RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) – A Brazilian federal court yesterday ordered a 9-year-old boy at the centre of a high-profile custody dispute to be handed over to US authorities in Brazil so he could return with his father to the United States, a lawyer for the father said.
“The court today decided that the boy must be delivered to the US Consulate in Rio de Janeiro in 48 hours,” lawyer Ricardo Zamariola told Reuters.
New Jersey resident David Goldman has been fighting for custody of his son, Sean, since his then-wife took the boy on vacation to her native Brazil in 2004, then divorced him and stayed there in what Goldman says was a case of international child abduction.
Local courts in Brazil have declined to Grant Goldman custody, despite Brazil and the United States being signatories to an international treaty aimed at curbing cases of child abduction by parents.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton urged Brazil’s government this year to push for the boy’s return and lawyers for the Brazilian family have said the US ambassador pressed Brazil’s government to get involved in the case.
Lawmakers in the US House of Representatives passed a resolution this year calling on Brazil’s government to return Sean.
Zamariola said the country’s Supreme Court could still block his return if it acted on a request filed by his Brazilian family.
