The Malawian girl Madonna hoped to take home has been sent back to an orphanage after the star’s adoption bid was turned down.
The singer had 4-year-old Mercy James removed from the Kondanai Children’s Home two weeks ago and placed under the care of a nanny at a luxury lodge, while she moved forward with the official adoption process.
But Madonna, who had hoped to take the tot home with her, had her request for an interim adoption turned down by a court in the country’s capital Lilongwe on Friday.
The star was forced to fly to Britain on Sunday without Mercy and, after an emotional goodbye, the child was brought back to her previous home at the orphanage.
Annie Chikhwaza, director of the home, says, “Madonna was up at dawn cradling Mercy, gently soothing her and making her laugh. You could see how upset she was when she had to say goodbye. She could barely wrench herself away.”
Madonna’s adoption of Malawian tot David Banda, 3, was made official last year following two years of legal wrangling. She is also mom to Rocco, 8, from her marriage to Guy Ritchie, and Lourdes, from a previous relationship.
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