Abducted children rescued from home

FORTY-SIX children believed abducted or coerced from their parents have been rescued from an adoption home run by an American man and his Guatemalan wife.

Guatemalan National

Police spokesman Carlos Calju said the children, ranging in age from a few days to three years old, were found at the Casa Quivira children’s home in Antigua.

“We searched the house after we got a tip from neighbours telling us that every day they would see foreigners pick up children there,” said Mr Calju.

Guatemala has been a popular source for adoption among Americans — US parents adopted more than 4,000 babies from the country last year, second only to China.

The US State Department said in March it no longer recommended adopting from Guatemala because women were frequently pressured to sell their babies and adoptive parents were often targeted by extortionists.

Mr Calju said Casa Quivira was run by Clifford Phillips of Deland, Florida, and his Guatemalan wife and attorney, Sandra Gonzalez.

Mr Calju did not say whether Mr Phillips, who will fly back to Guatemala today, and his wife, would face legal action.

Authorities said they also arrested two lawyers who apparently processed the adoptions.

Officials from the attorney general’s office are taking care of the children while police investigate.

Attorney General Mario Gordillo said his office was trying to determine whether the children were stolen or obtained from their mothers by coercion.

Most lacked the proper documents to be in the custody of someone other than their parents.