Thiago de Sousa Maciel
Date of Birth: 26 October 2004
Left Behind Parent: Kees van Driel (Father)
Abducting Parent: Maria Acilda de Sousa Maciel (Mother)
Habitual Residence: Bilthoven,The Netherlands (Holland)
Abducted to: Brazil
Date of Abduction: 19 September 2008
Brazilian Federal Case Number (State of Amazonas): 2009.32.00.007253-4
If you have information on the whereabouts of Thiago in Brazil or his mother, Maria Azilna Duque Maciel
Contact: Netherlands Regional Police Utrecht, Zeist Office, Telephone +31 (0) 800 - 6070 or
Email: keesvandriel@bringseanhome.org
Forum: Maciel/van Driel

Statement

My son Thiago is held in Brazil by the sister of my ex-wife, Maria Azilna Duque Maciel (the sister works for the Brazilian Government) or Maria Auxiliadora de Sousa Maciel (sister).

We lived together (divorced) since August 2007 and were officially divorced 18 June 2008.

She did not agree with the visitation regulations that she made in the first place and then the judge made official,

The Abduction
At first, I thought that it was another weekend without my son but that became a nightmare when I got the message from my lawyer saying that her lawyer stated that she left for Brazil.

She left Holland with Thiago and Maella, her daughter from a previous relationship on 19 September 2008.

Although I have no custodial or legal rights of Maella the Dutch judge asked for a report and investigation (Department of Child Defense) on Maella’s behalf to gain contact with me (something that her mother disapproved).

The judge did the final ruling in the divorce case 24th December 2008, the case before the judge was 6 weeks before the 24th to leave room for her to come up with tickets or another justification.

The verdict came because her lawyer had no justification, although he was in contact with her by phone.

In November and December all the papers of verdicts and official documents were sent to the Brazilian Central Authority.

In January 2009 my ex-wife came to Holland, I didn’t know of that until March 2009. That is when she started an appeal case in a higher tribunal. The case is going to take place in January 2010. I know that my ex-wife arranged to come to Europe without being caught for kidnapping because the Dutch police did not put her on the wanted list until February 2009.

She is still in Holland and the police have not questioned her yet, since they are unable to locate her.

When she was in Brazil she made a declaration at the police against me, the AGU postponed the case due to that for several months. When they did take on the case they didn’t know what to do. The Dutch Central Authorities explained the case once more.

On 19 October 2009, after more than three inquiries the Dutch Central Authority received a letter stating that the case was known at the Federal Justice of the State of Amazonas with number 2009.32.00.007253-4

The 20th October 2009 the Dutch Central Authority asked for an indication of the date of the hearing and the exact whereabouts of Thiago. It seemed that in time Thiago was sent too live with another sister than the one we originally thought.

We are still waiting after three additional inquiries for answers.

Current Information

1: The Brazilian Central Authority responded to the Dutch CA's inquiry of 30 November 2009 on 5 January 2010 stating that the Attorney general filed for restitution of the child before the Federal Justice of the State of Amazonas. The judge informed the mother about the procedures, but no hearings have been scheduled. Read the document HERE (Adobe PDF)

2: The Dutch CA responded to the incomplete information provided by the Brazilian CA requesting to know the exaact dates when documents were filed as well as why there has been a huge delay by the Brazilian CA. Read the document HERE (Adobe PDF)