PLEASE VIEW THE LINK BELOW:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TuhFesPKL_U&fe ature=channel_page
To Whom It May Concern,
I am writing to you because this story needs to be told.
Recently my brother's infant daughter, my only niece was abducted and
removed from the United States. Her mother who is not a US Citizen
(she was born in Brazil) ignored court orders and denied my brother
his visitation rights.
From day one my brother has done all the right things, has been
devoted to his child and just wanted to be involved in his daughter's
life. Because of a simple request for a DNA test his life and our
family's life has been turned upside down. The mother tried in every
way to block him from seeing his daughter making threats to take her
to Brazil so he would never see her again. My brother obtained an
attorney thinking this would help him. He was awarded visitation, the
ex parte order stated the mother was not to remove the child from the
State of North Carolina and she was to surrender the child's passport.
She ignored both, and on February 7th when the child was not dropped
off for visitation, we knew she had finally made good on her threat.
Because it was a Saturday, we could not contact the attorney, and the
local police would not help. We contacted the US Department of
State's website for International Parental Child Abduction. We found
out later in the week that my niece had arrived in Brazil on February
5th.
There is something very wrong with the laws and policies regarding
Father's Rights. The President asked during his campaign for father's
to step up and take responsibility, well my brother did just that, and
now he is without his child. We do not plan to give up, but we do not
have thousands of dollars to try and recover his child.
There is nothing about this situation that is fair. We do not believe
his attorney took him seriously, the Judge presiding over his case
labeled him a jealous ex who did not want to let go. How can a father
get a fair chance with a judge who is biased? Why are their laws in
place to prevent such things, but really are not enforced? When will
Fathers really have fair and equal access to their children? Who will
help my brother get his daughter back. He has been awarded sole
custody, but only after his daughter was taken away.
I hope my brother does not end up being one of those fathers who
tried and tried, but just ran out of money, exhausted, out of a job
and just broken down. I'm sure that happens to lots of good fathers
who start out trying to do the right thing but because of the lack of
fairness, lazy or inexperienced attorneys, judges who are biased; they
just give up.
There was a Dateline story and an update on the Today Show this past
week about a father, David Goldman in a similar situation fighting to
get his child back from Brazil. His nightmare has taken him 4 ½ years
and he still has not had his son returned to the United States. We do
not have 4 ½ years, we do not think it should take that long. Under
the Hague Convention, Brazil should return a child back to the US
immediately, within 6 weeks.
The US Department of State's website says, 'The Department of State
places the highest priority on the welfare of children, and is deeply
committed to assisting children and parents involved in these cases'.
Well my family is involved in one of these cases, and we are waiting.
My family and I are frustrated with this empty feeling of being unable
to help. I refuse to believe that our elected officials and U.S. State
Department cannot do more to apply the requisite pressure on the
Brazilian government to rectify this gross injustice and have my niece
returned to her biological father.
Children are our greatest gift and to have one stolen away from us by
a citizen of another country should be a matter of utmost urgency to
the elected officials of this state and country. The media attention
that the Goldman case received I believe was a huge factor in Mr.
Goldman being reunited with his son and has me given me great hope
that my brother and his daughter will be reunited very soon.
It is difficult for me to understand how the Brazilian courts claim to
be a part of the Hague Convention, but when it comes to cases like
David Goldman's and my brother's, they do not abide by their
obligations. My brother has been granted full custody of his daughter
due to this unfortunate situation and no parent should be denied his
or her God-given right to raise their child and that is a basic tenet
of any civilized society. It is incredibly distressing that our
elected officials and State Department cannot do more to see to it
that the Brazilians abide by their obligations under the Hague
Convention.
Time is precious and although it was unfortunate that Mr. Goldman lost
four years with his son Sean, my brother cannot afford to lose four
years with his daughter – enough is enough. Please help my family!
Thank you in advance for taking the time to read my message. I truly
hope this is something you will be able to address soon.
My contact information is:
Stevie Davenport (Aunt)
Chapel Hill, NC
Email:
stevie.davenport@gmail.comPhone: 919-365-7324 (home) 919-966-8762 (work) 919-454-1244 (cell)
My brother's contact information is:
Devon Davenport (Father)
Cary, NC
Email:
demaurida05@gmail.comPhone: 919-600-0624
My Mother and Father's contact information is:
Sandra & Glen Davenport (Grandparents)
Wendell, NC
Email:
Sdavenport@nc.rr.com Phone: 919-365-7324
