DOHA, Qatar — An American couple cleared of charges in their adopted daughter’s death left the Gulf Arab nation of Qatar on Wednesday, leaving behind a nearly two-year saga that ended with a court ruling absolving them of any wrongdoing.
The Los Angeles couple, Matthew and Grace Huang, caught international attention after they were arrested in January 2013 on murder charges after the death in Qatar of their 8-year-old daughter Gloria, who was born in Ghana.
Throughout the case, the family’s representative continuously expressed concern that there were cultural misunderstandings underpinning the charges against them.
The Huangs, of Asian descent, have two other African-born adopted children who left Qatar during the trial to live with relatives in the U.S.
The case drew Washington’s involvement, with U.S. Ambassador to Qatar Dana Shell Smith accompanying the Huangs on Wednesday at Doha’s Hamad International Airport to ensure they cleared passport control and reached their departure gate.
“We feel relieved,” Smith said. “We feel gratitude to the legal system in the state of Qatar.”
