Madonna's manipulation claim

Music

13:30 25 October 2006

Madonna says her adopted baby's father has been "manipulated" into saying he never intended to give his son up for adoption.

The singer - who is fighting for permanent custody of the one-year-old Malawian orphan - opened her heart during an interview with US chat show host Oprah Winfrey on Tuesday (24.10.06).

One audience member, Brook Carter, revealed: "She's frustrated with the media because she believes it's the pressure of the media that's prompting the father to change his story."

According to other audience members, Madonna appeared occasionally emotional during the interview which is due to air in the US tonight (25.10.06).

Carter added: "She said of Yohane Banda, David's father, 'He looked at me straight in the eye and said I'm thankful for giving my son a future and a life because if he stayed with me I would have buried him'."

Madonna's comments come after David's 32-year-old father Yohane - who had originally welcomed the adoption - said: "Nobody told me by 'adoption' it means David will no longer be my son but hers."

Despite this, he told Time magazine on Tuesday (24.10.06) that he does not plan to challenge the adoption, because that would be "killing David's future".

Madonna already has two biological children - daughter Lourdes, nine, and a six-year-old son Rocco.

(C) BANG Media International