Divorce usually means a complete and total separation of one person from another. For couples who have children, that separation never truly comes unless one parent chooses to leave the child’s life and the other parent. For parents who choose to remain in their child’s life, the process of setting up and enforcing child custody arrangements can be a sore spot, especially when one parent has family ties in other states or countries. Many Texas parents are finding that those who have the means and support to flee the country may just do so, taking the children with them, regardless of court orders or a pending divorce.
A Brazilian couple has found themselves in trouble with authorities when they helped their daughter leave the United States with their grandson under false pretenses. The husband and wife were taken into custody as soon as their plane landed in Florida. Authorities say that the mother left Texas with the child under the ruse of attending a family wedding in Brazil. The truth was later revealed that she never intended to return.
At the time the woman left, her and her soon-to-be ex-husband held joint custody of their then 5-year-old son. The woman’s parents are accused of helping the mother mislead the child’s father of the plan for them never to return to the US. The grandmother also enrolled the child in school in Brazil before the child left the states. The mother and child have not returned to America.
Texas parents who are going through or contemplating a divorce have many choices and considerations to take under advisement. Should one parent plan to leave the state or country, seeking counsel of an attorney may be necessary. With a true understanding of the law, an attorney can help a parent to make changes to a child custody order or seek a temporary stay to allow the child access to non-native family members.
Source: ctpost.com, “Brazilian couple facing kidnapping charges in Texas case”, Juan A. Lozano, Feb. 7, 2018