Boy reunited with US father after Brazil custody fight

[WriteDown]

Source: BBC

An American father has been reunited with his nine-year-old son after a bitter, five-year custody battle with the boy's Brazilian relatives.

The Brazilian family brought Sean Goldman through a crowd of reporters to the US consulate in Rio de Janeiro to be handed over to his father, David.

Sean was taken to Brazil by Mr Goldman's now-deceased ex-wife.

The case became a high-profile issue, stalling the passage of a trade bill with Brazil in the US Senate.

Sean, wearing a yellow Brazil football shirt, was brought to the US consulate in Rio de Janeiro by his Brazilian relatives in line with a court deadline.

The boy looked anxious as his stepfather and the family lawyer pushed through a crowd of jostling journalists, photographers and police officers.....

Read more: "http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8429659.stm"

---

This just says it all.

"Unfortunately, the Brazilian family, rather than have the hand-off take place in a garage, which would have been secure, parked away and walked him through the press, which only serves to make the situation more stressful for the child," she told the Associated Press news agency."

[Mudoria]

1. Glad this finally happened whatever the circumstances..

Long overdue.

[marshall]

2. What a wonderful Christmas is in store for this boy and his father

He's America's version of Elian Gonzalez. There was absoultely no reason for the stepfather to keep this child from his father all this time.

[MiniMe]

3. This reminds me a lot of Elian Gonzalez

[DesertFlower]

4. great news. nt

[pundaint]

5. I hope the child will be happy about this.

Not an evaluation of either side's position, just my only concern.

[Chemisse]

13. He is probably not happy at all.

But in time he will get to know his dad again, and it will all work out for the best.

[McCamy Taylor]

6. Maybe the Brazilians were worried he would face discrimination in the US

since people from Central and South America are now the butt of jokes and angry backlash even at progressive forums. Maybe they were worried someone would shove an umbrella up his you know what for flirting with a white girl, as was done to a boy in Houston.

[totodeinhere]

8. That's ridiculous. The boy is an white skinned Anglo. Why would he be discriminated against? n/t

[Mudoria]

9. I have a feeling that won't be a problem...

David Goldman holding his son Sean.

[katkat]

14. get a grip, McCamy n/t

[Christa]

7. I feel so sorry for this boy

I am glad he is with his father now, but he must feel so disrupted.

[vanlassie]

10. And when he grows up and realizes what the stepfather did to him

I hope he finds some way of coming to terms with it. Horrible, just horrible.

[Rozlee]

11. Being raised by a loving stepfather, I had a great deal of doubt

about this whole business. But, seeing the way that terrified child was paraded by his stepfather,
at a mob scene in front of cameras, was horrible. And the man actually said he had done it
deliberately! Anyone that would subject a child to an ordeal like that does not have his best
interests in mind. I really hope his natural father treats him better.

[katkat]

15. rozlee

The boy as stolen by his mother. His stepfather has zero rights.

[BrklynLiberal]

12. It would appear that they were happy together before the boy was taken away..

check out slide show of pics...including pics of the mother.

http://www.cbsnews.com/elements/2009/12/17/crimesider/photoessay5990578_1_20_photo.shtml?tag=page




This is the Brazilian step-father who dragged Sean thru the press.