Received in an email from Mr. Birotte
My son was born on 8-29-05 in Las Vegas at 9 AM. I was so happy; I never felt joy and happiness like this before. I was a chef at CAESARS PALACE at the time. My wife did not work and she did not like me working all of the time either.
Her name is Hilma Aparecida Caldeira and she is a volleyball player. On 4-18-06, she and my son went to Brazil for 3 months to help care for her sick brother. I told her, "Let's go to Houston so my family can see Kelvin before you leave for Brazil." She way OK with that. She then left for Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
When it came time for her to return from Brazil, she asked for more time. At this point, I became concerned and went to the Brazilian Consulate in Houston to see if they could help me. They told me to give her more time. What I did not know was that after 4 months, she would be able to file papers in Brazil for our son's residency and citizenship.
Again, I contacted the consulate for help. They literally laughed at me and told that before 4 months had passed, he was not a resident citizen in Brazil and that I would have stood a chance to get him back with the court's involvement. At this point, I knew that I had to go to Brazil. I immediately went there and was able to be with my son for his second birthday. It was extremely sad. My wife gave me a hard time and did not allow me to be alone with him. I cried when I had to come back home without him.
When I got a call about a court date in Brazil on 3-11-08, I was so happy to go and see my son again. We played every day that I was in Brazil. However, I was still not allowed to be alone with my son at the park, in the mall, or even in my hotel room. Her family members had to be near us at all times.
At the hearing, the judge did not seem to understand what the Hague Convention was and did not seem to care. He asked me and my wife questions about our life together. He did not make a ruling at that time. Rather, he asked me for proof that I had a job and a place to live. I complied with all of the judge's requests. As of 6-1-08, the judge has had everything he needs to make a ruling, yet as of today, he has yet to do so.
At this point, my wife will not let me see my son because I will not give her money. I responded to her that I could not because of the huge legal fees I have paid to get my son back. She has threatened me that she will find a new husband and father for my son and that I will never see him again. When I call her phone, she does not pick up.
It is very sad that in the U.S.A. and Brazil there are thousands of fathers that do not care about their children while many of the ones that do, have their heart and soul ripped out of their body. The pain and tears I feel never stop. My family and friends tell me that they understand, but I feel they do not. This ordeal has broken my spirit and I will never be the same.
