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RSBM.
Is there a country that doesn't want to do this, though? It's so difficult, in different ways, for all involved. IMO.
GUILTY FL - Dima Tower, 22, charged for murdering his 2 adoptive parents, North Port, 9 Sept 2023
- Thread starter Ebon
- Start date
RSBM.
Is there a country that doesn't want to do this, though? It's so difficult, in different ways, for all involved. IMO.
I think your post is very objective, practical, and..... true.
As you stated, every country wants to place hard to adopt children.
Some countries, however, may have lax environments were "erasures" of red flags from schools, courts, and psychological assessments are easier to perform than others. Or, a high governmental level actively facilitates the adoptions as a matter of official policy. So, record keeper are ordered to have "erasers" at the ready for foreign adoptions.
But, that aside, I think you have a good point. Erasing to varying degrees is very likely not restricted to just Ukraine and Russia.
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I saw he was 14 when the Powers adopted him ,but does anyone know ,if he lived with them prior to age 14?
Last edited:
Dima Tower back in court
Dima Tower back in court
That's true only about Ukrainian orphanages, not Russian, as Russian authorities banned the adoption of Russian children by American citizens since 2013 (Russian Federal Law #272-FZ.)
Trial set for man suspected in killing parents
SARASOTA — The man charged with killing his parents in North Port in August is scheduled for a trial in December.
NEW TRIAL LIVE NOW: FL v. Dima Tower.
WATCH: https://youtube.com/watch?v=xT7L29rLiWY
The victims adopted an orphaned teenager in Ukraine because they wanted to give him a better life.
Now he's on trial for killing them. FL v. Dima Tower
HORRIFIC: Prosecution's opening statement described Dima Tower as not being happy with life and deciding to kill his adoptive parents. He stabbed his father first. His mother got out of the house and was trying to get to the neighbor for help, but Dima dragged her back inside. She begged for her life, and he eventually stabbed and killed her. He then cleaned the knife and put it back in the butcher block.
Defense opening: Dima Tower was in foster care in Ukraine. His mother passed away when he was very young, and "his family in Ukraine just didn't want to deal with him, so they put him in foster care in a country at war.....until two strangers picked him up and brought him to America."
Defense opening: Attorney admits Dima Tower killed his parents but talked about varying degrees. (Prior to jury selection he tried to plead guilty to Manslaughter but the state denied it.)
SOBBING: Dima Tower was audibly sobbing during the defense's opening statement and forced the judge to call for a break. Watch:
WATCH: https://youtube.com/watch?v=xT7L29rLiWY
The victims adopted an orphaned teenager in Ukraine because they wanted to give him a better life.
Now he's on trial for killing them. FL v. Dima Tower
HORRIFIC: Prosecution's opening statement described Dima Tower as not being happy with life and deciding to kill his adoptive parents. He stabbed his father first. His mother got out of the house and was trying to get to the neighbor for help, but Dima dragged her back inside. She begged for her life, and he eventually stabbed and killed her. He then cleaned the knife and put it back in the butcher block.
Defense opening: Dima Tower was in foster care in Ukraine. His mother passed away when he was very young, and "his family in Ukraine just didn't want to deal with him, so they put him in foster care in a country at war.....until two strangers picked him up and brought him to America."
Defense opening: Attorney admits Dima Tower killed his parents but talked about varying degrees. (Prior to jury selection he tried to plead guilty to Manslaughter but the state denied it.)
SOBBING: Dima Tower was audibly sobbing during the defense's opening statement and forced the judge to call for a break. Watch:
RSBM
What war is the defense talking about?
AFAIR, Dima was adopted in 2015 at the age of 14.
Oh, he was sobbing. It's pathetic though.
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Sobbing because he realizes he murdered two people who actually cared about him? Or sobbing because he realizes he's really on trial for murder and his future is not going to be good?
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The war in Ukraine has been going on for many years. It started in 2014, and the current phase has been going on since 2022. I have three adopted nieces (from Russia) and the condtiions in orphanages was of the type that they were fed, just enough, schooled, just enough, had medical attention just enough. In a country that has had problems for many years, orphaned children are there, they have seen war, have undiagnosed or untreated medical, social and psychiatric problems. Adoption is fine, adaptation by the children etc can be fraught. The older the child is at adoption the more difficult it will be. Unless the parents have been able to participate in a range of intercountry adoption courses and have the support of agencies in their home country they will find it very difficult. These children just do not behave as you would expect, how can they? They have no role models, their country is at war. This a simply sad end to an adoption, the parents did not deserve this and I feel for a boy whose whole life has been turned upside down.
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It's not just for "older children" and/or those who have experienced war, and been adopted abroad, that the situation can end very badly. There was a case in Sweden in 2020 where a man, who had been adopted from Russia as a four-year-old, killed his father in a grisly manner, see: GUILTY - Sweden - Mikael Petersson, 57, suspected kidnapping, Karlskrona, 25 July 2020 *arrests* In that case there were most likely a lot of psychiatric problems, and the child-and-youth psychiatric department got involved when his behaviour began to change when he became a teen.
The war w/Ukraine began in late Feb. 2014 w/Russia’s annexation of Crimea & escalated into a full scale invasion on 2/24/2022.
See timeline, if you're interested.
Timeline: The events leading up to Russia's invasion of Ukraine
Russia launched a large-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24. Here is a timeline of Ukraine's fraught relationship with Moscow since it won independence in 1991 and the events that led to the current conflict.
TRIAL UPDATES
DAY 2 – 11/13/25
DAY 1 – 11/12/25
- LIVESTREAM: FL v. Dima Tower – Day 1 | Troubled Orphan Murder Trial
- State’s opening statement delivered by Liana Whipple:
- WATCH: Prosecution: Dima Tower Was in ‘Rage’ During Adoptive Parents’ Death
- Argued Dima Tower attacked his parents as they slept with a steak knife from the kitchen.
- At some point during the attack, he lost the first knife and retrieved a second knife before continuing to stab Robbie Tower.
- Jennifer Tower tried to defend her husband, but was attacked and fled to a neighbor’s home, where Dima forced her back, and made her sit on the couch and listen before he stabbed her multiple times.
- Dima attempted to clean up the scene and then fled, ultimately leading police on an eight-hour chase.
- When asked by detectives what happened the night before, he answered, “rage.”
- Argued Dima Tower attacked his parents as they slept with a steak knife from the kitchen.
- Defense attorney Marc Gilman told the jury Dima was put in foster care in Urkanie because his parents didn’t “want to deal with him,” and he was adopted by the Towers in 2016.
- WATCH: Defense: Find Tower ‘Guilty of Manslaughter’ in Adoptive Parents’ Deaths
- During the defense’s opening statement, the court took a brief break after the defendant audibly broke down.
- Asked the jury to consider evidence about premeditation and then find Dima guilty of manslaughter, not first-degree murder.
- Jana Walton, Neighbor and eyewitness
- Testified that she woke up in the middle of the night to screaming for help and banging on her front door.
- After calling 911, she discovered blood outside her house.
- Officer Tyler Ragauckas, North Port Police Department
- First responding officer on the scene, he saw the defendant and captured dashcam footage of his reckless driving.
- Melissa Snow, Eyewitness
- A daycare worker who provided a description to police that matched the defendant.
- Kay Rosas, Eyewitness
- Lived in the area for 24 years and worked as a manager at the Shell gas station for 14 years. She frequently worked the register, especially during busy hours.
- Reviewed surveillance video from the Shell station on Sept. 1 and confirmed it accurately depicted events.
- Identified herself in the video wearing a white hat and a red shirt.
- Noticed a person with blood and dirt on his hands who seemed unresponsive when greeted.
- Reported the incident to law enforcement after interacting with the suspicious individual.
- Detective Kade Reyher, Venice Police Department
- Responded to a report of a suspicious man based on a citizen’s tip that matched a suspect from the news.
- A shorter white male was located behind the Shell gas station, and he was given commands to get on the ground, which he complied with.
- Reviewed surveillance video from the back of the Shell station documenting the arrest.
- Elizabeth Walker, North Port Police Department crime scene technician
- Tasked with documenting blood stains at a specific address.
- Followed a blood trail that led from one property to another, including identifying foot impressions.
- Created a diagram and took photographs of the crime scene, highlighting evidence of blood in various rooms.
- Confirmed the direction of movement of the bleeding individual and noted that the person was walking rather than running.
- Found concentrated blood evidence predominantly in the bedroom, kitchen and living room, but none elsewhere.
- Presented multiple State Exhibits including videos, diagrams, and photographs capturing blood stains and the layout of the crime scene.
FL v. Dima Tower: Adopted Son Murder Trial
UPDATE: Prosecutors say that Dima Tower murdered his adoptive parents before leading officers on a police chase and fleeing into the woods.
www.courttv.com
November 13, 2025
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Just seeing this awful case now. It's making me cry.
Friends of mine adopted a Russian child, what they went through with her was horrific. This was in the 90s. My daughter was friends with her (because I was friends with her mother), and she came to my house for playdates. I had to watch her like a hawk. In one instance, she shaved off my daughter's eyebrows, and cut off a doll's limbs.
The girl was placed in the Montessori school and had to be separated from the rest of the class, with an aide. She was so disruptive.
Anyway, the mother quit her job and devoted her life 100 % to this child. They were very wealthy and were able to have her in all sorts of expensive therapies.
Reactive detachment disorder is so very serious. Victims have to "learn" to be empathetic, in a way to be "reborn" to establish healthy attachments to caregivers.
In her case, it worked. She is now married with two children and is a teacher at a Montessori. I do often wonder though, if she will stay ok.
Dima I understand was adopted at 14. I don't know what his first crucial years were like. Don't know whether he suffered from the above, or whether abandonment and the war resulted in a brewing psychosis.
So very sorry for the adoptive parents, who only wanted to care for him and give him a chance at a good life.
Friends of mine adopted a Russian child, what they went through with her was horrific. This was in the 90s. My daughter was friends with her (because I was friends with her mother), and she came to my house for playdates. I had to watch her like a hawk. In one instance, she shaved off my daughter's eyebrows, and cut off a doll's limbs.
The girl was placed in the Montessori school and had to be separated from the rest of the class, with an aide. She was so disruptive.
Anyway, the mother quit her job and devoted her life 100 % to this child. They were very wealthy and were able to have her in all sorts of expensive therapies.
Reactive detachment disorder is so very serious. Victims have to "learn" to be empathetic, in a way to be "reborn" to establish healthy attachments to caregivers.
In her case, it worked. She is now married with two children and is a teacher at a Montessori. I do often wonder though, if she will stay ok.
Dima I understand was adopted at 14. I don't know what his first crucial years were like. Don't know whether he suffered from the above, or whether abandonment and the war resulted in a brewing psychosis.
So very sorry for the adoptive parents, who only wanted to care for him and give him a chance at a good life.
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Really surprised this story doesn't have a greater following. Surprised too that it's gone to trial. He has no defense.
Short trial. Fast verdict?
Maybe a half ounce of sympathy for a presumed hard start to life but this one is open and shut.
JMO
Short trial. Fast verdict?
Maybe a half ounce of sympathy for a presumed hard start to life but this one is open and shut.
JMO
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