BIG news on Masha Allen (born Mariya Nikolaevna Yashenkova) tonight.
On December 3, 2009 Faith Allen’s parental rights were been terminated! Masha is once more an “orphan.” Twice adopted. Twice terminated.
Custody was returned to Cambria County Children and Youth Services. Masha’s whereabouts and physical and emotional well-being are unknown.
Masha’s newest attorneys Francis P. Maneri and Darren Summerville have filed a motion in the US District Court for the District of New Jersey to appoint Masha’s current Pennsylvania State guardian ad litem, Timothy J. Sloan, as her new representative party in the Federal complaint.
From the language of the motion, it appears Faith Allen (right) terminated her parental rights voluntarily and walked out the door. If I learn more I will post it here.
We hope that this new development marks the beginning of justice for Masha, though no amount of money can ever compensate her seemingly never-ending abuse, pain, neglect, and exploitation at the hands of Matthew Mancuso, Faith Allen, the adoption industry, venal courts, social workers, and politicians. We hope Timotohy Sloan does right by her. As I wrote a few years ago, Masha is “the Rosetta Stone of corrupt international adoption.”
I have been covering Masha’s horrific case since 2005. Rather than sifting through Bastardette posts, you can find them all in my much smaller blog dedicated to Russian adoptees abused and murdered by their new forever parents Nikto Ne Zabyt—Nichto Ne Zabyto
Links to other sites covering Masha:
Pound Pup Legacy: Masha Allen Page (many links to resources including an expose of grifter Allen)
Child Law Blog, James Marsh
Baby Love Child (use search engine)
The entire motion can be found on Marsh’s blog. I am re-typing relevant parts below.
MASHA ALLEN, by her, Parent and
Guardian FAITH ALLEN, Plaintiff,
v
FAMILIES THRU INTERNATIONAL ADOPTION
INC. , Defendants,
and
FAMILIES THRU INTERNATIONAL
ADOPTION, INC., Third Party Plaintiff,
v
ADAGIO HEALTH, INC. (formerly
known as Family Health Council, Inc, and
trading as Family Adoption Center, Third
Party Defendant
Civil Action NO:
08-4614 (JHR)(AMD
PLAINTIFF’S MOTION TO
AMEND/SUBSTITUTE/ADD
PARTIES
Motion Returnable: February 1,
2010
…By law, Masha is legally incompetent to maintain a lawsuit. At the outset of this litigation, the proper representative party Plaintiff was Faith Allen, Masha’s adoptive parent. Factually and legally Faith Allen’s ability to maintain this lawsuit has changed, necessitating this Motion. Plaintiff respectfully asks that this court allow amendment of the pleadings to reflect a new representative party Plaintiff, Timothy J. Sloan. Mr. Sloan has been and continues to be Masha’s guardian ad litem based upon a pending action in the Juvenile Court in the Cambria County, Pennsylvania Court of Common Please (“Juvenile Court”).
Alternatively, under Rule 17(s) Plaintiff asks that this Court appoint Mr. Sloan as a guardian ad litem in this matter, to prosecute the litigation in Masha’s Allen’s best interests.
1. Faith Allen is No Longer Masha Allen’s Proper Representative
Faith Allen, as Masha Allen’s Parent and Guardian, initiated this litigation on September 15, 2008…On or about August 18, 2009, Faith Allen freely and voluntarily executed a consent to adoption with respect to Masha pursuant to 23 Pa C.S.A. 2711. Because Faith Allen did not revoke this consent to adoption within the statutorily allowed 30-day revocation period, it became irrevocable subject to narrow exceptions The Orphan’s Court with jurisdiction over the matter has now terminated Faith Allen’s legal rights as a parent to Masha Allen. Dec. 3 Order of the Court…
For several years Masha Allen has been subject to the jurisdiction of the Juvenile Court division of the Common Please Court. As part of these proceedings, attorney Timothy J. Sloan was appointed and has continuously served as her guardian ad litem. These proceedings remain open and Mr. Sloan remains Masha’s guardian ad litem.
Plaintiff’s counsel has explained the status of the present litigation to Mr. Sloan who has agreed, pending this Court’s permission, to serve as Masha Allen’s party representative going forward. Plaintiff respectfully requests such relief.
II. Amended Under Rule 15 is Necessary and Proper.
Leave to amend should be freely given when justice requires. Fed R. Civ P 15(a))s). Plaintiff Masha Allen asks that leave be granted to amend the pleading to reflect Timothy Sloan becoming Plaintiff’s party representative as her guardian ad litem. Such and amendment has become necessary give the legal impossibility of going forward in this matter with the current party representative, Faith Allen.
Faith Allen’s parental rights, including the right to serve as Masha Allen’s legal representative have been terminated. Masha Allen , a minor, cannot bring this lawsuit in her individual capacity. Rule 17, of course, allows an unrepresented minor to sue through her guardian ad litem. Fed. R Civ.p 17(c). Mr Sloan has been Masha Allen’s guardian in a different litigation for yearsw, and is well situated to represent her interests in this matter. …
…Faith Allen’s actions have effectively stranded Masha Allen in this litigation, as Faith is no longer a proper party representative. But Mr. Sloan is, either in his current capacity or as appointed by the Court….
Faith has been ready to abandon Masha for many years however she was unwilling to relinquish her meal ticket in the form of adoption subsidy payments. The courts could have ended this child’s suffering in the Fall off 2006 when Masha’s original abuse and neglect allegations against her were lodged, allegations that were to a great extent substantiated. One hopes that as Masha’s wrongful adoption ligigation moves through the courts in PA, someone files an additional complaint against the parties responsible for Masha’s clearly inappropriate adoption by Faith.
Maureen Flatley
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if cases were filed against ALL “inappropriate” adoptions? The courts would be so overwhelmed that they would probably shut down. The legal crime of social engineering brings about such situations as Masha’s and encourages self-serving criminals like Faith.
Look! The Emperor is naked!
I’m working on illuminating some details re: Judge Cheryl Allen’s church and parachurch affiliations. They’re ugly, but they are not surprising in any way.
I seem to remember that Ms. Flatley is or was Faith and Masha’s adoption person and appeared on Nancy Grace with Senator Carrey last year. What happened to all the politicians and Oprah and everyone who was supposed to be looking out for this girl? How do we even know any of this is true? I haven’t seen this anywhere on the real news. Wasn’t Faith given some kind of Congressional medal for adopting Masha? And if all of this is true like you say then why isn’t anyone doing anything about it. You’d think this would be front page news. I think it’s just one more effort to spread lies criticizing adoption to make people look bad.
Don’t believe the hype everyone. Faith is the real hero here. Niels knows the truth and it’s all on his blog at http://poundpuplegacy.org/node/41601.
Masha’s Friend
I agree with you, Masha’s Friend. I knew Faith Allen in 2006 while I was in Atlanta where she also lived at the time. She told me to be sure to watch her appearance with Masha on Oprah in early January 2006 which I did. I heard a lot about the hype, but I never saw those things in her. She used to be tired when we talked on the phone late at night, the only time she was available. She was happy to talk and said she always felt suddenly goofy when she talked to me, but it was because she could relax and not have to be in fight and protect mode when she was talking to me.
Playing the devil’s advocate with myself, it could certainly be said that I and others championed both Faith and Masha’s cause. However, once Cong. Gingery became involved in defending a parental rights case rather than an abuse and neglect allegation other Members of Congress accorded Mr. Gingery standard professional courtesy, especially when dealing with a current or former constituent. Once the courts became involved, further conflicts developed insofar as constitutional separation of powers precluded any direct Congressional involvement or interference in a matter under the supervision of the courts. Having thought about this case a great deal today it seems clear that there were many lost opportunities for all parties to come together to both protect Masha’s interests and to preserve the family. Unfortunately, a number of people of people who became involved with the case, in particular Mr. Marsh’s successor as Faith’s counsel, distorted the issues, defended the indefensible and made any effective communication regarding the best interests of either the parent or the child impossible. Matthew Mancuso wasn’t the only hostage taker in this case.
Gee, “friend,” shouldn’t you be out chasing an ambulance or a psychotic grifter? When you stop a minute to catch your breath, please explain how Faith Allen is a “hero.”
Funny how I am being referenced as the bearer of truth in the heroism of Faith Allen, while in my posts I have consistently been critical of Masha’s placement with Faith Allen.
If “Masha’s Friend” commenting here is the same as the one posting on PPL, this “friend” should know that I do not buy into the hagiography of Faith Allen.
The fact that I quoted a court document stating that Faith Allen “freely and voluntarily” gave up her parental rights, doesn’t mean she is a saint in my eyes.
Still, the real issue is not Faith Allen. The real issue is Masha Allen and how authorities made a grave placing her with Faith Allen.
Faith Allen had her 15 minutes of fame on the Oprah Show. Can we please look into the really important matters and ask the proper question: how the authorities in Allegheny County came to the bizarre decision to place a girl who had lived through such horrendous abuse, be placed with someone so unqualified to provide proper care.