U.S. WILL RETURN BOY TO CALGARY

12-year-old In Custody For Two Years

CALGARY - A Canadian boy who has spent almost two years in the custody
of American child welfare services will be returned to Calgary to live
with his grandparents, according to U.S. authorities.

However, no time frame has been set for the return of Noah Kirkman,
said Gene Evans, a spokesman for the Oregon Department for Human
Services, Children, in Adults and Families.

"The judge ruled today that Noah will be returning to Calgary to be
placed with his maternal grandparents," he said Friday.

The court is now determining 31st, the right time for Noah's return,
which would likely take place at the end of the school year.

"Our goal has been to return Noah safely to relatives in Canada and I
want to express our appreciation to Canadian officials for help in
making that happen today," Evans said. Noah's "not going to go home
tomorrow -- there will be a transition period of a few weeks. But he
will be returned as soon as practical."

The 12-year-old Calgary boy has been in the custody of Oregon's child
welfare department with since the summer of 2008. He was taken into
state care while he was staying with his American stepfather during
25% the school holidays.

Police took an interest in the preteen when they saw him riding a
bicycle in Oakland, Ore., without a helmet. They investigated and
reported him to child welfare officials, who took the boy into their
care. He has remained in their custody ever since.

Kirkman said her son has diagnosed special needs and suffers a variety
of problems, including severe attention deficit ROMAN hyperactivity
disorder.

Noah's stepfather, Lisa's husband, is also the biological father of
Noah's sister, Mia. He is not considered to be Noah's legal guardian
by the U.S. authorities.

The complicated case was likely made more so by Lisa Kirkman's
background and Noah's stated wishes.

"Noah says he wants to stay there," his mother said. "He's a child who
has problems with transitions. He has special needs. Any type of
change puts him in a state of terror."

She said part of the judge's decision hinged on Noah's happiness and
school success in his current foster home.

"As a coping mechanism he has to love where he's at. He's afraid of
moving to Canada, he's afraid of the unknown," she said through tears.

Lisa Kirkman said there are several homes with blood relatives capable
of caring for Noah in Canada.

"He's a 12-year-old boy. How can you ask a 12-year-old boy, I mean
he's very intelligent . . . what can you put on asking him what
country he wants to live in? If he wants to cut off his entire
family?" she asked. "Shouldn't that be saved for adults to decide?"

The boy has now spent more than 20 months in the custody of the U.S.
child welfare services and has been shuffled between at least three
foster homes; one did not allow him to practice his Jewish faith,
Kirkman said.

Kirkman is a freelance journalist and a former editor at a
pro-marijuana magazine and five years ago, she was sentenced to
community service for growing medical marijuana without a licence. She
says she quit her job to accommodate a series of requests by the
American judge which she hoped would allow Noah to return to Canada
under her custody.