Advocacy Groups Question Madonna Adoption

(CBS/AP) A chartered plane carrying a 1-year-old boy that Madonna is seeking to adopt left Malawi on Monday, an immigration official said. The boy, David Banda, was accompanied on the plane by two Britons and two Americans, one of whom listed her occupation as nanny, according to the immigration official at the airport who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media. The Malawian immigration official said Monday that though he saw only a U.

S. visa in the child's passport, he understood from those traveling with David that they were headed to England, where Madonna has a home, via South Africa. The U.

S. Embassy would not comment, saying visa issues were private. Human rights groups want Malawi's courts to review a ruling allowing Madonna to adopt the child from this impoverished, AIDS-stricken southern African country, saying they want to ensure child protection regulations were not swept aside to benefit a pop star who has been generous to the country.

The Malawi High Court granted preliminary custody to Madonna and her film director husband Guy Ritchie on Thursday, even though the law requires would-be parents to live in the country for a year while social welfare officers investigate their ability to care for a child. Justin Dzonzi, a lawyer for a coalition of human rights and child advocacy organizations, said his group had filed documents Monday asking a judge to review the adoption. Boniface Mandere of Eye of the Child, a local child protection society involved in the challenge, told The Associated Press earlier Monday: "The court seems to have made a decision based on Madonna's wealth.

But being a good parent is not about money, it is about caring, having heart, it's about love." He said his group was not necessarily opposed to the adoption, but wanted to ensure the law was followed. "It is highly unusual for an adoption to proceed this rapidly," adoption attorney Paula Mackin said on The Early Show Monday, though Mackin added it's possible this adoption could have been in the works for a long time before it became public.

"It lends itself to a certain cynicism around adoption, which is very unfortunate, because adoption is a good thing. International adoption is a wonderful way to build a family. These children need permanent, loving homes.

So, to the extent that it makes people believe that this process is influenced by money or other, outside factors, it is unfortunate.