The big story this week in regards to Russian adoption is the sentencing of Peggy Hilt, the adoptive mother of a 2-year-old from Irkutsk, Nina Hilt (originally known as Viktoria Bazhenova). Nina's death was officially because of blows to the abdomen, but apparently there was evidence of a number of injuries over time. Her death was not a result of a one-time fit of anger, as I've seen reported. It took a while to kill little Nina.

Peggy Hilt has been sentenced to 25 years. Here's a full article on the subject, from the Raleigh News and Observer. It's really a sad, sad situation.

No doubt Peggy Hilt's actions have significantly slowed down the adoption of Russian children by Americans this past year. Because of that, I think her sentence is especially fair. Her sentence seems to be significantly longer than usual, I might add; according to some fast and dirty internet research I think the average sentence parent murderers receive is typically shorter than what she got. In killing Nina, Peggy not only ended her daughter's life (and her own, and significantly disturbed her older daughter and her husband's lives), but has ruined the chances of countless children in Russian orphanages from finding families.

That said, the Russian press and certain politicians also should share blame. If you look at the headlines in the past year in just the Moscow News, the press has had a field day. I can only imagine what the Russian-language newspapers are saying. Here are the headlines that came up when I looked up Peggy Hilt's sentencing in the Moscow News:

23.05.2006 15:46 MSK, MOSNEWS.COM
Russia to Ban Independent Foreign Adoptions

01.03.2006 20:43 MSK, MOSNEWS.COM
US Woman Pleads Guilty in Adopted Russian Daughter Murder

09.02.2006 12:51 MSK, MOSNEWS.COM
U.S. Woman Charged for Beating Adopted Russian Handicapped Child

24.01.2006 14:30 MSK, MOSNEWS.COM
Russia, U.S. Halt Activities of Adoption Firm Suspected of Human Trafficking

11.01.2006 11:21 MSK, MOSNEWS.COM
US Prosecutors File Lawsuit Against Russian Adoption Agency

19.12.2005 17:41 MSK, MOSNEWS.COM
Russian Officials Charged in Connection With Deaths of Adopted Children in U.S.

19.12.2005 13:45 MSK, MOSNEWS.COM
Moscow Court Fines Woman $12,000 for Trading in Children

30.11.2005 13:12 MSK, MOSNEWS.COM
U.S. Allocates $400,000 to Help Russian Children With HIV

16.11.2005 15:13 MSK, MOSNEWS.COM
Rights Ombudsman Opposes Ban on Foreign Adoption of Russian Children

14.09.2005 15:38 MSK, MOSNEWS.COM
Court Rejects U.S. Mormon Couple’s Request to Adopt 4 Russian Sisters

13.09.2005 15:34 MSK, MOSNEWS.COM
Top Russian Prosecutor Reports Foreign Adoption Violations

08.09.2005 15:58 MSK, MOSNEWS.COM
Russia to Clamp Down on Foreign Adoption Agencies Violating Law

27.08.2005 15:57 MSK, MOSNEWS.COM
Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan Agree on Creation of Common Economic Space

24.08.2005 12:19 MSK, MOSNEWS.COM
Adopted Russian Girl Sees Father Convicted in Child Porn Case

09.08.2005 12:44 MSK, MOSNEWS.COM
Russian Court Sentences 2 Officials for Aiding Illegal Foreign Adoption

08.08.2005 15:11 MSK, MOSNEWS.COM
Upper Chamber of Russian Parliament Suggests Introducing Moratorium on Foreign Adoptions

05.08.2005 12:18 MSK, MOSNEWS.COM
U.S. Teachers Charged With Starving Adopted Russian Boy to Death

02.08.2005 12:01 MSK, MOSNEWS.COM
Politician Proposes Moratorium on Adoption of Russian Children by U.S. Citizens

20.07.2005 12:15 MSK, MOSNEWS.COM
Senior Russian Official Calls for Moratorium on U.S. Adoptions

19.07.2005 15:31 MSK, MOSNEWS.COM
Over 1000 Russian Children Killed by Parents in Last 5 Years — Top Official

12.07.2005 15:24 MSK, MOSNEWS.COM
Russian Orphan Killed in U.S. Adopted Illegally — Ministry of Education

11.07.2005 18:09 MSK, MOSNEWS.COM
Russian Orphans: We Won’t Take Them, You Can’t Have Them

11.07.2005 15:48 MSK, MOSNEWS.COM
Russian Prosecutors Say Girl Killed in U.S. Adopted in Accordance With Law

10.07.2005 14:48 MSK, MOSNEWS.COM
Prosecution Doubts the Legitimacy of Adoption of Russian Girl Killed by U.S. Mother

08.07.2005 22:17 MSK, MOSNEWS.COM
U.S. Woman Charged With Killing Adopted Child from Russia

30.06.2005 15:27 MSK, MOSNEWS.COM
Russian Prosecutors Say Adoption Middlemen Put Money Before Children’s Welfare

16.06.2005 15:02 MSK, MOSNEWS.COM
Illegal Adoption Scam Uncovered in Russia’s Vladivostok