Home -> Law Blog Directory -> Family Law Blogs -> Florida Divorce - Child Custody - Domestic Abuse Law

Family Law

: Florida Divorce - Child Custody - Domestic Abuse Law

US Mother of Children Allegedly Abducted to Brazil by Their Father Waits and Waits for Action to Bring Them Home

By Janet Langjahr

Massachusetts family court awards visitation to Father. Mother and children move to New Hampshire.

Father picks up kids in New Hampshire for visitation - but doesn’t return them. Massachusetts court says it can do nothing.

Father allegedly absconded with children to Brazil, using bogus birth certificates for the children and a reportedly forged letter from Mother. The Mother learns that the children were sighted there.

What stands out about this case is that the Mother is close friends with a state representative. Unfortunately, the effort to politicize the case does not seem to be speeding up or improving the outcome. Even though the representative is very motivated to get up to speed on the procedures governing international child abductions.

The Mother has filed an application for return of the children to the US with the US State Department. But, despite Mother’s connections, the case is progressing slowly. The Mother blames it on bureaucracy and lack of interest.

The Mother is concerned that the delay will permit removal of the children to yet another country. One that may not be a party to the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction.

The Mother has been advised not to head to Brazil to bring the children back herself. Like so many other parents in this situation, in the final analysis, there doesn’t seem to be much she can do, except wait and hope.

Read more in this New Hampshire Seacoast article: Support grows for mother of 2 missing girls.

Full post as published by Florida Divorce - Child Custody - Domestic Abuse Law on October 12, 2008 (boomark / email).