The mother of this child, whom I hold in my arms, has already endured two pregnancies. Her first was the result of repeated, traumatic sexual abuse within the confines of a psychiatric institution. Her abuser, who was meant to be one of her treating physicians, exploited her over the years. The young woman had been placed in the Psychoneurological Internat in Bălți since childhood; she recounted that her mother had passed away and her father turned to alcohol. I stood in court as her legal advocate, representing her as the victim of this abuse—a battle that spanned over five years.
The harrowing experiences endured by the mother and approximately 16 other women at the institution were no secret. They could recount the countless times they suffered sexual assault, and the instances where they were coerced into having abortions, even as they tearfully begged the doctors to spare their babies.
This mother carried a child conceived through rape, but she wanted him. “They took my first child from me. There’s a doctor there who would terminate the pregnancies of all the women he impregnated. But this time, they couldn’t take my baby. I escaped,” she shared.
“I have a beautiful boy. I will take care of him; I wanted him so much. Today I brought him with me to court to show you, my dear lawyer. Isn’t he beautiful? Would you like to hold him?” she asked, smiling.
“Of course I would,” I replied, cradling the boy in my arms. “He is indeed beautiful, and I am happy to see your smile.”
The mother’s hopes were pinned on a future with her son. I worked tirelessly to find a center that would provide temporary shelter and assistance for both of them. They were placed in a facility designed to help reintegrate her into society by teaching her work skills and helping her find employment. As her lawyer, I envisioned an ambitious future: I aimed to raise funds to buy her a house in the countryside, where she and her child could start a new life together. Unfortunately, this vision never materialized.
The case took a tragic turn when I fell ill and had to leave for America. Without my support and advocacy, the placement center expelled her, citing that she had left with her child. She was later discovered on the streets, and her son was taken away and placed back at the Internat in Bălți.
The state failed to provide the necessary care for the mother, who has an intellectual disability, leaving her homeless. She wandered the streets, attempting to return to the internat from which she had been discharged, but was not permitted entry. Left with nowhere to turn, she visited the children’s internat daily, pleading to see her son. Her requests were always denied, as the authorities had already decided to put the child up for adoption.
Her parental rights were stripped away without her knowledge, and she was not given the opportunity to be represented by a lawyer in the process. After learning that she had lost her child, we sought to revisit the case. The mother was resolute in her desire to be reunited with her son. During the first hearing, she was present, as were the adoptive parents. However, by the time of the second hearing, she had vanished. The prosecutor informed the court that a deceased woman’s body had been found, but there was no one to confirm her identity; she had no known relatives. Consequently, the adoption case was closed, and the child remained with the adoptive family.
In Moldova, it is nearly impossible for a lawyer to pursue a case further if the client is no longer available and there are no relatives to authorize the continuation of the legal process.
Approximately a year later, it was revealed that the woman, now known as Tatiana (a pseudonym), had been committed to a psychiatric hospital. She shared a room with another patient who suffered from a severe condition that caused her to scream incessantly. Tatiana repeatedly asked to be moved, explaining that the constant noise was pushing her to the brink of insanity. Her requests were ignored, and she eventually suffocated her roommate with a pillow.
Though the hospital was largely to blame for neglecting her pleas, Tatiana was convicted. She admitted her actions, but her fate was sealed by a system that had long failed to protect her.
This tragic story highlights the grim reality facing individuals with mental disabilities in Moldova, who stand little chance of surviving without continuous legal and psychological support. This vulnerable group remains marginalized, not by choice, but as a consequence of systemic neglect. Often, it is the very system designed to protect them that becomes the source of their suffering.
Violeta Gasitoi.