Over four years ago David Goldman’s son, Sean, was abducted by his mother to Brazil. David has been fighting an expansive legal battle in the Brazilian courts to bring his son home.
David’s wife, Bruna, remarried in Brazil and then died last fall giving birth to a new daughter. Bruna’s new husband was then shockingly awarded custody of Sean by a Brazilian court which has since been a bitter court battle for his return.
After being interviewed by a Brazilian psychologist, Sean allegedly said he would “break down totally”, but what exactly does that mean? Isn’t any change in a child of that ages life tramatic? In the case of Sean Goldman should parts of this transcript of his interview even be released if his welfare is everyones main concern? At issue, in a nutshell, is whether Brazil will or won’t honor their agreement as a member of the Hague Convention.
BRASILIA, Brazil (AP) — A 9-year-old boy at the center of an international custody battle told a psychologist he wants to stay with his stepfamily in Brazil rather than return to the U.S. with his biological father, according to a transcript of the interview.
In the transcript, released by the Brazilian family’s lawyers on Wednesday, Sean Goldman tells the psychologist that if he is sent back to New Jersey to be with David Goldman he will “break down totally.”
“I want to stay here in Brazil,” the 9-year-old repeats in the interview.
The interview with Sean Goldman was conducted Monday by psychologist Terezinha Feres-Carneiro in a Rio de Janeiro hospital. It wasn’t immediately clear who paid for the psychologist’s services.
Update 06-20-09: Brazilian judge rules U.S. dad can visit son — in Brazil
NEW YORK (CNN) — A Brazilian federal judge has issued a ruling making it possible for David Goldman to have more access to his son Sean in the ongoing custody battle over the boy, Goldman’s attorney said Friday.
A Brazilian court ruled David Goldman can have custody of his son, Sean, but in Brazil, not in the United States.
The Brazilian court said Thursday it will allow Goldman to visit with his son unsupervised every week from Monday morning through Saturday evening. The problem is he must do it on Brazilian soil, not in New Jersey where he lives.
Patricia Apy, Goldman’s attorney, predicted Sean’s stepfather will file an appeal. In the meantime, she said, David Goldman will likely take advantage of the ruling and visit Sean soon, “despite his severe reluctance to engage in such behavior, given the observations of the Goldman family’s behavior toward Sean in response to his visits.”
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When a child goes missing 