Five Of Gypsy Girl Maria's Nine Siblings Are Taken Into Care

Five Of Gypsy Girl Maria's Nine Siblings Are Taken Into Care
A picture taken on October 24, 2013, shows Sasha and Atanas Ruseva with one of their children in the Roma district of the central Bulgarian town of Nikolaevo. DNA tests confirmed that a Bulgarian Roma couple are the biological parents of Maria, the blonde girl found in a Greek Roma camp last week, an interior ministry offical said on October 25, 2013. DNA samples showed that Sasha Ruseva is the biological mother abd Atanas Rusev is the biological father of the child called Maria,' Bulgaria's interior ministry chief of staff Svetlozar Lazarov told reporters. AFP PHOTO / BGNES ***BULGARIA OUT (Photo credit should read BGNES/AFP/Getty Images)
A picture taken on October 24, 2013, shows Sasha and Atanas Ruseva with one of their children in the Roma district of the central Bulgarian town of Nikolaevo. DNA tests confirmed that a Bulgarian Roma couple are the biological parents of Maria, the blonde girl found in a Greek Roma camp last week, an interior ministry offical said on October 25, 2013. DNA samples showed that Sasha Ruseva is the biological mother abd Atanas Rusev is the biological father of the child called Maria,' Bulgaria's interior ministry chief of staff Svetlozar Lazarov told reporters. AFP PHOTO / BGNES ***BULGARIA OUT (Photo credit should read BGNES/AFP/Getty Images)

The biological mother of Maria, the blonde girl found in a Roma camp in Greece, has had five of her nine other children taken into care.

State authorities have taken the children from the home of Bulgarian couple Sasha and Atanas Ruseva, according to the Telegraph.

A picture taken on October 24, 2013, shows two of the children of Sasha Ruseva and Atanas Rusev in the Roma district of the central Bulgarian town of Nikolaevo. Bulgarian police has held for questioning a Roma couple who might be the biological parents of Maria, a mysterious blonde girl found in a Greek Roma camp, local media reported on October 24, 2013. Greek police have sought global help via Interpol to help identify the blonde girl whose discovery in a Roma camp near the town of Farsala has sparked worldwide concern and interest in other child disappearance cases. AFP PHOTO / BGNES ***BULGARIA OUT (Photo credit should read BGNES/AFP/Getty Images)
A picture taken on October 24, 2013, shows two of the children of Sasha Ruseva and Atanas Rusev in the Roma district of the central Bulgarian town of Nikolaevo. Bulgarian police has held for questioning a Roma couple who might be the biological parents of Maria, a mysterious blonde girl found in a Greek Roma camp, local media reported on October 24, 2013. Greek police have sought global help via Interpol to help identify the blonde girl whose discovery in a Roma camp near the town of Farsala has sparked worldwide concern and interest in other child disappearance cases. AFP PHOTO / BGNES ***BULGARIA OUT (Photo credit should read BGNES/AFP/Getty Images)

The mum and her two youngest children - Nasko, three, and Penka, two - have moved to housing in Stara Zagora, the regional capital 25 miles from the Roma ghetto where the family lived - but five more have been seized by the authorities.

Kosyo Kosev, the mayor of Nikolaevo, said: "Social services have decided to settle Mrs Ruseva and her two youngest children in social housing while the other five under age will be re-homed for the time being either in a state institution or with foster families."

The couple also have two older daughters, aged 20 and 18, who are married and have children of their own.

Maria is currently being cared for by the Smile Of The Child Charity in Athens. She will stay there until state authorities decide what will happen to her next.

Eva Zhecheva, head of Bulgaria's State Agency For Child Protection, added: "Bulgarian authorities are ready to take full responsibility for Maria now that it is known she is the child of Bulgarian nationals."

Maria will most likely be taken to a crisis centre or placed in foster care until she is either returned to her biological family, or found a permanent home.

"Maria will remain there until a solution is found for her upbringing – a return to her biological family, a placement with relatives, or in a foster home or state institution," said Mrs Zhecheva.

Sasha Ruseva, 35, was proved to be the biological mother of the four-year-old via a DNA test after an international appeal was launched to reveal the girl's true identity after she was found living in Farsala during a police raid two weeks ago.

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