By now, there are probably not too many Americans who have not been following the unbelievably tragic—and exasperating—story of an American father’s brave fight to bring his son home, an 8-year old boy who is being held in Brazil in violation of all international norms, and human decency.
The father is David Goldman.
According to the blog BringSeanHome.org,:
On June 16, 2004 David Goldman said goodbye to his son, Sean, at Newark Airport. He didn’t know it at the time but his wife, Bruna, and her parents Silvana Bianchi Ribeiro and Raimundo Ribeiro were in the process of abducting Sean and taking him to Brazil with no intention of ever returning. According to the Hague Convention, to which both the United States and Brazil are signatories, this was a clear case of international child abduction, otherwise known as parental kidnapping.
As has been reported on NBC Dateline and again this morning on the Today Show, David has been relentlessly fighting in the Brazilian judicial system during the past four years to win back custody of Sean and bring him home to their house in Tinton Falls, New Jersey.
But David has run up against two very powerful and influential families in Brazil “that have done all they can to prevent him from being reunited with Sean. He has exhausted virtually every legal option available to him in both the US and Brazil at great cost emotionally and financially.”
You say, how can this happen today, in 2009?
Well, it is happening. But you can help by contacting your Representative and asking him/her to co-sponsor House Resolution 125-Sean Goldman Abduction, and by going to BringSeanHome.org to offer your support, and where you’ll find this plea:
This incredible saga goes on each day, please take the time to read the articles that have been printed in newspapers and magazines here in the US. Although the Brazilian press (including American owned Associated Press), television and radio outlets have not reported the story due to “gag orders” issued in Brazil, a few brave periodicals such as Piauí Magazine, have defied João Paulo Lins e Silva, reported the story and paid the fines. Orders to shut down this web site were ignored because it is not owned or operated by David, this is America, we know our Constitutional rights! Please watch the videos of interviews and review the information listed on the Media and Documents page then follow along with breaking news on our Blog.
Photo: Courtesy BringSeanHome.Org
