A family from Gorj allegedly sold their 6-year-old son to a family from Germany for 8,000 lei. The boy was allegedly taken out of the country with a fake power of attorney

Huge investigation after a 6-year-old boy from Gorj was sold for 8,000 lei in Germany and taken out of Romania by a foreign citizen with a fake power of attorney. The DIICOT prosecutors got on the phone, and the Directorate for Child Protection made several checks and already took care of the two brothers of the child who arrived illegally across the border.

By Diana Speretoiu on 26.04.2024, 13:44

The case came to the attention of DGASPC Gorj, after the National Authority for Adoption and Child Protection notified the institution based on information it had from Germany. The 6-year-old boy was allegedly taken out of the country illegally, based on false documents, right at the beginning of April.

For several days, however, the boy has been in the custody of the German authorities, he is fine, and the Romanian state is taking steps to bring him back to the country. At home, the boy has two brothers. After learning about this case, the two children were urgently taken over by the authorities and are now in the care of a foster carer.

Ask what happened to the 6-year-old boy, the parents only said that he was in Germany, without explaining how he got there or with whom. According to some sources from the investigation, the two Romanians would have received 8,000 lei through an intermediary, from a German family in exchange for the child. The information has not been officially confirmed until this moment. The DIICOT prosecutors also got on the phone, and opened an investigation.

We are talking about a family without possibilities, the children lived in one room and instead of windows they had cardboard. The parents also came to the attention of the police, who opened a criminal case for domestic violence, after a scandal caused by alcohol consumption.

What the authorities say

“Immediately the procedure was started according to the legislation in force, the institutions empowered to verify the reported aspects and intervene according to the legal competences, being, in this case, DIICOT, notified. The representatives of DGASPC Gorj went to the family home together with the representatives of the local authority to evaluate the socio-family situation. It was established following the intervention and discussions with the legal representatives that the minor in question is not at home. It was found that there are still two minors at home, minors who were taken over shortly by the representatives of DGASPC Gorj together with the Police representatives, and a special protection measure was instituted for them – emergency placement with professional foster carers”, said the bearer by the spokesperson of DGASPC Gorj, Minodora Sucea.

The child’s father is an alcoholic, and the mother seems to have mental problems, the authorities who went to the family home found. The older sister of the little boy who was allegedly sold and his younger brother were found there. The girl is eight years old, and the youngest brother is two years and eight months old. Both are now in foster care and following a psychological counseling program. The authorities requested other medical investigations for the two children.

Director General of DGASPC Gorj, Laurenţiu Diaconescu and the Minister of the Family, Natalia Intotero, visited the two brothers of the minor at the home of the foster assistants, having discussions with them. DGASPC Gorj officials specify that “after clarifying the legal situation of the minor in Germany, the institution will intervene in taking him over and establishing a special protection measure”.