning

(1) A complaint has been filed about the Ector County Medical Examiner in relation to the Ector County/Torrant County autopsy procedures and Max Shatto case. Tarrant County is home to Fort Worth and Gladney headquarters.

“A Texas Senate Committee is looking into accusations of unconstitutional activity in Texas medical examiners offices.

On March 1st, Big 2 was the first to report that document consultant David Fisher had filed a complaint with the Texas State Bar regarding the Ector County Medical Examiner’s Office.

The complaint states that numerous autopsies tied to Ector County Medical Examiner’s Office investigation — including the recent autopsy of Russian adoptee Max Shatto — were procedurally mishandled.

In the complaint, Fisher states that Ector County Medical Examiner Nathan Halloway also holds a second position as a physician.

Fisher claims that Texas law prohibits medical examiners from holding a second position of employment.

Furthermore, Fisher has questioned the constitutionality of the agreement that Ector County has with the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office.

Under the Ector County agreement, bodies from Ector County that are being investigated are sent to Fort Worth for autopsies.

Officials in the Texas Legislature tell Big 2 that they’ve received Fisher’s complaint.

Now, members of the Texas Senate Criminal Justice Committee have started an investigation into the matter. ”
EXCULSIVE[sic]: Texas Senate Committee Investigating Complaint Involving Ector County Medical Examiner’s Office

[Permian Basin 360 3/4/13 by Dylan Brooks]

Update 16/March 12

“Texas authorities are sticking to their guns amid complaints from senior officials in Moscow that they have been unable to access investigative materials in the case of a 3-year-old adopted Russian boy who died in Texas in January.

“Right now nothing is going to be released,” Ector County Sheriff Mark Donaldson told RIA Novosti Monday from Odessa, Texas.

 

Donaldson’s office is leading the investigation into the Jan. 21 death of Max Shatto—also known by his Russian name, Maxim Kuzmin—who was adopted along with his younger brother by Alan and Laura Shatto of Gardendale, Texas, in November.

 

Russia’s child rights ombudsman, Pavel Astakhov, has publicly accused the adoptive mother of killing the boy and giving him “psychotropic substances.”

 

Texas medical examiners have since ruled that he died as the result of an accident, though the investigation into the circumstances of the tragedy is ongoing.

 

That conclusion that has been met with suspicion in Moscow, where officials complained in recent days that Washington appears to be incapable of helping Russian officials obtain documents related to the investigation, including the autopsy report.

 

“The US State Department tells us that it can’t obtain the autopsy documents concerning Maxim Kuzmin’s death from Texas authorities. That is strange,” the Russian Foreign Ministry’s point man for human rights, Konstantin Dolgov, wrote on his Twitter feed Friday.

 

Astakhov replied to Dolgov on Twitter the same day, saying it “[i]ndeed seems more than strange.”

 

“Or has Texas already completely seceded and no longer answers to the federal government?” Astakhov said in a reference to the secessionist sentiment that has deep roots in Texas.

 

The State Department has repeatedly stated that it can facilitate a dialogue between Russian officials and local investigating authorities, but that it has no power to compel Texas police or prosecutors to hand over documents related to the case.

 

Donaldson told RIA Novosti on Monday that he was contacted once by Russian consular officials—on March 1, the day the medical examiner’s findings were released—asking for materials related to the investigation.

 

“We’ve given them the same thing that we’ve given to everybody else,” Donaldson said. “We sent them a copy of the press release.”

 

Officials in Texas have said the autopsy report would not be released while the investigation is still in progress.

 

Ector County District Attorney Bobby Bland could not be reached for comment Monday, and the Russian embassy in Washington said officials were not immediately available to comment on Moscow’s efforts to secure access to documents related to the case.

 

Ambulance workers who arrived at the Shatto home on Jan. 21 found the boy unresponsive and transported him to an area hospital, where he died a short time later.

 

Bland announced at a March 1 press conference that a report certified by four medical examiners following an autopsy of the boy concluded his death was “accidental” and resulted from trauma “consistent with self-injury.”

 

Donaldson insisted Monday that investigators still do not know exactly how the boy died.

 

“We know that he was outside, we know there is a playground out there with a slide and a swing set, … and so a fall from the top of the slide or somehow on the swing set is just one of the many possibilities,” Donaldson said. “There are no facts to nail either one of those down.””

Texas Probe of Adopted Boy’s Death Under Wraps as Moscow Objects

[RIA Novosti 3/11/13 by Carl Shreck]

Update 17/March 19, 2013

Case closed. Move along…nothing to see here. A Grand Jury was seated and they speculated that possibly a glider might be the culprit in Max’s death and they declined to press any neglect charges. You see, they felt it was “not appropriate” to recommend charges. MmmHmmm… YET, the CPS investigation continues!Why is there such a disconnect here?

Not surprisingly, Russia is peeved.

Please refresh yourself with the definition of neglect in this comprehensive section of the Child Welfare Gateway https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/usermanuals/neglect/chaptertwo.cfm and update 5 of this post which lists the laws in Texas.

Additionally, it was revealed that Laura was not inside the house for “a few minutes” but 10 MINUTES. The investigators also feel that it wouldn’t take much to cause this kind of death! Excuse me?

The Grand Jury blames Max’s “condition.” I will say this again: It is even MORE NEGLECTFUL to leave a 3-year-old child and 2-year-old sibling alone for that length of time when the child has an alleged condition of self-harming than it is to leave two healthy toddlers outside. And yes I am judging her as a terrible, rotten, selfish mother.

We talked about the lack of basic safety training and inspection in homestudies back in 2011. See our post here.

Parents no-billed in Max Shatto case [OAOA.com 3/18/13 by Nathaniel Miller] says “

Ector County District Attorney Bobby Bland during a Monday news conference said “there is no evidence to support holding anybody criminally responsible,” and that the adoptive parents of a 3-year-old Russian boy will not be charged with a crime.

 

The announcement closes a case that became the focal point of a controversial Russian law that has banned American parents from adopting Russian children.

 

Bland said he presented the case in the death of Max Alan Shatto to the grand jury Monday, adding jurors no-billed Max’s adoptive parents, Alan and Laura Shatto.

 

A no-bill is issued when a grand jury decides the evidence before an accused individual doesn’t warrant an indictment for criminal prosecution.

 

In a previous news conference on March 1, Bland said an autopsy ruled Max’s death was accidental, which was confirmed by three forensic pathologists at the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s office and one pathologist from outside the office.

 

The autopsy stated his death was caused by a laceration to the small bowel mesentery artery.

 

“The findings of the autopsy held up,” Bland said in the Monday news conference in his office. “In this case, the grand jury determined there was insignificant evidence to charge them (the Shattos) with a crime.”

 

Max, who was born in Pskov, Russia as Maxim Kuzmin, was found outside of his Gardendale home on Jan. 21 after Laura Shatto returned from a 10 minute “bathroom emergency,” Bland said. After finding Max unresponsive, he was transported to Medical Center Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 5:43 p.m.

 

The death became an international incident after Russian officials made claims that the Shattos used “inhuman treatment” against the child, saying Laura abused and injected Max with psychotropic drugs. No drugs were found in Max’s system. Some bruising was found on Max’s body.

 

Bland said the bruising was consistent with injuries typically found on 3-year-olds, while adding that it was possible other bruises could have been self-inflicted or from falling. Bland said a playground in the Shattos backyard, which has a glider, could have also been a factor to Max’s injuries.

 

The district attorney also said the child was underweight for a child his size and the fatal blow could have happened before he was found outside.

 

“It would not have taken that much force for the blow that killed him,” Bland said.

 

The Shatto’s attorney, Michael J. Brown, was reportedly told about the grand jury’s finding earlier in the day.

 

“They feel good about it,” Brown said about the no-bill. “It was a horrible ordeal for anyone to go through. The accusations hurled against them were without any foundation.”

 

Russian officials have used Max’s death as a focal point in their defense of a law, signed by President Vladimir Putin 2011, which bans American parents from adopting Russian children. The law was signed in retaliation to the Magnitsky Act, a law targeting Russian officials of supposed human-rights violations.

 

Officials have also called for the Shatto’s to return Max’s brother, 2-year-old Kristopher, to Russia. State officials have said that Kristopher has continued to live with the Shatto’s since Max’s death.

 

Despite the closure of the criminal case, Bland said Texas Child Protective Services was still conducting their own investigation into the case. If more evidence is uncovered against the Shattos, Bland said the case could be sent back to the grand jury. However, Bland said he doesn’t expect that to happen.

 

The adoption agency that helped with the Shatto’s adoption, The Gladney Center for Adoption based in Fort Worth, was cleared in a separate investigation by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services

 

Even with the release of the autopsy results, Bland said he can’t change the minds of people who feel the child’s death was covered up.

 

“When a child dies so young and tragically, it is natural to want to hold someone accountable,” Bland said. “However, in this case, there is no evidence to support holding anybody criminally responsible.””

Case Closed: Max Shatto’s Death Ruled Accidental [Permian Basin 360 3/18/13 by Matthew Farrell] says “The Shatto family will not be facing any charges in the death of their adopted son, Max Shatto.

U.S. Authorities Will Not File Charges In Death Of Russian Adoptee [Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty 3/19/13 by Richard Solash] says,”Authorities in Texas say they will not file charges against the adoptive parents of Max Shatto, the Russian-born boy whose death in uncertain circumstances earlier this year set off an international drama.
Ector County District Attorney Bobby Bland told RFE/RL that “the criminal case is closed.”
“There’s no wrongdoing found on the part of anyone in relation to the death of Max Shatto. We presented [the case] fully to the grand jury and let them make their own determination. They did, based on the evidence that there was no crime,” Bland said.
“I’ve reviewed all the facts that we had available [from] all the agencies involved to determine whether criminal actions should be taken. Everybody felt that criminal action was not appropriate in this case.”
Three-year-old Max Shatto, born Maksim Kuzmin, died on January 21 at a hospital in Odessa, Texas, with bruising over much of his body.

Local officials said an ambulance had been called to the Shatto home earlier that day after the child allegedly collapsed while unattended outside near playground equipment.
Official Russian Anger

Russian children’s rights commissioner, Pavel Astakhov, has sharply criticized the Texas decision.
Astakhov said via Twitter on March 19 that “the position of the Texas prosecutor contradicts initial information presented by the sheriff, social services, statement of the adoptive father, [and] doctors’ conclusions.”
Astakhov wrote that he wants to discuss the case further with U.S. ambassador Michael McFaul. ”

“”It would not have taken too much force to cause the child’s wounds,” Bland told AP on March 18. He said they could have been caused from contact with playground equipment.
The district attorney also said the boy was underweight, which could have made him more vulnerable to injury.
Laura Shatto and her husband, Alan, have refused to comment to the press on the case. They did not immediately answer calls from RFE/RL after the Texas jury’s decision.
Their lawyer, Michael J. Brown, has argued that his clients are not guilty of any wrongdoing.
“We’re, of course, very happy about [the jury’s decision], but we’re certainly not surprised,” he told RFE/RL. “I never thought there was any criminal liability for Laura Shatto. The grand jury has seen all the evidence they could possibly look at and they agreed with me.”
More Investigation

Texas Child Protective Services spokesman Patrick Crimmins told AP that the agency is continuing to investigate allegations that Max Shatto was physically abused. He said he did not know when that investigation would be complete. ”

“A spokesperson for the Russian Embassy in Washington told RFE/RL that they had not yet received official notification of the Texas jury’s decision and could not immediately comment”

US ruling in Russian adoptee’s death case “raises serious questions” – Russian ombudsman  [The Voice of Russia 3/19/13] says “Russian foreign office’s human rights ombudsman Konstantin Dolgov said today the decision of Texas authorities to clear Alan and Laura Shatto of all charges in the case of Max Shatto’s death raised “serious questions”.

He said the American prosecution was “trying to convince us” that the boy’s injuries were self-inflicted”

Update 18/March 26, 2013

The results of the autopsy have been released. Detailed events of the day of death released.

Medical examiner releases Shatto autopsy  [OAOA.com 3/26/13 by Jon Vanderlaan] says

“More than two months after the death of a Russian boy who was adopted by a Gardendale couple caused an international furor, some light is being shed on possible reasons why 3-year-old Russian adoptee Max Shatto died.

To say a few bruises were found on Max Shatto’s body would be an understatement.

An autopsy report was released to the Odessa American following a Freedom of Information request to the Tarrant County District Attorney. The report revealed Max Shatto had more than 30 bruises on his body in various stages of healing when he was pronounced dead at Medical Center Hospital at 5:43 p.m. Jan. 21.

Max Shatto, who was born Maxim Kuzmin in Pskov, Russia, was adopted with his younger brother Kristopher in late 2012. The boys were brought to the United States on Nov. 3, 2012, according to the autopsy report.

The autopsy report consisted of information gathered by several agencies, including the Ector and Tarrant county medical examiners’ offices and law enforcement agencies.

Injuries suffered by Max Shatto include abrasions, scratches, scars and bruises all over his body. Despite those injuries, an external examination of the body in the report shows no specific point of origin for the mesenteric hemorrhage, or the large amount of bleeding caused by the internal laceration that was determined to have been the cause of death.

But Max Shatto had some psychological problems that continued developing while at his new Gardendale home, according to the report, which manifested in self-injury.

From bruises to abrasions, even self-injury of his genitals, he had a number of injuries that were described as self-injury by his adoptive parents both to authorities and to a doctor with Cook Children’s Medical Center who is based in Denton.

Dr. Bruce Eckel, who saw Max Shatto twice at Cook Children’s Medical Center, was interviewed in the autopsy report. Eckel was the first doctor to see Max Shatto when he first came to the U.S.

“He advised that the first time he saw the decedent (Shatto), the decedent had some bruising and a few scratches,” according to the report. “He said that the second time he saw the decedent … he looked much worse and had bruises and scratches all over him and had a hemorrhage in his left eye.”

Because of the description of Max Shatto’s behavior by his adoptive parents, Eckel said in the autopsy report that he prescribed on Jan. 4 a medication given to treat the symptoms of schizophrenia.

Eckel said in the report that the behaviors and injuries were severe and consistent with a child suffering from a major psychological problem. The report shows that three days before he died the Shattos ceased giving the boy the medication when they believed it was affecting his ability to swallow food.

As an orphan in Russia, Max Shatto’s past is described at points in excruciating detail in the autopsy report, including his time just before moving to the United States.

Eckel said his records show he was born to a 23-year-old Russian woman who had a history of drinking and who drank while pregnant. Shatto lived with the birth family until he was just older than a year, when he was taken to the orphanage.

Max remained there until he was adopted, Eckel said, and that there were allegations of possible abuse at the orphanage, which have not been proven.

The Shattos stayed in Russia for two weeks with a host family before they could take Max Shatto and his brother to their new home in Gardendale.

Both Alan and Laura Shatto were no-billed in the boy’s death on March 18 by an Ector County grand jury, further enraging Russian officials and agencies who have previously criticized the boy’s death and the authorities handling the investigations.

Ector County officials said the manner of Max Shatto’s death was ruled an accident with blunt force trauma to the abdomen, although they could not say exactly what injured him.

Russia closed adoptions to the United States less than a month before Max Shatto’s death, citing poorly treated Russian children who had been adopted.

The abuse in Russia was described in the autopsy report by Laura Shatto, Max Shatto’s adoptive mother, who said she walked in on the host in Russia, who was holding Max Shatto’s genitals and masturbating him.

“She said ever since, he grabs his penis and yanks on it, and seems like he is trying to pull it off and leaves bruises and scratches on it,” according to the autopsy report.

Alan Shatto, the adoptive father of Max Shatto, in the autopsy report said they weren’t sure the host mother was sexually abusing Max Shatto, but Laura Shatto continually insisted she knew it for a fact because she saw it.

Max Shatto did have injuries to his genitals when they first went to Russia to pick him up, Alan Shatto said in the autopsy report, but the host mother did not want them to take him to a hospital in Moscow to see if he had a urinary tract infection. The doctor there said he did not have a UTI, but wasn’t sure why the bleeding was happening, and the family at that point suspected someone abused him.

Michael Brown, the Midland attorney for the Shattos, said he had not seen the autopsy report, but was not surprised about the extent of the injuries.

“That’s what made people react the way they reacted,” he said.

As far as mental illness, Brown said the Shattos did not know about it until they brought him back, and did the best they could.

“They just sort of handled it as it came along,” Brown said. “Because they were not forewarned that they had this thing they were dealing with.”

The day of Max Shatto’s death, Laura Shatto said in the autopsy report that he woke up around 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. and did not want to go to the restroom with her, as he was not yet able to use the toilet on his own.

He began throwing a fit as she took him to the toilet, she said in the report, and went back to bed. Because Max Shatto was in a poor mood, Alan Shatto said in the autopsy report he stayed at the house until noon or 1 p.m. and later went to work.

Laura Shatto said in the report she put Kristopher Shatto down for a nap around 11 a.m., while Max Shatto was still in bed, and then woke both of them up around 3 p.m. to take them to the toilet.

She tried to give both boys a snack, Laura Shatto said in the report, which Max Shatto declined. Laura Shatto said that was unusual.

Both boys watched TV for a while until she took them outside around 4 p.m. to play on the swingset, Laura Shatto said in the report, although Max Shatto was quiet and swaying from side to side, which she said was a way he often soothed himself along with sucking his thumb and rocking his head.

She went inside to the restroom, Laura Shatto said in the report, and when she returned she found Max Shatto laying on his back unresponsive near the swings.

Max Shatto had a history of holding his breath until he passed out, Laura Shatto said in the report, which she thought he was doing at that point.

When she saw him on the ground, Laura Shatto said in the report that she went to him, grabbed him and began shaking him vigorously while calling his name. She then grabbed him by the neck with both hands and shook hard until blood bubbles began coming out of his mouth, Laura Shatto said, which she said she believed was from him hurting his lip previously.

Other things happened to Max Shatto before the date of his death, including falling out of a chair while choking on a cooked carrot, banging his head against solid objects, and clawing himself, which Laura Shatto reported she tried to prevent by cutting his nails very short and putting gloves on his hands at night.

Yevgeni Khorishko, a spokesman with the Russian Embassy in the United States, said he could not comment on the autopsy because he wasn’t sure if Russian authorities had received a copy of it.

Since Max Shatto’s death, Russian media tracked down his biological mother, Yulia Kuzmina, who said she wanted her other son back, although U.S. authorities said that would not be possible.”

Dr. Bruce Eckel is listed in our International Adoption Doctor Directory. He must consult often with Gladney as his bio at http://www.ntiac.org/meetthedoctors.html

says “He serves as medical advisor to an international adoptional [sic] agency, with interest in bringing children to the U.S. for medical care not available in their country of origin. He is married and has four children, the youngest two, being special needs children adopted from China. ”

Also he is a pediatrician NOT a psychiatrist. Two months home and a drug for “schizophrenia” is prescribed that he had some reaction to. He fell out of a chair choking days prior and she thought it was safe to let him alone in the backyard. I am stunned. Toliet training is mentioned. And OMG to this line” She then grabbed him by the neck with both hands and shook hard until blood bubbles began coming out of his mouth”

Laura thought he was sexually abused? How did they address that? With a drug for schizophrenia?

Pskov Court to review Claim of Annulling Kirill’s adoption

Pskov Court to Review Claim for Annulment of U.S. Adoption [The Moscow Times 3/25/13] says “A Pskov regional court on Monday will consider new evidence in the petition to annul the adoption of 2-year-old Kirill Kuzmin, the younger brother of the adopted Russian boy whose death sparked a new battle in the Russia-U.S. adoption war, Interfax reported.

The regional prosecutor and state social services submitted new evidence to annul the adoption of Kirill, who remains in the custody of his adoptive family in Texas, in February. The court deferred acceptance of their petition at that time, however, due to “insufficiencies” in the statement.

They were given until March 25 to file a new petition, Interfax reported Monday.”

Russia to hold consultations soon on Max’s case
Russia wants to know more about adoptee death in US  [The Voice of Russia 3/25/13] says “Russia and the United States will soon hold consultations and will in particular discuss the destiny of two Russian children adopted to the U.S., Kirill Kuzmin and Yegor Shatabalov, Voice of Russia’s Olga Denisova reports.

“We plan to hold relevant consultations soon during which we will receive exhaustive information on the investigations on the deaths of Russian children. Then we [will discuss] the issue on the latest two cases related to Kirill Kuzmin and the re-adoption of Yegor Shatabalov,” Russian Deputy Education and Science Minister, Igor Remorenko, said while speaking at a “governmental hour” in the Russian State Duma.”

Update 19/March 28, 2013

Russian Ombudsman is enraged by autopsy findings. Russia contests the results.

“Russia’s children rights ombudsman on Tuesday lashed out at the U.S. authorities for hastily performing an autopsy into a January death of a 3-year-old Russian boy adopted by a West Texas couple, whose death has fanned opposition to American adoptions.

An autopsy report released to the Odessa American on Monday said that Max Alan Shatto had more than 30 bruises and other marks on his body as well as signs that he was routinely injured by accident. Pathologists could not find the specific injury that caused the internal bleeding leading to the boy’s death on January 21 which was ruled accidental. A grand jury declined to indict the parents, Alan and Laura Shatto, who also adopted his half-brother, Kristopher.

Russian authorities and state media have used Max Shatto’s death to fan opposition to American adoptions after Moscow adopted a law in December, barring Americans from adopting Russian children. Americans have adopted an estimated 60,000 children from Russia over the last two decades, at least 20 of whom have died.

Pavel Astakhov said on Tuesday that Russia wants Max Alan Shatto’s parents to face justice. Astakhov said in a statement that Russia “cannot accept this probe and its results as final and objective.”

He criticized the autopsy results as “biased and hasty” and complained that American authorities have not forwarded him the report. He said he found about it from the media.”

Russia contests autopsy results showing dead Russian adoptee routinely hurt himself

[The Republic 3/27/13 by Associated Press]

“Max Shatto, the 3-year-old Russian adoptee who died on Jan. 21 in Texas,  had more than 30 bruises on his body in different stages of healing at  the time of his death, according to an autopsy report obtained by the  Odessa American (OA) newspaper.

The report – acquired through a Freedom of Information request to the Tarrant County, Texas District Attorney – details the boy’s extensive injuries and the struggles of Alan and Laura Shatto, his adopted parents, to manage his behavior.

According to the autopsy report, there were abrasions, scratches, scars and bruises all over the boy’s body, which the parents described to investigators as self-injury.

The report also included an interview with Dr. Bruce Eckel, who saw the boy twice before his death and said his behavior and injuries indicated a significant psychological problem, for which he prescribed schizophrenia medication.”

“Russia’s child rights ombudsman Pavel Astakhov said on Wednesday that Russia will continue to pursue legal action, since parents leaving a child unattended is a crime.

In a statement, Astakhov said the autopsy report was “biased and hasty,” and added that Russia “cannot accept this probe and its results as final and objective.”

The Russian Embassy in Washington declined to comment on the autopsy report Wednesday.”

Adopted Russian Boy Had Dozens of Bruises – Autopsy Report

[RIA Novosti 3/27/13]

CNN details more self-injurious behaviors

“Both parents in the report claimed that the boy — who they and a doctor said was born to an alcoholic mother — would try to hurt himself in various ways.”

“”They stated that (Max) was displaying behaviors such as banging his head on the bathtub, throwing himself down, holding his breath and clawing himself,” wrote investigator Sondra Woolf.

A Denton, Texas, doctor told authorities that after examining the child’s deteriorating condition during a second visit and listening to the parents’ accounts, he prescribed the boy Risperidone, an antipsychotic medication. The Shattoes said they first gave Max the drug on January 15 but stopped on January 18, concerned it was affecting his ability to swallow, the report said.

Laura Shatto told authorities that she’d last seen Max outside, believing he was about to go on a slide, when she’d went inside to use the bathroom. She came out to find him prone on the ground, calling his name and shaking him vigorously before calling 911.

The documents also included a preliminary autopsy report conducted by the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office, completed on January 23.

Medical Examiner Lloyd White wrote to his colleagues in Ector County, “Based on the findings at this point, I suggest laceration of small bowel mesentry due to blunt trauma to (the) abdomen as the cause of death. I’ll leave the manner of death up to you pending investigation.

“On the whole, there appears to be a strong likelihood that this death was accidental, probably the consequence of a fall from playground equipment in his yard.”

The Ector County medical examiner later concluded that Max Shatto’s death was accidental, finding that the bruises and other issues were consistent with a “self-inflicted” injury, District Attorney Bobby Bland said March 1.”

Texas investigator found 30+ bruises, cuts on dead boy adopted from Russia

[CNN 3/27/13 by Greg Botelho]

Texas Prosecutors Offended

“Prosecutors in the US last night rejected the Russian accusations, urging Moscow to accept the findings and halt the mounting politicisation of the case.

“We have to rely on facts, not rhetoric,” Bobby Bland, the district attorney for Ector County, told The Daily Telegraph. “It is normal for people to want to hold someone responsible for a death – it’s just human nature. But sometimes the facts show no one is to blame. [Maybe you should read your own state laws on neglect.]

“The facts show that this death was an accident. The case was presented to a Grand Jury, who had access to all information, and they decided not to bring charges. This was the death of a three-year-old child – we take it very seriously.”

The Shattos remain subject to a separate investigation by the Texas department of family and protective services over allegations of neglectful supervision and physical abuse. Patrick Crimmins, a spokesman for the department, said the Shattos would not face criminal prosecution even if the allegations were confirmed. [WHY?] They would, however, probably be placed on the state’s abuse and neglect registry, which would prevent them from adopting or working with children.[But still be able to RAISE Kirill, an adopted child?]

Neither the chief investigator at the Ector County medical examiner’s office, nor Michael Brown, the Shattos’ lawyer, returned telephone calls and emails requesting comment.

The autopsy report said “no specific origin” could be found for the internal bleeding that caused his death,[Oh yes, because toddlers so frequently die of internal bleeding on no specific origin, huh?] and a doctor concluded that bruises and scratches on the child’s body were meanwhile consistent with “a major psychological problem”. He had a history of self-harming his genitals which may have stemmed from sexual abuse by his biological mother, an alcoholic.”

Russia’s adoption row with US grows after bruises found all over dead toddler Max Shatto

[Telegraph 3/28/13 by Tom Parfitt]

Update 20/April 1, 2013

Pskov Court Denies Kirill’s annulment. The petitioners have 15 days from March 28 to refile.

“Pskov regional court turned down a petition by regional  prosecutors and social services to annul the adoption  of Kirill Kuzmin, a 2-year-old boy currently living in the  custody of his U.S. adoptive parents in Texas whose brother, Maxim  Kuzmin, died in early January.

Maxim Kuzmin’s death sparked an outcry by Russian officials, many  of whom suspected the boy’s mother, Laura Shatto, of abuse.  The Texas medical examiner later deemed the death an accident,  with internal bleeding caused by blunt force trauma.

The Pskov prosecutor’s petition sought to annul the adoption  of Kirill by Laura and Alan Shatto that was approved by the  court last September, but the court ruled against the annulment,  citing insufficiencies in the complainants’ case.

“The documents presented by the Pskov regional prosecutor cannot be  accepted by the court as a rectified petititon, since they do not  confirm that there was cruel treatment of Maxim Kuzmin by Laura  Shatto, and inactivity on the part of Alan Shatto, meaning they  don’t provide any basis for the action indicated in the prosecutor’s  petititon,” Yulia Pron, a spokeswoman for the court, told Interfax  on Thursday.

The complainants now have 15 days to file an appeal.

In February, the Pskov court deferred acceptance of the  prosecutor’s first petition due to “insufficiencies” in the statement  and gave until March 25 to submit new evidence.

Kirill Kuzmin’s biological mother, Yulia Kuzmina, appealed to social  services in Pskov in early February to help her restore custody  over Kirill, or Kristopher Elvin Shatto, as he’s now known in the U.S.”

 

Adoption Annulment Request Rejected by Pskov Court

[The Moscow Times 3/29/13]

Russia was handed Max’s autopsy report on March 27. They are analyzing it.

“The Russian Embassy in Washington says experts in Moscow are now “analyzing” the autopsy report for a Russian adoptee whose death early this year in Texas set off an international drama.
Yevgeniy Khorishko, an embassy spokesman, told RFE/RL that a copy of Max Shatto’s autopsy report was “sent to Russia for the experts to analyze” after Russian officials received it last week.
Ashley Fourt, the assistant district attorney for civil cases in Texas’s Tarrant County, where the autopsy was completed, confirmed that she released a copy of the report to Sergei Azizov, the vice consul at the Russian Consulate in Houston, on March 27.
The U.S. State Department said it has been “in contact with the Russian Embassy and local authorities regarding the report” as well.
The embassy’s Khorishko declined to say whether Russian officials are preparing to formally challenge the conclusion that the child’s death was “accidental.”
International Drama
The death in January of three-year-old Max Shatto, born Maksim Kuzmin, generated a furor in Russia, as officials accused the child’s adoptive U.S. mother, Laura Shatto, of “murder.”
Russian officials cited the case as justification for Moscow’s politically charged ban on U.S. adoptions of Russian children, which went into effect at the start of the year.
Doctors who reviewed the boy’s autopsy ruled on March 1 that his death was caused by the “accidental” laceration of an artery caused by blunt trauma to the abdomen. They determined that the injury fit into the boy’s pattern of hurting himself, behavior brought on by psychological problems.
Authorities later said they would not file charges against the child’s adoptive parents, a decision that was criticized by Russia’s children’s rights commissioner, Pavel Astakhov.
Russia demanded access to the autopsy report and has called the U.S. investigation incomplete.
Autopsy Details
The “Odessa American,” a local Texas newspaper, posted the report on its website last week.
The report identifies more than 30 bruises found on the body of Max Shatto, from his head to his genitals to his feet.
A summary of an interview conducted by medical investigators with the boy’s adopted mother, Laura Shatto, is also included.
In the interview, she paints a graphic picture of a child with severe psychological disturbances. His behavior allegedly included banging his head on hard surfaces, clawing at himself, throwing himself to the ground, and holding his breath until he passed out.
The report also states that the child’s pediatrician prescribed Risperidone, an antipsychotic drug, but that that Laura Shatto stopped administering the medication over fear of its side effects.
It also recounts details of the day Max Shatto died, when Laura Shatto allegedly left the child unattended for several minutes in the backyard while she used the restroom. She said she then discovered Max unconscious near the slide and swings.
Astakhov, Russia’s children’s rights commissioner, described the report on Russian television last week as “biased and hasty.”
He argued that the boy’s adoptive parents should at least be prosecuted for negligence for leaving him unattended.
Bobby Bland, the district attorney for Texas’s Ector County, where the Shattos live, told RFE/RL: “I’ve tried to cooperate in giving [the Russians] information and keeping them in the loop on things, but essentially, the deal is that I have to prosecute based on the facts, not on rhetoric.”
In the interview with Laura Shatto summarized in the autopsy report, she also claims that she saw her adopted son being sexually abused by a woman who temporarily took care of the child in Russia before the adoption was complete.
Dmitry Shakhov, the child’s rights commissioner for Russia’s Pskov region, where Max Shatto was born, told journalists on March 29 that he did not know what interim caretaker Laura Shatto was referring to. He said the child’s welfare was her responsibility. ”

Russian Experts ‘Analyzing’ Shatto Autopsy Report

[Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty 4/1/13 by Richard Solash]

Update 21/April 3, 2013

“The lawyer for the American parents of a Russian adoptee whose death caused an international dispute says his clients knew “almost nothing” about the child’s psychological problems when they adopted him.

Michael J. Brown told RFE/RL Laura and Alan Shatto were told little about Max Shatto’s condition when they adopted him from an orphanage in Russia’s Pskov region in late 2012.

The 3-year-old, born Maksim Kuzmin, died in January.

Doctors said his death was “accidental” and fit into the boy’s pattern of hurting himself, behavior brought on by psychological problems.

Russian officials accused the adoptive U.S. mother of murder.

Brown said his clients had not been informed of the “extreme possibility that Max had fetal alcohol syndrome.”

He also said Laura Shatto had now been allowed full access to her second child, Max’s half-brother, Kristopher.”[Oh how comforting! Not!]

Lawyer: Shattos Not Informed Of Russian Adoptee’s Psychological Problems

[Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty 4/3/13 ]

So, Laura says that she WITNESSED a Russian “host” sexually abusing Max and at the same time did not know there would be issues? What procedure has it that Russian orphans are cared for by a hosting family during the adoption process? We haven’t heard of this special procedure.

How stupid are these people? Their stupidity should have caused them to not pass the homestudy. As for not knowing about FAS, how did she prepare herself to adopt? Did she not avail herself of a referral review from the dozens of doctors who do that? Whose fault would that be for not becoming informed or getting advice? Where was Gladney in all of this? They are a Hague accredited agency. Even though Russia isn’t a Hague country, they are supposed to have adoption education for their clients.

Lastly, what does any of this have to do with Max’s last day in which he slept most of the day and was potty trained and then died? Do journalists ask any pertinent questions anymore?

Update 22/April 5, 2013

The 911 call has been released.

 

“Conversation between Laura Shatto and 911 dispatcher show Mrs. Shatto trying to save her sons life.

“Ector County 911, what’s the emergency?

 

Max Shatto’s Final Moments Released In 911 Tape

[Permian Basin 360 4/4/13 by Matthew Farrell]

Daily Mail has the actual audio. See ‘He’s not breathing!’ 911 call reveals a mother frantic and crying as she tries to revive her dying 3-year-old adopted Russian son
 [Daily Mail 4/4/13 by Daily Mail Reporter and Associated Press]

 

 

“Ector County District Attorney Bobby Bland said  Max likely suffered the fatal internal injuries to an artery in during 10  minutes that Laura Shatto was in the bathroom. Four pathologists reviewed the  autopsy report and ruled Max’s death to be accidental.”

On the call, Shatto says she’s not  sure what  happened, that she left Max playing outside while she went to  use the bathroom  in her home near Odessa. She later told the operator her son was autistic,  self-injurious and on medication.

The woman begins to weep as she  unsuccessfully tries to revive him. The male dispatcher on the call  guides her  through CPR, instructing her to do 15 compressions and blow  air into the boy’s  lungs in an effort to restart his heart and get him  to breathe.

‘OK, Laura, you’re doing fine,’ he  keeps  telling the increasingly hysterical mother as she tries to  reanimate the little  boy while awaiting for EMS personnel to arrive.

Panting with effort from doing  compressions,  the woman says a few minutes into the call that Max’s  pupils are fixed and  dilated and later notes that his ‘belly is  distending.’

‘I think I found a heartbeat!’ She  exclaims  about 16 minutes into the conversation, but she then tells the  dispatcher that  it’s really faint and that she cannot feel Max’s carotid pulse.

‘You’re doing a wonderful job Laura, nobody  could do any better,’ the dispatcher tells her as he tries to keep her calm.

The woman tells the operator that her  adoptive son is  ‘starting to smell like he’s pooping himself.’

Throughout the conversation, the operator  reminds Shatto to check that the boy’s airways are clear and check for the  pulse.

While on the call with the 911  operator,  Max’s younger half-brother, who was also adopted by the Shattos from Russia,  could be heard crying hysterically and shrieking in the background. Several  times Mrs  Shatto says, ‘Mama’s not  hurting him,, mama’s trying to help.’

As time goes on Laura Shatto asks, ‘Where are  they?’ referring to EMS  personnel, and pleads through apparent sobs to the  operator, ‘Please, I  need help.’

The calls ends at the 22-minute mark as the  paramedics arrive and take over CPR, with Mrs Shatto bawling in the  background.

Officials released the tape of the  call  clocking in at just over 20 minutes at the request of the Odessa  American  newspaper after grand jurors decided not to indict Laura Shatto and her husband  Alan in their son’s death.”
A Stethoscope?

“Officials released the tape of the 20-minute call after grand jurors decided March 18 not to indict Laura Shatto and her husband Alan in their son’s death. Russian officials have expressed disbelief at the decision not to charge the Shattos. They blame the Shattos for the boy’s death, which has become the latest flashpoint in a debate over American adoptions of Russian children.

 

Laura Shatto told a 911 operator on Jan. 21 that her son wasn’t breathing. Later, she was heard pleading for help as she performed CPR on the boy. Shatto said she wasn’t sure what happened, and that she left Max playing outside while she went to use the bathroom in her home.

 

She told the operator her son was autistic, self-injurious and on medication. About 18 minutes into the tape without finding a pulse, Shatto, who had a stethoscope with her, told the operator she believed she had a heartbeat.

 

“It’s really faint,” she told the operator, who then asked her to check the boy’s carotid artery. “I’m not getting anything.”

 

As time goes on Laura Shatto asks, “Where are they?” referring to EMS personnel, and pleads through apparent sobs to the operator, “Please, I need help.”

 

911 call: Mom tried to revive adopted Russian boy

[Huffington Post 4/4/13 by Betsy Blaney]

Update 23/April 16, 2013

Russia wants Kirill to return to Russia. Russia Wants Adopted Boy Back from US [RIA Novosti 4/6/13] says “Russia will discuss with US officials the return of the Kirill Kuzmin, a two-year-old Russian boy adopted by a Texan couple along with his brother, who died in January, a Russian diplomat said Saturday.

The matter will be taken up at bilateral adoption talks in Washington in mid-April, the Russian foreign ministry’s human rights envoy, Konstantin Dolgov, told RIA Novosti.

 

Bringing Kirill Kuzmin back to Russia “will be extremely hard,” Dolgov conceded.

 

But a US-Russian adoption agreement allows Russia to at least request the return of an adoptee if that is believed to be in their best interests, he said.

 

Kirill and his older brother, the three-year-old Maxim, were adopted last fall by Texan couple Alan and Laura Shatto.

 

Maxim was found dead outside the Shattos house three months after the adoption. An autopsy found more than 30 bruises on his body and named a ruptured artery as the cause of death.

 

Some Russian officials claimed the boy was abused by his parents, but US authorities ruled his injuries self-inflicted. The boy had a medical record of behavioral disorder.

 

Kirill Kuzmin currently remains with the Shattos, who denied abusing the children and faced no charges over the case.

 

Texan authorities refused in February to repatriate the boy.

 

The agreement Russia hopes to invoke to bring back Kirill Kuzmin was annulled by Moscow in late 2012, but remains in effect until the end of this year for procedural reasons.

 

The Kremlin has cited US officials’ inability to ensure proper monitoring of Russian adoptees as a reason for canceling the agreement, though critics said the move was retribution for the US Magnitsky Act blacklisting numerous Russian officials for alleged human rights violations.

 

The whereabouts of Kuzmins’ father are unknown. Their mother, who is living in a rural area of the northern Pskov Region, was stripped of parental rights due to alcoholism.”

April 16 2013 Google-translated article by Adil Zaripova

Regional prosecutor insists on returning to Russia Kirill Kuzmin says On “April 23 Pskov Oblast Court to consider an appeal on the case of the cancellation of adoption Kirill Kuzmin American spouses Shatto, reported the press service of the court. Biennial Cyril now lives in the U.S. with a foster family and has no idea that the international battle for it continues.

Action for annulment of adoption entered the court on February 21. Since then, the suit has twice returned to the applicant – the court referred to the lack of justification for the abolition of adoption. April 11 prosecutors appealed the court’s decision. The plaintiffs – the prosecution and management of social protection in the region – continue to insist that the boy should not be left in a foster family after the death of his older brother.

On the death of a three-year Maxim Kuzmin in Russia became known in February. On March 1, Texas authorities announced that the guilt of foster parents in the death of a boy there, and no evidence of ill-treatment. Spouses Shatto was not charged with any wrongdoing, and Cyril stayed with them.

Meanwhile, a mother of boys 23-year-old Yulia Kuzmina seriously set to change their lives for the better . It is still a pleasure to discuss the media, virtual forums regulars. But really help the young woman decided a few. Julia now lives and works at the Church of St. Nicholas in the village of Stone End. “

Update 24/April 17, 2013

Russian and US Officials meet about Adoption

“Russian and US officials met here Wednesday to discuss adoption issues in the wake of Russia’s ban on adoptions of Russian children by US citizens, officials said.

The meeting was requested by the United States, and the Russian delegation to the talks was led by Konstantin Dolgov, the human rights ombudsman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, a US State Department spokesman said.

Details on what was discussed were not immediately available after the meeting, which was also attended by officials from the departments of State, Homeland Security, Justice and Health and Human Services, the official said.

But adoption experts said the two countries were looking for ways to smooth pending adoption questions on both sides that have been left unresolved since the start of the year when the Russian ban went into effect.

“The US perspective on this meeting is, ‘how many families can we get through the pipeline’?” Chuck Johnson, executive director of the National Council for Adoption, a nonprofit adoption advocacy and research group, told RIA Novosti.

“And I think the Russian focus is going to be on how best to implement the agreement that went into effect before the ban, and which is still in effect for those adoptions that have already taken place.”

Adoptions of Russian children by US parents have long been complicated by a range of thorny legal and cultural issues on both sides of the equation and a new bilateral adoption treaty that went into effect late last year was designed specifically to help resolve many of them.

Privately however, officials in both countries had questioned how effective the new treaty would be. And although Russia has made clear the provisions of the treaty remain in effect for now, the two sides have made little progress in clarifying many adoptions that were already in progress when the ban was imposed.

The Russian adoption ban came just days after US President Barack Obama signed the controversial Magnitsky Act – a law banning Russian officials deemed by Washington to have violated human rights from obtaining visas to enter the United States and freezing any US assets they may have.

Russia had long said it would regard passage of such legislation by the United States as an unwarranted and unfriendly act and would respond as it judged appropriate. The tangle over the new US law and the Russian adoption ban that followed has put a serious dent in relations between the two countries in recent months.

US adoption officials estimate that there are around 200 American families who were matched with 278 Russian children they had already met and were hoping to adopt when the ban went into effect on January 1 this year.

Despite the depressed atmosphere surrounding the adoption issue, families who were in the process of adopting a Russian child said they were cheered by the fact that the two countries were talking about the problems face to face.

“We have great hopes for some movement with the delegation in town, just to know that they’re even discussing it,” said Ann Suhs, a resident of Georgia who along with her husband, Kurt, was in the process of adopting a second child from Russia when the ban took effect.

“We haven’t had a peep since January and I feel like I’m ticking off the days on a child’s life. It’s one less day of hugs and experiences and living at home with us, and that’s hard because every day a child gets older and it’s less and less family,” Suhs said.”

Russian, US Officials Meet on Adoptions

[RIA Novosti 4/17/13 by Maria Young]

Update 25/May 9, 2013

First article just appears to reiterate what we already know.

“A US investigation into the death of Max Shatto, born Maksim Kuzmin, found no wrongdoing on the part of the three-year-old Russian orphan’s adoptive America parents, media report.

Investigators believe that the boy’s death was result of an accident rather than negligence or mistreatment in the family, reports ITAR-TASS. The agency was citing Olga Tarasova, an activist from the US-Russian Civil Society Institute, an NGO working closely with the Russian community in the United States. The probe was conducted in tandem by the local sheriff’s office and social security service.

Apparently the US authorities will now resist Russia’s effort to retrieve Maksim’s two-year-old brother Kirill, who remains in the custody of the Shatto family.

The death of Maksim in January sparked the tensions between Russia and the US over the fate of Russian orphans adopted into American families. Moscow suspected that the boy may have been abused in the US and demanded inclusion in the investigation.

The issue has become highly politicized since Russia banned all adoptions to American citizens in December last year, citing several cases of lenient reaction of US authorities towards the deaths of Russian adopted children.

The ban was linked to the December issuing of sanctions by the US against some Russian officials, whom Washington suspects of human rights violations. The so-called Magnitsky List currently includes 18 individuals who are allegedly responsible for the death in police custody of lawyer Sergey Magnitsky and other crimes. It may be expanded in the future and reportedly contains a classified portion that was not made public.

The sanctions infuriated Russia, which saw it as an attack on its sovereignty.”

US probe ‘rules out’ negligence in Russian orphan death

[Russia Today 5/4/13]

Second article shows how angry Russia is with the insufficient autopsy records.

“The materials that Russian investigators received from US authorities regarding the case of Russian adoptee Max Shatto in early April were “insufficient,” the Russian Foreign Ministry’s point man for human rights said on Tuesday.

“The investigative information pertaining to Maxim’s case that we received earlier from the US is incomplete, it is insufficient,” the Foreign Ministry’s Special Representative for Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law, Konstantin Dolgov said via his Twitter account.

 

Max Shatto, the three-year-old Russian adoptee also known by his Russian name Maxim Kuzmin, died on January 21. According to an autopsy report, he had bruises on his body in different stages of healing at the time of his death.

 

Texas investigators said the boy’s death – from a ruptured artery in his abdomen – was accidental, and a grand jury declined to indict either of the parents.

 

Russia is also seeking the return of Kirill, Maxim’s younger brother, who was also adopted by Texan couple Alan and Laura Shatto.

 

“As long as any uncertainty remains as to the causes of Maxim’s death, we cannot agree that his brother Kirill is not in danger in the Shatto family,” Dolgov said.”

US Max Shatto Case Materials ‘Insufficient’ – Diplomat

[RIA Novosti 5/7/13]

Update 26/June 7, 2013

“Russia has serious doubts about the willingness of US authorities to protect the legitimate rights and interests of Russian children adopted by US families, Russian Foreign Ministry’s special representative for human rights, Konstantin Dolgov, said Tuesday.

Commenting on the decision by Texas prosecutors not to charge the adoptive parents of a Russian toddler who died suddenly in January, Dolgov said it was a reflection of a lenient attitude toward US parents involved in violence against Russian adoptees.

“The events in Texas confirm, in general, our doubts about the willingness and the ability of US federal authorities to ensure adequate protection of legitimate rights and interests of Russian children adopted by US citizens,” Dolgov said in a statement.

Max Shatto, the three-year-old Russian adoptee also known by his Russian name Maxim Kuzmin, died on January 21. According to an autopsy report, he had bruises on his body in different stages of healing at the time of his death.

Texas investigators said the boy’s death – from a ruptured artery in his abdomen – was accidental, and a grand jury declined to indict either of the parents.

However, Dolgov said there were numerous inconsistences in the investigation casting doubts on the legitimacy of conclusions made by US authorities.

“Even a layman can conclude from the investigation materials that the injuries that led to the boy’s death could not have been self-inflicted,” Dolgov said.

The news of Max Shatto’s death came just weeks after Russia enacted a ban on Americans adopting Russian children, in part because of concerns about previous deaths of adopted Russian children. At least 20 adopted Russian children have died in the care of their American families since the early 1990s.

But the ban is also widely seen as a response to Washington’s passage of the Magnitsky Act, introducing sanctions on Russian officials suspected of human rights abuses.

More than 150 members of the US Congress have urged President Barack Obama to prioritize resolving several hundred pending US adoptions of Russian children when he meets President Vladimir Putin later this month.”

Russia Says US Authorities Unable to Protect Russian Adoptees

[RIA Novosti 6/4/13]

Update 27/August 2, 2013

“A Russian court will consider on October 4 a lawsuit filed by the Social Protection Administration of the Pskov region against the American parents of the deceased Maxim Kuzmin and his brother Kirill, the Izvestia daily said on Friday.

Alan and Laura Shatto adopted the boys in September 2012. The guardianship department of the Social Protection Administration seeks reversal of a court decision permitting the adoption of the children.

According to the newspaper, the letter with the summons has been already sent to a Texan family.

The death of three-year-old Maxim Kuzmin has caused a public uproar. Children’s Rights Commissioner Pavel Astakhov announced the death of the boy on February 18. He tweeted that the child had been given powerful “psychotropic substances,” and he was badly beaten before he died in a hospital on January 21.

On March 1, the Texas authorities announced that the boy’s death was not criminal based on the autopsy results. The four doctors who reviewed the results ruled the death accidental.

Initially, the investigators did not rule out that his adoptive parents could be charged with neglect in the boy’s death. Ector County District Attorney Bobby Bland stated on Monday that his office will not charge the adoptive parents in the boy’s death.

Meanwhile, the Foreign Ministry said the decision not to bring charges against his adoptive parents raises “serious concerns” in Russia.

The Investigative Committee reported earlier that the local authorities in the Pskov region have launched a criminal investigation into alleged negligence in the processing of both boys’ adoption documents.”

Claim for annulment of Kuzmin adoption to be considered on October 4

[RAPSI News 8/2/13]

Update 28/ September 2, 2013

The New York Times has sunk to a new low publishing a butt-kissing article of the Shattos. Here are some excerpts:

“o when their mother, Laura Shatto, opened the door on that January afternoon, the toddlers — two newly adopted brothers from Russia — headed for the backyard with their three dogs bounding along. They were captivated by the swing set, with its bright blue slide, trampoline and glider.

Mrs. Shatto played with her sons for about 20 minutes, she recalled, before she had to run to the bathroom. She considered taking the boys inside, but it had been a stressful day for Max, with tears and tantrums. The backyard was fenced in. And it would just be a few minutes.

“Mama’s going to be right back,” she remembers reassuring them.

It was a split-second decision, she says, the kind of quick calculus that parents make all the time, weighing what seems like taking the smallest of risks against disrupting precious moments of peace. But when Mrs. Shatto returned, Max, 3, was lying in the grass, she said. He was not breathing.

In the next frantic minutes, Mrs. Shatto, then paramedics and emergency room physicians, tried unsuccessfully to revive the child. It seemed like a terrible accident — a severe allergy attack or perhaps a seizure — until the doctors saw the multicolored collage of bruises on Max’s body.

They marked his chest, his groin, his thigh, his left arm, his right arm, his chin, his neck, his face. Suddenly, Mrs. Shatto was no longer a grieving mother struck by calamity. She was a murder suspect, a symbol of the worst fears about adoption.

“They’re saying I killed my baby!” Mrs. Shatto, 44, cried in a telephone call to her mother.”

 

“The police, prosecutors and medical examiners in Texas eventually concluded that Max’s death on Jan. 21 was an accident, resulting from internal injuries probably caused by a fall from the swing set. Max’s bruises were self-inflicted, they said, by a deeply troubled child who clawed his skin raw, banged his head against walls and hurled his body on the floor. But child welfare officials here, who have not disputed the finding about Max’s death, said they could not determine who caused the bruises on his body, leaving the Shattos under a cloud of suspicion. ” [No, the prosecutor did not conclude that. The grand jury said it was “not appropriate” to bring charges,. They did NOT say that there was no evidence of abuse. This is why the grand jury system is pathetic.]

“The Shattos have become pariahs in their own community, indelibly stained by the tragedy. Anonymous callers have left death threats on their answering machine. Shoppers have accosted Mrs. Shatto and shouted “Murderer!” as she stood in line at the supermarket. Some friends no longer visit or return phone calls.

The couple, speaking to The New York Times in their first public discussion of the case, say they did nothing to cause Max’s injuries or death. They say they loved the boy with the shy smile who burst into song the first moment he stepped into his bedroom, ate pecans straight from the tree in the backyard and curled up at night with his fuzzy brown bear. They describe themselves as victims of an adoption system that failed to disclose the severity of Max’s problems.”

“The New York Times reviewed Max’s autopsy report, adoption and medical records, and other documents; it also interviewed officials in Texas and Russia, medical experts, Max’s biological relatives, and friends and relatives of Mrs. Shatto. Those reports and interviews helped bolster the Shattos’ account: Max’s pediatrician, Mrs. Shatto’s mother and three friends all said the couple had expressed concern about the child’s behavior as it developed over a period of weeks. Detectives interviewed other relatives and friends who said they witnessed Max’s violent episodes, prosecutors said. And the Shattos sought help from Max’s doctor and their adoption agency. “ [I don’t think you reviewed the autopsy. So I am printing excerpts of that below.]

“Here in Gardendale, Mrs. Shatto said she often lay sleepless at night, haunted by Max’s death and tormented by questions. If the ambulance had arrived sooner, would Max still be alive? If she had been more adept with CPR, would he still be alive? If she and her husband had known about Max’s problems and gotten him help from the start, would he still be alive?

“I was completely broken; there wasn’t a lot of me left,” she said, remembering how she feared that she might have inadvertently injured Max while she performed CPR, though the medical examiner found no evidence of that. “I kept wondering: ‘Did I hurt my baby? Did I hurt my baby?’ ”

And, of course, the most unanswerable question of all: if she had not stepped away for those crucial minutes, would Max still be alive?

“All I ever wanted to be was a mom,” Mrs. Shatto said. “We didn’t expect that ‘Ozzie and Harriet’ thing. We know that doesn’t happen. All we wanted was a family.”” [Me Me Me!]

“The Shattos were shocked, given that the profile from Gladney did not mention any history of parental drinking. (Heidi B. Cox, general counsel at Gladney, said the agency was never told that the mother drank.)

The couple hesitated, but not for long. No one at the orphanage seemed worried about the issue. Perhaps the mother had only a drink or two, the Shattos told each other.

“You know, you hope for the best,” Mr. Shatto said.

So the Shattos decided to sign the paperwork necessary to commit to adopting the boys. When the final assessment from Dr. Johnson arrived on June 15, just two days before they headed back to Texas after that first trip, they felt enormous relief.

“I remember very explicitly looking at the photographs of the kids,” said Dr. Johnson, who was authorized by the Shattos to share his medical evaluation of their son. “I thought their growth was fine, and their development appeared good.”

There was a caveat: even children with normal facial features can have subtle brain damage if they have been exposed to alcohol, Dr. Johnson warned.” [Dr. Dana Johnson]

““Max was the more intellectual type; I thought he was the one we would send to M.I.T.,” Mr. Shatto said. “Kris was the one we would send to Notre Dame, more the sporting side.” [Oh please!]

The Shattos had been reassured about the boys’ well-being by a visit to Dr. Bruce Eckel, a pediatrician in Fort Worth who specializes in foreign adoptees and examined the boys a few days after they arrived in Texas. Dr. Eckel, who declined a request for an interview, determined that they were fine, the Shattos said.

Still, the couple worried. Max was waking up almost every night screaming. He hoarded food in his toy cars, in his Big Wheel — and in his cheeks. At dinnertime, the family tried to make a game out of getting him to chew.

Mrs. Shatto told some of her colleagues about Max’s meltdowns and head banging. “She tried to take him out of the house, and he would just scream,” Mr. Hightower, the Midland teacher, recalled Mrs. Shatto saying. “It honestly just sounded like this kid had some anxiety issues or something worse.”

By December, the Shattos said they had installed a motion detector and a video camera in the boys’ bedroom that would start recording whenever Max got out of bed. (He sometimes got up to hurt himself or to attack his little brother, the Shattos said; they said they later gave the videotapes to the police.) They said they were also calling Dr. Eckel to report what was happening.

But an explosion was often followed by several days of peace. “Initially I figured it was just adjustment issues,” Mr. Shatto said. “We thought it would pass.”

Instead, the Shattos said, it escalated.

The couple moved Max’s bed away from the wall and put gloves on his hands to keep him from scratching himself. They said they continued calling Dr. Eckel’s office and spent hours searching for answers online and talking to friends and relatives.

“She would call and say, ‘Mama, he’s hurting himself, he’s hurting himself, why is he hurting himself?’ ” recalled Mrs. Shatto’s mother, Peggy Worley, 73. “She’d be crying on the phone. She had never seen anything like it, and neither had I.””

“The pediatrician also referred them to a psychologist for Max. The Shattos gave the medication to Max for a few days, but stopped after he suffered from side effects. “He was like a zombie,” Mrs. Shatto said.

They did not pursue therapy, they said, after meeting with Gladney caseworkers who told them that Max was too young for medication or therapy. (Ms. Cox at Gladney denied that caseworkers had discouraged the Shattos from such assistance.)

“They told us we needed to love him more,” Mrs. Shatto said.”

Birthmother

“For a time, Ms. Kuzmina, who dropped out of school after ninth grade, sold mushrooms and berries that she collected in the woods after Max was born, Russian court records show.

She was estranged from Max’s father. So she and Max lived with her mother, until she landed a job on a road construction crew in the city of Pskov, the regional capital, about 90 minutes from Gdov.

Max was an infant when she left him with her mother, who was drinking heavily. In September 2010, social workers visited the house and found him “dirty, hungry and untended.” They sent him to the local children’s hospital, the records said. He was 8 months old.

“When I came back, the child was already taken away,” said Ms. Kuzmina, recalling the day she returned from Pskov to visit. “My mother said, if you had arrived one hour earlier, you would have seen him.”

Two months later, court records show, Ms. Kuzmina requested that her son be placed in a state institution because she lacked “enough means to provide for the child.” In February, Max was transferred to an orphanage in the town of Pechory, more than two hours from Gdov. He never saw his mother again.”

Landrieu

“The Shattos said the child welfare worker assigned to the case repeatedly accused Mrs. Shatto of abusing Max and killing him and barred her from living with Kris to ensure his safety. (A spokesman for the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services said that the Shattos’ complaints about the caseworker’s unprofessional conduct were addressed internally and that the employee has since resigned.)

Mr. Shatto’s sister came from Louisiana to help him care for the toddler. Mrs. Shatto, who was allowed to visit Kris only two hours a day, stayed with a friend and at a hotel. It would be more than two months before she returned home.

“They tell you your baby’s dead, but you think the weirdest things,” said Mrs. Shatto, recalling those first weeks after Max’s death. “Is he cold? Does he have his teddy bear? Is he by himself? It wasn’t really real.”

But it was. And the news of Max’s death was spreading through Washington. Officials at Gladney had informed Senator Mary L. Landrieu, a Louisiana Democrat who is an adoption advocate.”

Different from all previous articles

“The investigators interviewed the Shattos and their pediatrician and reviewed the coroner’s report and medical records. “These are self-injury bruises, not abuse,” Sheriff Mark Donaldson of Ector County recalled the detectives saying. “We got a whole different situation here.”

On March 1, Bobby Bland, the district attorney, announced that four pathologists had reviewed the autopsy report and determined that Max’s death was accidental. Two weeks later, he said a grand jury had concluded that there was no evidence the Shattos had committed any crime.

In his final autopsy report, the medical examiner determined that the cause of death was a tear in the small bowel mesentery, a mesh of blood vessels that carry blood to the small intestines, caused by a blow to the abdomen. “Most likely the child fell off playground equipment, or on playground equipment, or was hit by playground equipment,” said Mr. Bland, who said that Max may have fallen off the slide onto the handle of the glider or may have been struck by it.

Dr. Timothy D. Kane, the chief of pediatric surgery at Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, said he saw a handful of such cases a year. “We see it quite often in car accidents and blunt trauma,” he said. [But the autopsy says Max was NOT playing on any equipment .]

“Some external force, a seat belt or a fall on some blunt object, such as on a bike handle or a broom handle, that can pin the mesentery against a hard structure like the spine and tear the blood vessel,” Dr. Kane explained. “The result can be life threatening.”

But doubts lingered. On April 23, Texas child protective services officials closed their case, saying they found no evidence of neglect in Max’s death. But they said they were unable to determine whether the Shattos had abused him.”

World of Grief and Doubt After an Adoptee’s Death

[New York Times 9/1/13 by RACHEL L. SWARNS and DAVID M. HERSZENHORN]

Autopsy

I don’t think the journalists bothered to look at any of the background of this case nor the graphic autopsy report which totally differs in the account Laura gives the NYT. We previously linked to the autopsy report. Here is the 33 page pdf Max Shatto autopsy  Thirty bruises that are ALL over his body, many of which cannot be explained; Ector County ME under investigation; 51 degree temperature in backyard that day; only Laura Shatto’s word on what happened; No specific point of where internal injury occurred; why a 3-year-old slept in and skipped breakfast and the potty training regimen is all excluded in the article.

From the autopsy:

 

About Risperdal and the behaviors he had:

On Spanking:

On groin injuries, Laura claims from falling out of chair:

On shaking Max:

On how long Max was in bed and potty issues and not wanting to be Laura; outside and shaking:

About those recordings of  bedroom…there weren’t any

About alleged sexual abuse in Russia:

 

General impression of Max’s injuries

Update 29/January 6, 2014

The court ruled to restore the boy’s initial data in his birth certificate and to place him in the care of the child protection authorities of Pskov pending further decisions.

The court ruled to give the child to the guardianship authorities of the Pskov region in order to decide the boy’s future.

On February 18, 2013, it was reported that Maxim Kuzmin, who was adopted into the United States from the Pechora orphanage along with his brother Kirill in 2012, died what his foster parents claimed was an accidental death. Kirill remains with his adoptive family in the US.

The social protection department of the Pskov region filed a lawsuit against U.S. citizens Alan and Laura Shatto on June 26. According to the court ruling, employees of the regional orphanage and the prosecutor’s office of the Pskov region were held as third parties in the case.

The Shatto couple did not appear in court, though they have been informed of the necessity. The reasons of their not coming to the court hearing are unknown.

Upon the request of the prosecutor’s office the case was heard behind closed doors due to the fact that the information obtained during the case consideration related in particular to adoption and medical confidentiality.”

Court rules adoption of Maxim Kuzmin’s brother by US couple illegal

[Voice of Russia 12/23/13]

Update 30: “The Pskov Child Protective Services will consult Russia’s Ministry of Education and Science and Ministry of Foreign Affairs for advice on seeking the repatriation to Russia of orphan Kirill Kuzmin, whose older brother Maxim died in the US while under the care of his adoptive parents last year, according to Valentina Chernova, head of the regional social security department’s guardianship division.

According to Chernova, child protective services may obtain the boy’s birth certificate with the original information on his surname, first name, patronymic, birthplace, and parents.

On December 23, the Pskov Regional Court revoked the adoption by Kirill’s adoptive American parents. The ruling took effect on January 30, but the defendants can appeal the decision.

Kirill’s brother Maxim died at the age of 3 while playing in the backyard of his Texas (U.S.) home on January 21, 2013.

Alan and Laura Shatto adopted Maxim Kuzmin and his biological half-brother Kirill Kuzmin from the same orphanage in western Russia. Since the boy’s death, his brother has remained with their adoptive parents.

The suit was filed by the Pskov Region Social Security Department after a criminal case was opened to investigate the death of Maxim and alleged violations by social agencies during the adoption of the Kuzmin brothers.

Children’s Rights Commissioner Pavel Astakhov announced the death of the boy on February 18, 2013. He tweeted that the child had been given powerful “psychotropic substances,” and that he was badly beaten before he died in a hospital on January 21, 2013.

On March 1, 2013, Texas authorities announced that the boy’s death was not criminal, based on the autopsy results. The four doctors who reviewed the results ruled the death accidental.

After that, the Pskov Regional Social Security Department filed a lawsuit against the Shattos to revoke the adoption of Maxim’s two-year-old brother, Kirill.”

Russian child protective services to seek diplomatic counsel on US orphan return [RAPSI 2/11/14]

Update 31:“Alan and Laura Shatto have received the Pskov Regional Court’s decision to revoke the adoption of Russian orphan Kirill Kuzmin, whose older brother Maxim died while under the adoptive parents’ care last year, RIA Novosti reported Thursday citing the court’s spokesperson Yulia Pron.

On December 23, the Pskov Regional Court revoked the adoption by Kirill’s adoptive American parents. The ruling took effect on January 30, but the defendants can appeal the decision.

Kirill’s brother Maxim died at the age of 3 while playing in the backyard of his Texas (U.S.) home on January 21, 2013.

The Shatto family adopted Maxim Kuzmin and his biological half-brother Kirill Kuzmin from the same orphanage in western Russia. Since the boy’s death, his brother has remained with their adoptive parents.

The suit was filed by the Pskov Region Social Security Department after a criminal case was opened to investigate the death of Maxim and alleged violations by social agencies during the adoption of the Kuzmin brothers.

Children’s Rights Commissioner Pavel Astakhov announced the death of the boy on February 18, 2013. He tweeted that the child had been given powerful “psychotropic substances,” and that he was badly beaten before he died in a hospital on January 21, 2013.

On March 1, 2013, Texas authorities announced that the boy’s death was not criminal, based on the autopsy results. The four doctors who reviewed the results ruled the death accidental.

After that, the Pskov Regional Social Security Department filed a lawsuit against the Shattos to revoke the adoption of Maxim’s two-year-old brother, Kirill.”

US family has received ruling on annulment of Russian orphan adoption [Rapsi 2/20/14]

Update 32:”American counterparts of Russian investigators probing into the case of adoptee Maxim Kuzmin’s death tried to confuse the investigation, official spokesman for the Russian Investigative Committee Vladimir Markin said.

Maxim Kuzmin died at the age of 3 while playing in the backyard of his Texas (U.S.) home on January 21, 2013.

The Shatto family adopted Maxim Kuzmin and his biological half-brother Kirill Kuzmin from the same orphanage in western Russia. Since the boy’s death, his brother has remained with their adoptive parents.

Children’s Rights Commissioner Pavel Astakhov announced the death of the boy on February 18, 2013. He tweeted that the child had been given powerful psychotropic substances, and that he was badly beaten before he died in a hospital on January 21, 2013.

On March 1, 2013, Texas authorities announced that there was no criminal intent behind the boy’s death, based on the autopsy results. The four doctors who reviewed the results ruled the death accidental.

After that, the Pskov Regional Social Security Department filed a lawsuit against the Shattos to revoke the adoption of Maxim’s two-year-old brother, Kirill.

According to Markin, during the investigation, “the foreign colleagues not so much hindered establishing the circumstances of Maxim Kuzmin’s death as they tried to prevent any interference from outside and basically attempted to confuse the investigation by producing one ridiculous interpretation of events after another.”

Markin noted that since the US investigators did not give any valid reasons for their refusal to cooperate, this behavior cannot be seen as impartial. “Speaking of which, this is not the only such case; most of the time our foreign counterparts see no need to even brief us on case materials. Unfortunately, despite repeated international negotiations at many levels, currently we still have issues with this kind of cooperation,” the spokesperson said.

He stressed that the Investigative Committee will require an open and objective investigation of any unlawful acts against any Russian children, without exception and regardless of their place of residence.”

US attempts to muddle investigation of Maxim Kuzmin’s death – official[RAPSI 4/15/14]