DNA Confirms Parents of 'Baby 81'

[Catchawave]

- By KRISHAN FRANCIS, Associated Press Writer
Monday, February 14, 2005


(02-14) 13:20 PST KALMUNAI, Sri Lanka (AP) --


The 4-month-old boy dubbed "Baby 81" now has a name _ Abilass _ and a birth date _ Oct. 19 _ and two loving parents who can't wait to get him back.


A Sri Lankan court, relying on DNA tests, ruled Monday that the baby recovered from tsunami debris belongs to the couple who launched an agonizing court battle to claim him.


"I am so happy, and I only have to thank God for giving my child back," the boy's joyous father, Murugupillai Jeyarajah, said after the ruling. "We've got the results for all our hardships."

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/news/archive/2005/02/14/international/i122150S27.DTL&type=printable

[prodigal_green]

1. hooray for them

and how sad for the other parents who were so traumatized by the tragedy that I'm sure they really believed he was their baby. Glad the child was returned to his rightful parents though.

[Der Blaue Engel]

2. Maybe

But none of them, I think I recall from Countdown, were willing to submit to a DNA test to prove it. They may have really *wanted* it to be their baby, but it looks like they knew darn well it wasn't.

:shrug: Shades of Solomon's wisdom.

I am very glad these parents can finally take their baby home. He must have been pretty traumatized by the whole thing. Poor little guy.

[Catchawave]

3. I was rooting for this couple too!

In my local paper, it said the DNA test could take a couple more weeks, so was very surprised to see this on Yahoo!

And I agree, I cannot comprehend the loss of all those children, and my heart breaks for those parents who "lost" again :(

[brainshrub]

4. From the Fundi-Christain perspective, this is a sad story.

From the last paragraph:

"Jenita Jeyarajah said that as soon as she regains custody of her son, she will fulfill vows to smash 100 coconuts at a temple of the elephant-headed Hindu god Ganesh, offer sweet rice to the warrior god Murugan and kill a rooster for the goddess Kali."

[Coyul]

7. Good to see worship and thankfullness...

...to someone other than the Right Wing's "Fearful" God. And for what it's worth, Karma comes through again.

{Coyul}

[Simeon Salus]

8. They've got 'Old Time Religion'

I'm pleased Associated Press chose not to edit the polytheistic passage in this headline article.

A wonderful closure to authentic tragedy for one family, heart rending for the eight other suffering families.

A fundementalist pastor in the hinterland reads the same article, and promptly plans a Sunday morning foreign mission request against the heathen scourge.

[LizW]

5. Thank goodness

I had previously heard that the DNA test could take unti April. I'm glad this was resolved sooner.

[deadparrot]

6. Glad to hear that.

Always nice to hear something good come out of such a horrible tragedy.

[Padraig18]

9. I'm glad someone noticed.

I was afraid no one would, with Gannongate.

:)

[Greylyn58]

10. I'm glad that DNA was

able to establish who the parents were.

I so feel for all the parents involved in this, having lost a child and clinging desperately to the hope that this baby was theirs. The whole situation is so tragic.

And yet something good did happen. Now this baby will be reunited with his true parents.

:thumbsup: