Mariska Hargitay has spoken of her delight after adopting a baby girl.
The Law & Order: Special Victims Unit star and her actor husband Peter Hermann have welcomed American-born Amaya Josephine into their family.
She tells People.com, "I'm deliriously happy. From the minute she was born, she was just surprisingly alert and so full of love.
"We were considering both international and domestic adoption and we're thrilled that this is the way our prayers were answered.
"We talked a lot about mixed-race adoptions, and we are very excited that we are now a multi-racial family. We're just so happy she's here."
Hargitay and Hermann are already parents to a four-year-old son, August, who is excited to be a big brother.
She adds, "He is over the moon. He calls her his baby because he says the whole thing was his idea. He always talks about how he's going to protect her."
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