Bulgarian police find suspected mother in Greek 'Maria' case
- 11 years ago
In this Roma camp in southern Bulgaria, a couple says they might be the real parents of a four-year-old girl found in Greece last week.
Now, Bulgarian police are questioning Atanas and Sashka Ruseva about the girl, whom police call Maria.
The woman thinks she gave birth to her in Greece in 2009 but says she had to leave the infant behind because the family was poor.
(SOUNDBITE) (Bulgarian) SASHA RUSEVA SAYING:
"We don't know whether it is our child. We have given out some children for free, we have taken no money, we never took any money, we just couldn't feed the child."
Maria was found with this couple in Greece, during a police sweep of their Roma camp.
DNA tests showed they weren't blood relatives and they're now in custody for abduction.
Maria's discovery sparked a global search for her real parents.
Sashka Ruseva reportedly recognized her after seeing TV reports.
Her relative insists she did nothing wrong.
(SOUNDBITE) (B
Now, Bulgarian police are questioning Atanas and Sashka Ruseva about the girl, whom police call Maria.
The woman thinks she gave birth to her in Greece in 2009 but says she had to leave the infant behind because the family was poor.
(SOUNDBITE) (Bulgarian) SASHA RUSEVA SAYING:
"We don't know whether it is our child. We have given out some children for free, we have taken no money, we never took any money, we just couldn't feed the child."
Maria was found with this couple in Greece, during a police sweep of their Roma camp.
DNA tests showed they weren't blood relatives and they're now in custody for abduction.
Maria's discovery sparked a global search for her real parents.
Sashka Ruseva reportedly recognized her after seeing TV reports.
Her relative insists she did nothing wrong.
(SOUNDBITE) (B