Madonna Offered to Pay For Father to Raise David  11/1/06

Madonna has fought back at criticism she should have adopted a Malawi orphan instead of a boy with a father, insisting she offered to pay for David's father Yohane Banda to rear the child.

The Material Girl and her husband Guy Ritchie were granted an interim adoption of the 13-month-old baby last month (OCT06), which has sparked criticism from adoption support groups, who claim she could have adopted a child with no parents instead of 'taking' David away from Banda.

Banda placed David in an orphanage last year (05) after the death of his wife because he couldn't afford to care for the youngster.

In an interview airing today (01NOV06) on US TV show NBC News, Madonna says, "When I met him, I said, 'I would be happy to facilitate to bring him back to your village and help you financially raise him.' And he said, 'No.'

"And there was a lot of translation situations and I couldn't really understand that decision. I don't want to judge him. And I don't know his life.

And I think he truly felt in his heart of hearts that he (David) would have a better life with me.

"So, when he said no, that was my sign that it was my responsibility to look after him."