The U.S. Ambassador to Russia is calling on Russian leaders to stop their "exploitation" of the death of an adopted boy in the United States.

Russian officials are blaming a Texas woman for the death of her Russian-born adopted son, 3-year-old Max Shatto.

They claim the boy was covered with bruises and given powerful anti-psychotic drugs.

Texas authorities are investigating the case and have yet to release the cause of death.

The Russians are saying this is proof that they were right to ban American couples from adopting Russian children.

Before the ban, Russia was one of the top three countries for international adoptions by Americans.

Most of those adoptive families are evangelical Christians.