American couple adopted older sister of the Russian boy who died of malnutrition in the USA against her will

Russian General Prosecutor's Office restarted preliminary investigation with regard to case initiated earlier after the legitimacy of adoption of a now dead Russian boy Denis Uritsky had been reviewed. As news agency REGNUM reported earlier, Denis Uritsky brought-up in an orphanage located in the town of Ochery, Perm region, Russia, was adopted in January 2000 together with his older brother and two older sisters. The 8-year-old boy died in January 2005 weighing only 16kg (37 pounds).

As the General Prosecutor's Office Press Service reminded the prosecutor of Perm initiated a case after 21 children were taken away to the USA from different orphanages under the pretext of vacation. The whole thing was organized by the adoption agency so the actual reason for traveling turned out to be meeting of prospective parents and children. Moreover, all the arrangements involved the illegal service of some middlemen who were well paid. Afterwards 19 of the children were adopted by the Americans. At the same time older sister of Denis Sofia filled in the application where she mentioned her desire to stay in Russia other then to go away to the US. However, later on she was adopted together with her brothers and sisters. The case was initiated in accordance with the article 152 of the Russian criminal code (traffic in under age). However, in 2003 the crime was decriminalized, with the article excluded from the criminal code. Moreover, the US Department of Justice refused to comply with inquiry of the Russian Prosecutor's Office referring to the fact that they were not sure whether the Russian Prosecutor's Office is not aiming at adoption reversal. As a result the case was closed.

However, the Prosecutor's Office was convinced that there were still ways to collect the evidence. Besides the suspects should be checked for other crimes, including illegal entrepreneurial activity, illegal adoption and others. The investigation was renovated.