Madonna's adoption ruling delayed until Friday

U.S. pop singer Madonna leaves the high court in Lilongwe March 30, 2009. Madonna appeared in a Malawi court on Monday seeking to adopt a second child, a girl called Mercy James, from the southern African country. [Agencies]

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LILONGWE, Malawi – A Malawian judge held a closed-door hearing Monday on Madonna's application to adopt a second child from this southern African nation but delayed ruling on the matter until Friday, a court official said.

The 50-year-old pop star spent about an hour in court Monday in the Malawi capital of Lilongwe. Court official Thomson Ligowe confirmed that Madonna's adoption application was adjourned until Friday but said he could not reveal any more details.

Monday's court docket listed only the child's name — Chifundo James, which means "Mercy" in a local language. It was not immediately known whether any of the girl's relatives were present at the courthouse Monday.

A Malawian welfare official and another person involved in the adoption proceedings say the girl is about 4 years old and her unmarried mother died soon after she was born. The girl's father is believed to be alive but no other details were available. They spoke on condition of anonymity because the case is considered sensitive.

Madonna has not commented on the adoption application and did not speak to reporters Monday morning.

The adoption of her 3-year-old son, David, whom she had met at a Malawian orphanage in October 2006, was finalized last year.

Children's advocacy groups have accused Madonna of wielding her immense wealth and influence to circumvent Malawian law requiring an 18- to 24-month assessment period before adoption. David's adoption was a trying process for the singer, who has said the storm of criticism hurt.

More criticism erupted over the weekend, with the Save the Children UK charity saying the recently divorced superstar risked sending the wrong message by going through with the second adoption. It said adoptions from orphanages encourages poor parents "to abandon children in the hope that they will have a better life."