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parental kidnapping?

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jbreece1

Junior Member
I live in Missouri. My wife of ten years left for England in April to attend a summer course on Theology. We decided that she would take our three children (aged 10, 7, and 2) with her so they could experience another country. Before they left everyone was happy, smiling, playing nothing out of the ordinary. As soon as they landed in England, however, my wife refused to contact me for about two weeks. I began to assume something was wrong and left several messages for her to call back or I would have to contact the police to find her. When she finally called back me back she was combative and accused me of trying to ruin her trip. She then refused to give me her address and stopped answering the phone. She didn't contact me again until another week went by and I was able to get her address. Since then our communication dwindled until we were only speaking via text messages. They were supposed to have returned in September. It is now almost December. I have not been able to speak to my children since they left. She is now telling everyone that we are divorced and that she is never coming home and is still refusing to let me speak to my children. She has unfriended me on Facebook and has changed her phone number. She has also began to spread stories about how I beat the children and this is why she "fled" to England.
I have never raised a finger to my children. They are the central focus in my life. I don't know what is going on with my family and I don't know what I can possibly do to get my children back. I haven't even seen pictures of them in almost 8 months.
 


Proserpina

Senior Member
I live in Missouri. My wife of ten years left for England in April to attend a summer course on Theology. We decided that she would take our three children (aged 10, 7, and 2) with her so they could experience another country. Before they left everyone was happy, smiling, playing nothing out of the ordinary. As soon as they landed in England, however, my wife refused to contact me for about two weeks. I began to assume something was wrong and left several messages for her to call back or I would have to contact the police to find her. When she finally called back me back she was combative and accused me of trying to ruin her trip. She then refused to give me her address and stopped answering the phone. She didn't contact me again until another week went by and I was able to get her address. Since then our communication dwindled until we were only speaking via text messages. They were supposed to have returned in September. It is now almost December. I have not been able to speak to my children since they left. She is now telling everyone that we are divorced and that she is never coming home and is still refusing to let me speak to my children. She has unfriended me on Facebook and has changed her phone number. She has also began to spread stories about how I beat the children and this is why she "fled" to England.
I have never raised a finger to my children. They are the central focus in my life. I don't know what is going on with my family and I don't know what I can possibly do to get my children back. I haven't even seen pictures of them in almost 8 months.


You absolutely NEED an attorney. I'm sorry, but this is beyond the scope of a message board.
 

Isis1

Senior Member
this is not parental kidknapping. mom did nothing illegal.

dad, you need an attorney. this is an international matter now. really beyond the scope of a forum.

please go see an attorney. get a few consults. you may have already run out of time.
 

CSO286

Senior Member
File for divorce, have your attorney request she be ordered to return the children to the US. The UK is a signatory to the Hague convention, so they will help enforce any court order....
 

Proserpina

Senior Member
File for divorce, have your attorney request she be ordered to return the children to the US. The UK is a signatory to the Hague convention, so they will help enforce any court order....


While that's true on paper, and while the UK does not have jurisdiction over the children just yet - this is NOT as easy at it may seem (not to you, CSO - just to others who might read). And "they will" is not necessarily accurate, at all.

Dad, is Mom a UK citizen?
 

CSO286

Senior Member
While that's true on paper, and while the UK does not have jurisdiction over the children just yet - this is NOT as easy at it may seem (not to you, CSO - just to others who might read). And "they will" is not necessarily accurate, at all.

Dad, is Mom a UK citizen?
I did make out sound very 1, 2, 3, didn't I? OP-it's but going to be quite as easy as I suggested....

I do defer to Proserpina for all UK related items.

OP, find thee a lawyer familiar with international custody disputes.
 

jbreece1

Junior Member
Thanks for the prompt answers. I truly appreciate it.

Mom is an American and as far as I know has no citizenship in the UK. Does it make any difference at all that she has been keeping me from speaking to the children? Or that she (presumably) left under false pretenses? By that I mean she claimed to be going to school and then did complete turn-about once there.
 

Proserpina

Senior Member
Thanks for the prompt answers. I truly appreciate it.

Mom is an American and as far as I know has no citizenship in the UK. Does it make any difference at all that she has been keeping me from speaking to the children? Or that she (presumably) left under false pretenses? By that I mean she claimed to be going to school and then did complete turn-about once there.

I'm honestly curious as to why Mom thinks she can remain in the UK with the kids - legally.


With that said, because Mom and the kids apparently do NOT have citizenship - and that's a huge assumption given that you're not sure yourself - it might make things a bit easier.

But the bottom line is that you NEED an attorney. I'm talking "Go to bed, right now, and first thing in the morning be at the attorney's doorstep" .

IF Mom is now a resident, so will be the kids (as a general rule) and even IF you manage to get an order to have the kids returned (not impossible by any means), it could - feasibly - take at least a year to even have the Hague case heard.

Get. Moving!


(As a side note, to CSO - there was no criticism of your post, hon :) )
 

jbreece1

Junior Member
Thanks, Proserpina. You've given me my first glimmer of hope for a very long time. My only fear is money. I'm nowhere near wealthy enough to afford a drawn out legal battle.

But you have eased my mind. I appreciate that. I'll call some lawyers in the morning.
 

mistoffolees

Senior Member
I'm honestly curious as to why Mom thinks she can remain in the UK with the kids - legally.


With that said, because Mom and the kids apparently do NOT have citizenship - and that's a huge assumption given that you're not sure yourself - it might make things a bit easier.

But the bottom line is that you NEED an attorney. I'm talking "Go to bed, right now, and first thing in the morning be at the attorney's doorstep" .

IF Mom is now a resident, so will be the kids (as a general rule) and even IF you manage to get an order to have the kids returned (not impossible by any means), it could - feasibly - take at least a year to even have the Hague case heard.

Get. Moving!
I concur. You've already lost months - and every day that Mom and the kids are in the UK makes it harder for you to get them returned. It's now 7 months and you haven't done anything yet? :confused::eek:

See an attorney first thing in the morning.
 

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