BRAZIL: American father of a boy at the center of a Brazil-U.S. custody dispute pleads to be reunited with his son

Record ID: 789647

  • Title: BRAZIL: American father of a boy at the center of a Brazil-U.S. custody dispute pleads to be reunited with his son
  • Date: 19th December 2009
  • Summary: RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL (DECEMBER 18, 2009) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF MARRIOTT HOTEL IN COPACABANA BEACH WHERE SEAN GOLDMAN'S FATHER, DAVID GOLDMAN, IS STAYING VARIOUS OF GOLDMAN LEAVING THE HOTEL TO SPEAK TO REPORTERS CLOSE OF GOLDMAN (SOUNDBITE) (English) SEAN GOLDMAN'S FATHER, DAVID GOLDMAN, SAYING: "You separate a child from a parent for this period of time, you poison
  • Embargoed: 3rd January 2010 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Brazil
  • Country: Brazil
  • Topics: Legal System,International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVABVSX88T5TDWMLKGCLN6A7L6I3
  • Story Text: American father of boy at centre of bitter custody battle makes desperate appeal for his son to be returned to him.
    The American father of a boy at the center of a Brazil-U.S. custody dispute made an emotional appeal to be reunited with his son on Friday (December 18), calling the situation "cruel, tragic and sad."
    A Brazilian Supreme Court judge blocked the return of 9-year-old Sean Goldman to the U.S. on Thursday (December 17), saying the boy's own will should be taken into account in order to resolve the long-running custody dispute that has reached top government levels.
    New Jersey resident David Goldman had flown to Brazil on Thursday after another Brazilian federal court ruled that Sean must be handed over to U.S. authorities within 48 hours, giving him hope that the five-year-long saga might finally be over.
    Goldman told reporters that the boy was suffering severe psychological damage because of the prolonged separation from his father.
    "You separate a child from a parent for this period of time, you poison the child's mind, as evidence, it's not me speaking. This is the three Brazilian court appointed psychologists evidence in a in-depth psychological evaluation that everyday my son is under that roof he is being severely psychologically damaged. And it is the most urgency for him to return home and be father-and-son with his family, with me. It is evidence, it is validated by judge (Rafael Pereira) Pinto, by the three federal level court-appointed judges who appealed the decision and why isn't it happening? Why? I can't imagine why. I don't understand why. And it is wrong, and it is cruel, and it is tragic, and it is sad, and my son is suffering, and he's losing the innocence of him. As a child, he doesn't deserve this," he said.
    The U.S. said on Friday it was disappointed with the Supreme Court judge's ruling, saying the delay in returning Sean risked damaging his emotional health.
    In a statement, the U.S. Embassy in Brazil said that the Hague Convention aimed at curbing child abductions that both countries have signed called for the immediate return of abducted children to minimize the human and social costs.
    "And it's not, again, a difficult thing to imagine, to know, to feel. It's family, Sean is my family, Sean is my son. I'm his dad, is alright to be together, (it's) not just the rule of law, not just this treaty (from the Hague Convention), not (the fact that) he is Brazilian, not (the fact that) he is American, not he is from anywhere, he is my son. And we should be together and I should be able to raise my son and he should know his dad. And is as simple as that. (Reporter asks: How mad are you?) I'm very hurt and I'm very sad and concerned for my son. Oh, I've met you before (referring to reporter. Reporter says: Yes, we've met). Nice to see you. (Reporter says: I'm on my knees here). That's what I'm on, my knees, begging for my son to come home, begging for justice, begging. Why is it so hard? Why?" Goldman said.
    Goldman has been fighting for custody of Sean since his then-wife took the boy on vacation to her native Brazil in 2004 and got a divorce.
    The mother remarried but died last year. Her family and second husband have sought to keep the boy in Brazil.
    Goldman's case threatened to disrupt Brazil-U.S. ties this year after U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton urged Brazil's government to push for the boy's return.
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