Pop superstar Madonna has failed in her attempt to adopt a second child from Malawi.
The singer has spent the past week in the country, filing court papers on Monday asking to be granted an interim adoption of 4-year-old Mercy James.
But the star's bid to welcome a second Malawian child into her family was met with hostility from human rights groups and children’s' charities in the African nation.
Madonna's lawyer returned to the country's High Court in the capital, Lilongwe, for a hearing on Friday to find out whether she would be allowed to take the tot back to the U.S. with her.
But the judge overseeing the case has ruled against her, meaning she will have to leave Mercy behind in Malawi.
Judge Esmie Chondo told the court, "I must have to decline to grant the application to Madonna."
The application was reportedly rejected because of a requirement that prospective parents be resident in the country for 18 to 24 months prior to an adoption.
It is not clear whether Madonna intends to appeal against the decision.
The hitmaker adopted her son David Banda, 3, from the country in 2006, but the arrangement was not finalized until 2008 following two years of legal wrangling.
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