It’s All Maya!

If anyone has noticed the “Bring Sean Home” poster that I put up, it represents a terrifying story for any parent that loses a child.  The last time David Goldman saw his son Sean, he thought his son would be returning home in a matter of weeks. 

David said goodbye to his wife Bruna, their four year-old son Sean, and Bruna’s parents, Raimundo and Silvana Ribeiro, at the Newark Airport on June 16, 2004.  He had no idea that he would not see his son again.

Once in Brazil, Bruna called David to tell him that she wouldn’t be returning to their home in Tinton Falls, New Jersey.  According to Bruna their marriage was over and she wanted David to sign over custody of their son, or else he would never have contact with him again.  David refused to sign any papers that would take away his parental rights and give Bruna custody.

Sometimes life is truly stranger than fiction.  David and Sean’s story is more complicated than one that could be fabricated by the minds of script writers for a soap opera!  For more than four and a half years David has been fighting with the Brazilian courts to get his son back. 

Bruna obtained a divorce from David and married an attorney from Brazil, João Paulo Lins e Silva, however the divorce was not officially recognized in the US.  Bruna became pregnant and died last year (August 2008) while giving childbirth.  David, however, was not informed about her death, and found out later through American friends.  Although it should be evident that Sean should be returned to his biological father, both Bruna’s family and her Brazilian husband’s family are fighting to keep Sean in Brazil and have denied David any contact with his son.
 
Under The Hague Treaty, which deals with international child abduction, David has the right to see his son, nevertheless, during the past four and a half years, each time that David has gone to Brazil to see Sean; he has been prevented from seeing his son.  Now that Sean’s mother is deceased, you would think that David would legally have custody of his own son, but does he?  No!

Instead the Lins e Silva family is a powerful family of attorneys in Brazil that ironically deal mainly with practicing “Family Law”.  These ruthless people believe they’re above the law, and from what David has experienced, they may very well be right!  Although Brazil and the US are both a part of The Hague Treaty, and although David has been told through the courts that legally he should have custody of his son, Bruna’s husband has filed to replace David as the father on Sean’s birth certificate in Brazil.

Maya Muses:  Great news!  Just last week David was able to see his now eight year-old son for the first time in over four and a half years!  The love and the bond between the two are still strong and Sean asked his dad why it had taken him so long to visit! 

David needs all the public support he can get to put pressure on the Brazilian government to return his son.  If you would like to help David in his plight to regain custody of his son, Sean, please visit his websight.  By contacting different U.S. government agencies, senators, congressmen, and government officials in Brazil to demand Sean’s return - this nightmare for one parent may finally come to an end!

For those of you in the Washington D.C. area, there is a demonstration planned for Tuesday March 17 at Lafayette Park across from the White House where President Lula of Brazil will be meeting with President Obama.  You can also visit Facebook for more information. 

Photo Credits:  Bring Sean Home Organization