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Is this the baby Madonna plans to adopt?
Last updated at 00:07am on 11.10.06
Left: David, the child Madonna is believed to be adopting. Right: Madonna with the child at the orphanage
This is David, the 13-month-old boy Madonna is believed to be set to adopt from an orphanage in Malawi.
His father has claimed that Madonna had chosen his son, whose mother died a week after giving birth to him, after seeing him in the orphanage that has been caring for him.
And he said that, while heartbroken that the child would be leaving Africa for a new life in Britain, he knew David would have a far better future with the millionaire music star than he could ever provide.
The orphanage owners said tonight that the 48-year-old singer fell for David after meeting him twice last week in the southern African country.
'She paid particular attention to David. She was so excited, she was giggling as she carried him around,' said Thomson Chipeta Jnr, the son of Pastor Chipeta who runs the Home for Hope Orphanage 80km from the village of Lipunga.
Madonna's spokeswoman was not available for comment tonight, though speaking in recent days has been careful not to rule out the possibility she would adopt an African child.
David's father spoke of his heartbreak at giving up his son for adoption to the star - but said it was to provide the best future for him.
Yohane Banda, 32, was forced to put David into an orphanage when he could not support him.
His mother, Marita, 28, died of fever in the days following David's birth and Yohane found it impossible to cope with a newborn baby on his own.
Yohane, a potato and onion farmer, said: 'I'm the father of David who has been adopted by Madonna.
'I'm very happy. As you can see there is poverty in this village. I know he will be very happy. We are told David will be coming back regularly to know his roots.
'Marita had miscarried twice before and the doctors told her she had to come into hospital for David. She died about a week after giving birth to him.'
A white Nissan jeep carrying a member of Madonna's security team arrived at David's orphanage to pick up him and his foster mother at 5pm on Monday and took them to the Kimbali Lodge, where Madonna has been staying.
'As of now, the baby is gone,' Thomson Chipeta said. He said a medical team had examined David a week before he was presented to Madonna.
Locals officials say Madonna is working out a deal with representatives from the village and the orphanage which will lead to building and infrastructure development over the next few years.
'The deal will be explained to us later by the Pastor and an official handover is being arranged for a few days time,' Mr Banda said.
Mr Banda lives in a straw thatched mud hut. His mother Asineti Mwale, 56, said: 'When Rev Chipeta came here yesterday, he told us that David has been adopted by a famous American musician. Having been brought up an orphan myself, I'm very glad. I know how tough it is to grow up without proper parenting.
'We pray for the woman who has adopted David and for God to bless her for the rest of her life.'
Marita and Yohane grew up together and had been a couple for at least ten years.
Their first two pregnancies were stillborn and the couple had no other children.
There were complications during the pregnancy with baby David.
Marita was told she would need a Caesarian section and had to travel the 100km on a dirt road to the nearest hospital as soon as her labour started.
She made it just in time to give birth to David and died from complications a week later.
Villagers in Lipunga live a hand to mouth existence as farmers. There are about 30 tiny, one room huts with ten to 15 people living in each one.
All meals are cooked outside and villagers sleep on straw mats.
Last week, the Mail reported how 12 orphans had been selected for Madonna to chose from prior to her arrival in the capital, Lilongwe.
'She asked us to identify boys only, which we have done after visiting four orphanages in Lilongwe,' government spokesman Adrina Michiela said. She said Madonna had initially wanted to adopt a girl but had changed her mind two weeks ago. The singer, who already has a daughter, Lourdes, nine, and son, Rocco, five, has apparently been allowed to bypass the country's ban on nonresident adoptions.
Reader views (8)
Here's a sample of the latest views published.
How can I send money to Yohane Banda so he can support and keep his son David?
- Lord Parva, Fontmell Magna, England
I think adoption of any child is a good thing as long as with all your heart you intend to give the child a good education and the best life you can afford. With this in mind I am all for this adoption and hope it happens. Yes there seems to be a lot of spin round the edges but I truly believe that at the core there are nothing but good intentions fuelled by love and a desire for family. Best of luck, you'll need it!
- P Sutton, London
What about poor David when he grows up? There is very little chance for him to have a normal life anyway being the son of Madonna but the attention this adoption is drawing will only serve to make it all the more difficult. I think we should all leave them well alone so that they can at least attempt to have a normal life and the same goes for them. Leave US alone and stop pulling stunts like this to get attention.
- Hannah Martin, London
I don't believe it, I think it's all a PR stunt. She's just trying to keep up with Angelina Jolie. This adoption is not about child rearing or caring, it's a sick stunt that I hope the relevant adoption auhorities block.
- Joey, Kensington
I don't know what she is thinking by doing this. If she wants a child to adopt and raise as her own then why doesn't she just do it normally. If she wants to help out a poor african child, why doesn't she instead build an oprhanage and a school with the money she would otherwise spend papmering and raising a celebrity chld. God knows it would go further and do more good.
- Charles Wall, Scrubbs
Was her local orphanage not stocking the right type of baby? If not then she has every right to shop around, I mean you cant be stuck with a British baby girl if what you really want is an atractive African baby boy! I mean what is the world coming to if the consumer isn't allowed to have a choice any more!
/sarcasm
- City Harriet, EC1
I think she's doing a great service to these poor african children. That Continent has so many problems that anything we can do as individuals to help can only be a good thing. She could have adopted a British abby sure but our children in care although not exactly papmered still have a much higher quality of life than african orphans. If your'e going to do good then you should do it where it is most needed.
- Fiona, Chiswick
This is awful. It's nothing short of exploitation going on a search for an ethnic baby to call your own. If she was really interested in adoption she would have gone down to her closest adoption centre and helped someone there! Chinese baby's have gone out of fashion, let's go get ourselves an african one! What next?!
- Toni, London
