ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Officials in Russia are closely watching a case involving an Alaska woman who is charged with child abuse after a video that aired on “Dr. Phil” showed her punishing her adopted Russian son by squirting hot sauce in his mouth and forcing him into a cold shower.
The case has sparked a public uproar in Russia at a time that nation is nearing completion of a bilateral treaty with the U.S. on adoptions.
Officials in Russia say they have not ruled out pushing for the return of the 7-year-old boy to his native country should his adoptive mother, Jessica Beagley of Anchorage, be found guilty.
Andrey Bondarev of the Russian Consulate in Seattle visited the family and says he saw no reason to have them removed at this point.
