Mother Accused of Abandoning Newborn with Down Syndrome Says Divorce Ultimatum Is 'Absolutely Not True'

Leo Forrest
Leo Forrest

After a father made the claim last week that he refused to give up his newborn baby with Down Syndrome when threatened with divorce, his wife came forward to tell a different story.

We told you the story last week of Samuel Forrest, a man who says he was given the ultimatum by his wife to either keep their mentally handicapped child or go through with a divorce. The claim was made that his wife, Ruzan Badalyan, gave him the choice because of how disabilities are viewed in Armenia, where the two lived. But Forrest, being originally from New Zealand, didn't understand the problem and wanted to do whatever he could to keep the baby, even if it meant divorcing his wife.

However, Ruzan has now spoken out about the incident, saying that the ultimatum was a lie, and she had to give the baby up for his own good.

"I remember the sad faces of my relatives and the doctors and the diagnosis that sounded like a verdict: 'Your child was born with a Down syndrome.' One can never imagine my feelings at that moment," the mother wrote in a prepared statement to press and also posted on her Facebook wall. "Hardly had I recovered from the first shock, when the doctor approached me and told me to voice my decision whether I was going to keep Leo or not. I had to make the most ruthless decision in my life within several hours."

Badalyan continued, "The first thing that came to my mind after the diagnosis was that I don't want my child to live in a country where certain stereotypes dominate the lives of people with DS and no opportunities at all.

"I want him to be involved and well-received in society, an integration that will require years and years for our society to adjust to.

"I saw the evasive looks of the doctors, my relatives' tear-stained faces, received calls of condolences and realised that only a move to a country with such standards as New Zealand would entitle my son to a decent life."

The way Badalyan describes it, she never gave the ultimatum to Forrest, but instead, says that he told her that he was leaving the country with little Leo and she had no say in the situation.

"Without giving me any option and trying to find with me any solution in this hardest situation, he started to circulate the story on every possible platform without even trying to give me a voice accusing that I put him an ultimatum marriage or the baby, which is absolutely not true."

Badalyan isn't claiming that Forrest took the child by force or anything malicious, but says that her side of the story explains a bit more about her thought process leading up to the father's total custody of the child to New Zealand.

"Sam has never suggested joining him and bringing up the child together in his country," wrote Badalyan. "Neither did he tell me anything on the day we filed for divorce. The only thing he kept saying was that he didn't want us to separate, whereas my question what we should do always remained unanswered."

Badalyan says that her stress and depression, combined with the pressure from the doctors and her husband, has been the most difficult part as she made that final decision to let baby Leo go with his father to New Zealand. But she claims that she only had two options: "to take care of the child on my own in Armenia, or to abandon my maternal instincts and extend the baby an opportunity to enjoy a decent life with his father in New Zealand. I went for the second option." 

Badalyan doesn't mention why leaving Armenia to live with Sam and Leo in New Zealand wasn't an option.

    Most Popular
  • Is 'The Last Supper' worth watching? Audience and critics weigh in

    Is 'The Last Supper' worth watching? Audience and critics weigh in

    Faith-based films often receive mixed reactions, and The Last Supper is no exception. The movie attempts to bring a fresh perspective to one of the most iconic moments in Christian history, but does it succeed? Some reviews from critics and audiences provide insight into its strengths and shortcomings.

  • ‘The Chosen’ Season 5: The darkest season yet—What to know before watching

    The wait is over—The Chosen is back with its fifth season, and this time, things are getting intense. The new episodes dive straight into the final days of Jesus’ life, covering some of the most emotional and dramatic moments in the Bible. If you’ve been following the series, you already know that The Chosen isn’t just about retelling familiar stories—it’s about bringing them to life in a way that feels real.

  • Massacres in Syria: Over 1,000 dead, including Christians and Alawites

    Syria’s coastal regions have been devastated by a series of massacres, with reports indicating that over 1,000 people—many from Christian and Alawite communities—have been killed in brutal attacks. Entire families have been wiped out, and survivors are fleeing in search of safety as sectarian violence escalates.

  • Kim Sae-ron and Wheesung: The tragic irony of Korean society and the principles of happiness

    Not long ago, the media was in an uproar over actress Kim Sae-ron’s passing. Just months before, the same people who had relentlessly criticized her for her DUI incident were now expressing sympathy, saying, "The world was too harsh on her." The irony is impossible to ignore.

  • Newsboys move forward as a quartet after Michael Tait’s departure

    After more than a decade as the lead singer of the Newsboys, Michael Tait has officially parted ways with the band, marking a significant shift in the Christian rock group’s lineup. The remaining members—Jeff Frankenstein, Jody Davis, Duncan Phillips, and Adam Agee—have assured fans that they will continue forward, embracing a new season of music and ministry.