By KRISTIN M. HALL
Associated Press Writers
SHELBYVILLE, Tenn. – Torry Hansen was so eager to become a mother that she adopted an older child from a foreign country, two factors that scare off many prospective parents. Her bigger fears came later.
Torry’s mother, Nancy Hansen, said the 7-year-old’s violent episodes – which culminated in a threat to burn the family’s home to the ground – terrified them into a shocking solution: The boy they renamed Justin was put on a plane by himself and sent back to Russia.
Now, outraged officials in that country are calling for a halt to adoptions by Americans, and authorities are investigating the family. However, Nancy Hansen told The Associated Press that the motives of her daughter – a 33-year-old, unmarried nurse – were sincere.