Samantha Gardner, the gospel singer who shared her interest in adopting the newborn who was found in Vinyard Town, Kingston, earlier this month said she is "going to withdraw myself totally from the situation", following negative comments from some readers.
"When I read the comments, they were mostly negative. So I am going to give the opportunity to whoever want to take the child," said Gardner. She noted that some people criticised her for allegedly getting in the way of the man who found the child.
"I wanted to do a good job, as someone literally called me and told me about the baby, and I reached out. Therefore, it was never about blocking the opportunity for the person who found the baby. I honestly hope that whoever gets the baby will do the best for her future," she said.
In an article published in THE WEEKEND STAR last weekend, Gardner said she had fallen in love with the baby girl though they have never met, and if she was given the opportunity, she would take the baby to live with her in the US. She said that a photo which was used with the article was also misinterpreted.
"What bothers me most is that they were saying that the 'system' and THE STAR was corrupt, because the system denied visitation to the person who found the baby at the hospital, but allowed me inside the hospital. That really hurt me, because what they saw was a picture of me standing over my baby that was born prematurely. I am in the US and I have never met the baby that the man found. That photograph was taken in a US hospital, and my daughter is eight months old now. They just didn't bother to read with understanding, or didn't read the article," Gardner said.
"Persons just didn't know the story behind the picture and right away they assumed that the picture was me inside the Jamaican hospital with the baby that the man found. The comments ripped me apart as, in addition to me, THE STAR and the hospital were being accused wrongfully," Gardner added.
While Gardner will no longer pursue adopting the baby, she said that she is still open to adopting another child from Jamaica.
"I love children and I have struggled with fertility for years, so I am still opening my doors to any kid that needs a home. I am not going to go out there and say I am looking for a kid to adopt, but just as how this one was brought to my attention, if another child in a similar situation is present before me, then I am willing to open my home. People were asking why this specific child, and the article clearly stated that my doors are open to any child who needs a home," she said.
