The straw that broke the camel's back? (Peggy Sue and daughter Nina Hilt in happier times, before Nina was beaten to death at her mother's hand. )

As anticipated, the death of Nina Hilt, buried deep in the pages of the American newspapers, is major news in Russia, where she is identified by her pre-adoption Russian name, Nina Bazhenova.

Even before this latest tragedy, we learned that word had been spread to older children in some of the orphanages that American parents kill their adopted children.

Frankly, they're right. For each of the dozen Russian orphans adopted into American families who've lost their lives at the hands of an unfit parent, there are only 4,500 still alive. The deaths of children like Nina Hilt, Alex Pavlis, Liam Thompson and Viktor Matthey can no longer be dismissed as statistical anomalies.

As waiting adoptive parents, we have no choice but to roll with the changes and delays in the adoption process we've seen and will undoubtedly continue to see, thanks to trailblazers like Peggy Sue Hilt, Irma Pavlis, Gary & Amy Thompson and Bob & Brenda Matthey...all of whom violated the ultimate trust bestowed upon them by the Russian people.

The longer we wait, the harder the wait becomes, and not just emotionally. Adopting a child from Russia is now the equivalent of a part-time job in dealing with additional paperwork requirements. And where most part-time jobs would provide financial resources in exchange for giving up time better spent with the child we already have, this one does just the opposite.

The possibility of a summer return to pick up Elena is now looking very slim. Another autumn visit to Ekaterinburg? We can only pray.  ¶ 6:08 AM