Quick Info
| Profession | Child in foster care |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Indian |
| Date of Birth | 02/02/2021 |
| Age | 5 years |
| Birthplace | Berlin, Germany |
Latest News about Ariha Shah
Indian officials celebrated Diwali with Ariha Shah in a German foster home, where she has been living for over two years since being placed there on September 23, 2021, after an accidental injury. The Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson, Arindam Bagchi, confirmed that diplomatic access was granted, and Indian embassy officials celebrated the festival with her, emphasizing India's continued efforts for her early return to her linguistic, religious, cultural, and social environment.
Ariha Shah's mother, Dhara Shah, pleaded with the Indian government to help bring her daughter back from Germany, where Ariha has been in foster care for 22 months. Dhara Shah stated that a German court had given full custody of Ariha to German Child Services in June, a decision she described as one-sided, and expressed concerns about Ariha's well-being and lack of access to Indian cultural items.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi raised the case of Ariha Shah with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, urging for the repatriation of the four-year-old Indian girl who has been in German foster care for 40 months. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs confirmed that diplomatic follow-ups are ongoing to support the Shah family, noting that while the legal aspect was resolved with the parents being cleared of all criminal charges, the situation has evolved into a humanitarian crisis requiring immediate attention.
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Bio/Wiki
| Known for | Being sent to foster care in Germany by Jugendamt, German Child Services after a doctor reported a suspected sexual assault on her |
|---|
Physical Stats & More
| Eye Color | Black |
|---|---|
| Hair Color | Black |
Personal Life
| Religion | Jainism |
|---|---|
| Ethnicity | Gujarati |
| Food Habit | Although her family follows a strict vegetarian diet, Ariha Shah was fed non-vegetarian food in foster care in Germany. |
Family
| Father | Bhavesh Shah (Software Engineer) |
|---|---|
| Mother | Dhara Shah |
| Siblings | She is the only child of her parents. |
Some Lesser Known Facts
| 1. Ariha Shah, an Indian girl, was separated from her parents by German authorities at seven months old on September 23, 2021. The Jugendamt, German Child Services, placed her in foster care due to a reported suspicion of sexual assault. | |
| 2. Her family originates from Gujarat, India, but her father moved to Berlin, Germany, for work in 2018. | |
| 3. At seven months old, Ariha's grandparents visited her, and an accidental injury occurred in her private area while in her grandmother's care. | |
| 4. Her parents became worried upon finding blood in her diaper, leading them to seek medical help. Subsequently, suspicions of abuse arose, and the German Child Services intervened, launching an investigation into the parents. | |
| 5. The case against Ariha's parents for alleged child sexual abuse was eventually dropped, with negligence being suggested instead. | |
| 6. Despite the legal closure without charges, Ariha remained separated from her parents as the Jugendamt pursued a civil custody case aiming to terminate parental rights. | |
| 7. A court-appointed psychologist recommended specialized care for Ariha with limited visits to one parent due to practical issues such as visa concerns. | |
| 8. Before a court ruling was reached, Ariha was relocated by the Jugendamt to a facility for children with special needs. | |
| 9. Efforts have been made by the Ministry of External Affairs to repatriate Ariha back to India while emphasizing her cultural background. | |
| 10. Members of Parliament from different parties joined to appeal for Ariha's repatriation in a letter to the German ambassador in 2023. | |
| 11. The case of Ariha Shah has commonalities with Sagarika Chakraborty's situation, where Norwegian authorities took custody of her children in 2011. | |
| 12. Ariha has been moved between multiple foster homes during her time in German foster care. |