The baby had been adopted by actress Angelina Jolie, who was visiting West Africa to bring awareness to world hunger. She came across 6 month old Yemasrech in an Addis Ababa orphanage and was told Yemasrech’s mother died of AIDS. The 6 month old was malnourished, dehydrated, and suffering from rickets. Angelina Jolie adopted the baby in July 2005 and renamed her Zahara Jolie-Pitt.
Almaz says she never told anyone her daughter was dead, only that she ran away and left Almaz to care for the infant. Dr. Tsegaye Berhe of Ethiopia’s Wide Horizons For Children adoption agency disputes these claims and says the agency was given documents from Girma with written statements from Almaz and three witnesses saying Mentewab was dead.
One of the witnesses Asegadech Asefaw, and Almaz’s former neighbor Bekelech Haile both back up Almaz’s claims that Almaz told them Mentewab had run away, not passed away. The third witness’s name on the document is believed to be fictitious as neither of Almaz’s witnesses have heard of the name. Almaz also says it’s impossible for her to have given that statement as she is illiterate.
“I cannot read or write. I don’t know what they wrote but what I said was that my daughter ran away, not that she was dead”, said Almaz.
Girma, the man who took the baby from Almaz under false promises, threatened to have Almaz arrested and tortured for telling reporters Zahara’s birth mother was still alive. Dr. Berhe also threatened to have Almaz punished for not corroborating with their story.
The Wide Horizons For Children adoption agency has placed dozens of poor African children in the homes American families since 1974. Dr. Berhe said he receives regular updates on Zahara’s development from U.S. social workers.
“What he has done is tantamount to kidnap”, Mentewab said of Girma. “He took my daughter and just disappeared with her saying I was dead”.
Mentewab told reporters she’s not fighting to get Zahara back, as she cannot give Zahara the luxurious life she lives with Angelina. She only wants to have regular contact with Zahara and for Zahara to be in touch with her Ethiopian heritage.
“She will have a better life with Angelina. If she had stayed with me she could have died. I’m happy to see my daughter in a better life, in a better place. The thing that makes me upset is that Angelina is saying I’m dead – I’m alive and have never had AIDS”.
“She must know her country, she must know her family, that’s where her identity is”.
Fast forward to 2017, nearly 10 years after her first interview with the Daily Mail, Mentewab still hasn’t received so much as a picture from the Jolie-Pitts and is begging Angelina to speak with Zahara. Mentewab also gave her opinion on the custody battle between Brad Pitt and Angelina following their split.