KALMUNAI, SriLanka — The 4-month-old boy dubbed “Baby 81” now has a name — Abilass — and abirth date — Oct. 19 — and two loving parents who can’t wait to get him back.
A Sri Lankancourt, relying on DNA tests, ruled Monday that the baby recovered from tsunamidebris belongs to the couple who launched an agonizing court battle to claimhim.
“I am so happy,and I only have to thank God for giving my child back,” the boy’s joyousfather, Murugupillai Jeyarajah, said after the ruling. “We’ve got the results forall our hardships.”
“We’re happy!”exclaimed the baby’s mother, Jenita.
Eight othercouples also tried to claim the boy in the days after the devastating Dec. 26tsunami.
Only theJeyarajahs filed a formal claim, but they couldn’t document the birth becausetheir records and other possessions were lost when the killer waves batteredKalmunai. They said their baby boy was swept from his mother’s arms.
Court-orderedDNA tests were conducted last week at a clinic in Colombo, Sri Lanka’s capital,185 miles west of this coastal town.
Kalmunai JudgeM.P. Mohaideen unsealed the results Monday, read them at a closed meeting withlawyers and then ordered the Jeyarajahs, hospital officials and the baby tocome to court Wednesday so the child can be returned to his parents, saidS.H.M. Manarudeen, an attorney for the couple.
The couple had aprivate visit with the boy Monday night. The hospital has allowed them to bewith the baby every day.
The Jeyarajahssay their son, named Abilass, was born Oct. 19.
He was foundamid mud, debris and corpses after the water receded, and was named “Baby 81″because he was the 81st admission at the hospital the day the tsunami hit.
