In Re Baby J U [2015] KEHC 7088 (KLR)

REPUBLIC OF KENYA

IN THE HIGH COURT OF KENYA AT MILIMANI

ADOPTION CAUSE NO. 12 OF 2014 (OS)

AND

IN THE MATTER OF THE CHILDREN’S ACT

(NO. 8 OF 2001)

AND

IN THE MATTER OF BABY J U

JUDGEMENT

The applicants, C M M and S W G, are Kenyan citizens. They are a married couple. By their Originating Summons dated 21st January 2014 they seek to adopt a male child known for the purpose of that proceedings Baby J U.

The subject child, Baby J U, was reportedly abandoned by his birth mother at the Nyeri Provincial Hospital on 15th September 2011. The mother absconded from the hospital. The matter was reported at the Nyeri Police Station on 16th September 2011. The child was admitted at the New Life Home Trust, and he was later to be formally committed there by the Nyeri Children’s Court. He was placed with the applicants on 26th April 2012 for the bonding period.

This adoption is being arranged by the Little Angels Network adoption agency.  The said adoption agency declared the child free for adoption through their certificate of 25th April 2012.

To facilitate this adoption, the applicants have been assessed by the Little Angels Network adoption agency, the guardian ad litem, A K M and the Director of Children Services. All three have compiled and filed their reports in court.  The report by the Director of Children Services is dated 3rd November 2014, while that by the Little Angels Network is dated 4th April 2012. The report of the guardian ad litem is dated 26th November 2014.

All these reports are favourable and recommend the proposed adoption. The applicants have demonstrated that they have the financial and emotional capability and capacity to take care of the child. The child appears to have bonded well with them and he considers them to be his parents.

In the opinion of this court it would be in the best interests of the child that he is adopted by the applicants. The applicants will be able to provide a home and a family for the child to grow up in and thereafter be a useful member of the family. Consequently, the applicants shall assume all parental rights and duties of the biological parents in respect of the adopted child; they shall treat the adopted child as if he was born to them. The applicants have been made aware that once the adoption order is made it shall be final and binding during the lifetime of the child and that the child shall have the right to inherit their property. The applicant cannot give up the child owing to any subsequent unforeseen behaviour or other changes in the child.

I find that the application before me has merit and I hereby permit the applicants, C M M and S W G, to adopt Baby J U to be known hereafter as J A M. I hereby appoint V G the child’s legal guardian should misfortune befall the applicants during the child’s minority.  The child is Kenyan by birth as he was born to a known Kenyan mother. I direct the Registrar-General to enter this adoption order in the adoption register. The guardian ad litemis hereby discharged.

DATED, SIGNED and DELIVERED at NAIROBI this 20TH   DAY OF February 2015.

W MUSYOKA

JUDGE