CWC foils illegal adoption in Alappuzha, rescues newborn after mother attempts to give away child multiple times
The Child Welfare Committee (CWC) in Alappuzha has rescued a newborn boy after uncovering an illegal adoption arrangement involving a woman who allegedly handed over her baby to a childless couple in Muhamma.
According to Alappuzha CWC chairperson G. Vasanthakumari, the woman, a native of Alappuzha and married with three children, gave birth to the baby on February 25 at the Medical College Hospital in Kottayam. Conceived through an extramarital affair, she had kept the pregnancy secret from her family. "The woman, reportedly working in the UAE, returned to Kerala solely for the delivery. She was accompanied at the hospital by another person, believed to be the woman from Muhamma who later took custody of the baby," said Vasanthakumari.
After the birth, she briefly returned to her home in Alappuzha while the couple took the newborn to their residence in Muhamma. The case came to light on March 7 when an Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) supervisor from Muhamma reported the suspected illegal adoption to the authorities. The District Child Protection Unit launched an inquiry, and the CWC summoned both parties. Officials explained the legal consequences, urging the mother to either raise the child herself or allow the CWC to take custody.
She initially agreed to take the child back. "However, a follow-up revealed that the child had been handed over to the couple again. After a second round of counselling, the mother once more promised to care for the child. Yet, the pattern repeated, and the child was transferred to the couple a third time," Vasanthakumari added.
This time, the CWC sought the police's assistance. With help from Pattanakkad Police, officials retrieved the baby from the couple’s home. The child was then moved to the Shishu Vikasa Bhavan (Child Development Home) in Alappuzha, based on a formal consent letter signed by the mother. “This repeated act of transferring the child amounts to illegal adoption. We cannot confirm if money was involved,” said Vasanthakumari. Initially, the woman claimed the baby was from her marriage, but when faced with the prospect of a DNA test, she admitted the truth.
Authorities discovered that the woman had even registered a forged birth certificate listing the Muhamma man as the child's father. "The hospital did not raise any suspicion during the delivery, as it appeared to be a routine case with a bystander present and marked her fourth delivery," says the CWC chairperson. “We kept the matter confidential out of concern for her family, who are financially vulnerable and unaware of the situation,” Vasanthakumari added. CWC officials even conducted inspections at the woman’s residence only under the guise of health visits.
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The childless couple, though emotionally attached to the kid, was informed about the legal adoption process and the option of becoming foster parents—a route that could eventually lead to adoption after two years. "The mother also later visited the child at the care home. She came alone. It seems that no one in her circle knows about the incident,” Vasanthakumari added.