Evidence Mounts of Madonna Maternity
Madonna won't seem to speak out on the reports she's adopted a child. The people of Malawi won't seem to shut up about them.
A week after the Material Woman's publicist denied that she either had plans to adopt or had already adopted a child during anorphanage-hopping visit to Africa, a Malawi man has stepped forward, claiming Madonna and hubby Guy Ritchie have adopted his one-year-old son.
While being careful not to specifically name-check the Confessions on a Dance Floor pop star, 32-year-old Yohane Banda told reporters that his 13-month-old son, David, had been adopted by a "famous U.S. musician."
"I'm very happy," he told Britain's Sun and Daily Mail. "As you can see, there is poverty in my village. I know he will be very happy in America. We are told David will be coming back regularly to his roots."
As for Madonna's reps, in the face of mounting evidence of maternal overload, they've eased up a bit on the adoption denials.
"At this time, we are unable to give you official confirmation," the singer's London spokeswoman told the papers. "We may have an official statement within 48 hours."
Banda told reporters he was forced to give his son up for adoption after the boy's mother died from fever and other complications from childbirth, just a few days after delivering Davie, as his family affectionately refers to him.
Banda says he has not met Madonna or Ritchie, but that he was notified of the adoption by the Reverend Thompson John Chipeta, the director of the Home of Hope Orphan Care Center in Mchinji, from which David was reportedly adopted.
For his part, Chipeta has refused to speak to the press, though media reports claim Madonna and Ritchie have visited the center, which is right on the Zambian border, twice since arriving in Africa last week, on both Wednesday and Saturday.
However, Chipeta's son, Thompson Jr., does not seem to be under the same self-imposed gag order, telling the Sun Madonna was "so excited" when presented with David, whom she reportedly selected after bonding with the boy over the course of an hourlong play session during one of her visits.
"She was giggling as she carried the baby around," he said.
Pictures of the apparent new family unit have already surfaced in the British tabloids, one of which shows a smiling Madonna, toting her would-be son in a sling on her back. Another shows her on the same day, carrying the boy while walking around the orphanage.
According to the Sun, Madonna and Ritchie picked David up from the orphanage on Monday night, despite the fact that the adoption--if indeed it has taken place--has not yet been made official.
Last week, Andrina Mchiela, Malawi's secretary for the Ministry for Gender and Child Welfare, blew the whistle on the would-be adoption, telling reporters that the "Hung Up" singer and her hubby had adopted a one-year-old boy, chosen from a group of 12 children officials had selected to meet with the twosome. She also claimed the superstar couple would be subjected to the same adoption process as everyone else, which requires an 18-month waiting period before being able to take a child home.
Of course, that was also when Madonna's U.S.-based publicist adamantly denied the singer was even looking to adopt.
Should the Ritchies formally add David to their family, he would join siblings Rocco, 5, and Lourdes, 9.
The family has been in Africa since last Wednesday to tend to Madonna's Raising Malawi project, which includes a care center to provide food, shelter and education for more than 4,000 AIDS orphans.
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