Politics & Government
David Goldman-Inspired International Child Abduction Legislation Passed by House Panel
Former Tinton Falls father was involved in long custody battle to bring his son back to the United States
Legislation on parental abduction of U.S. children overseas stemming from a case involving a former Tinton Falls father and son was passed by the House panel that oversees human rights charied by Rep. Chris Smith (R-04) on Wednesday.
The bill was created to establish procedures for the prompt return of children abducted to other countries.
David Goldman, formerly of Tinton Falls, was propelled into child custody advocacy after his wife, Bruna Bianchi, took his son, Sean, to her native Brazil on a two-week vacation in 2004, and never returned to the United States.
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A divorce was granted in a Brazilian court. Bianchi remarried to a prominent family attorney and died during childbirth in August of 2008. A Brazilian court ruled that Sean, who was born in Red Bank, should remain in the custody of his stepfather following Bianchi’s death.
Goldman waged a several year international struggle to regain custody of his son, saying that the Brazilian government was violating Hague treaties dictating child custody to a biological parent. Goldman had not signed over custody of his son at any point prior to Bianchi’s death.
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The case resulted in Sen. Frank Lautenberg pressing trade sanctions against Brazil and Smith focusing on the case. President Obama raised the issue in conversations with the Brazilian president and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton made the case a priority. Goldman was reunited with his son in December of 2009 following a ruling in his favor by the Brazilian Supreme Court.
“The damage to the child and the left behind parent is incalculable and too often life-long,” Smith said in a release. “The children especially are at risk of serious emotional and psychological problems and may experience anxiety, eating problems, nightmares, mood swings, sleep disturbances, aggressive behavior, resentment, guilt and fearfulness."
"Parental child abduction is child abuse," Smith continued. "These victims are American citizens who need the help of their government when normal legal processes are unavailable or fail. Too many families have been waiting too long.”
To read the bill in its entirety, click here.
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