London:
Madonna'sadopted Malawian daughter's family is threatening to sue the 'Queen of Pop', claiming that she did not keep herpromise to let them see the 5-year-old.
The family has claimed that they were guaranteedregular contact with Mercy James, when the 52-year-old adoptedher from an orphanage in June 2009, reported a website.
But they have not seen her since, despite Madonnahaving made two return visits to Malawi with Mercy and thefamily have now enlisted the help of Malawi's leading civilrights group CILIC to prepare a legal case.
"I believe they have a case in law because thereappears to have been a verbal contract between them andMadonna's representatives. I am preparing a letter which willappeal to Madonnas lawyer Alan Chinula to intervene on thefamily's behalf and ask Madonna to kindly let Mercy meet herfamily," said Emmie Chanika, director of CILIC.
The child, whose 16-year-old mother died five daysafter giving birth, was raised by her grandmother and uncles,but placed in the care of the Kondanani Children;s Villagewhen they could no longer look after her.
Mercy's grandmother Lucy Chekechiwa, said the familyalways intended to bring Mercy back to live with them once shewas six, when they believed her immune system would be strongenough to tackle the country's endemic diseases.
"The baby needed feeding and the orphanage offered mea wet-nurse to take care of that. We know Madonna gave a lotof money to the orphanage, and the people there persuaded usto let her have our child," said the 72-year-old.
Mercy was the second Malawian child adopted byMadonna, who has two older children from two previousrelationships, 14-year-old Lourdes and Rocco, ten.
In 2008 she adopted one-year-old David Banda from anorphanage in the capital city Lilongwe. He was taken back tomeet his father Yohane Banda for the first time in three yearsin March 2009.
The family has claimed that they were guaranteedregular contact with Mercy James, when the 52-year-old adoptedher from an orphanage in June 2009, reported a website.
But they have not seen her since, despite Madonnahaving made two return visits to Malawi with Mercy and thefamily have now enlisted the help of Malawi's leading civilrights group CILIC to prepare a legal case.
"I believe they have a case in law because thereappears to have been a verbal contract between them andMadonna's representatives. I am preparing a letter which willappeal to Madonnas lawyer Alan Chinula to intervene on thefamily's behalf and ask Madonna to kindly let Mercy meet herfamily," said Emmie Chanika, director of CILIC.
The child, whose 16-year-old mother died five daysafter giving birth, was raised by her grandmother and uncles,but placed in the care of the Kondanani Children;s Villagewhen they could no longer look after her.
Mercy's grandmother Lucy Chekechiwa, said the familyalways intended to bring Mercy back to live with them once shewas six, when they believed her immune system would be strongenough to tackle the country's endemic diseases.
"The baby needed feeding and the orphanage offered mea wet-nurse to take care of that. We know Madonna gave a lotof money to the orphanage, and the people there persuaded usto let her have our child," said the 72-year-old.
Mercy was the second Malawian child adopted byMadonna, who has two older children from two previousrelationships, 14-year-old Lourdes and Rocco, ten.
In 2008 she adopted one-year-old David Banda from anorphanage in the capital city Lilongwe. He was taken back tomeet his father Yohane Banda for the first time in three yearsin March 2009.
