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West Texas Adoptive Family Speaks Out on Russia's Negative Adoption Allegations
West Texas Adoptive Family Speaks Out on Russia's Negative Adoption Allegations 2/19/13
fbolton@cbs7.com
CBS 7 News Reporter
February 19, 2013
MIDLAND, TX – The Crites family lost a daughter in a car accident and gained a son through Russian adoption. They say that current Gardendale adoption child abuse allegations are having a negative impact on the adoption process.
"They're not really based on the treatment of the children. It's a political reaction to a sanction that we [the United States] have placed on them for human rights violations," said Kay Crites, West Texas adoptive mother.
It’s been nearly 16 years since Sean Crites has called Bob and Kay… mom and dad.
"You see so many negative stories on TV about it [Russian adoption]. So it has a negative perception, but there's stories like mine that never get told," said Sean Crites, adoptive child from Russia.
He and his family are just one of nearly a dozen of West Texas families who’ve adopted from Russia living in the Permian Basin.
The recent death of a Russian adopted toddler living in Gardendale is making international headlines. The case is pushing the Russian government to pause all US\Russian adoptions.
It’s a worldwide crisis that the family believes is unjustified.
"What happened in Gardendale and the few other instances that you hear about are tragic and heart-breaking. We would like to stop every child from having to through that. There are American children who are killed and mistreated everyday," said Kay Crites.
The Crites believe the negative remarks from Russia are political reactions to US\Russian relations, which hinders positive adoptions like theirs from happening.
"I graduated from high school, graduated from college and I’m working a full time job now. It’s kind of saddening to me that those kids aren't going to get the same opportunity that I had," said Sean Crites.
They say for other Russian children, whose adoptions on the verge of being cancelled, they face another ending.
"Unfortunately most girls turn to the only thing they could turn to, which is prostitution. The boys turn to the mafia or they live on the streets," said Bob Crites, adoptive father.
The Crites family did not know the 3-year-old toddler or the Gardendale family involved in recent child abuse case. But they continue to advocate for families to adopt from other countries and give a child a good home.