SEAN GOLDMAN - 2004 Int'l Abduction Story - REUNITED WITH HIS DAD 12/24/09

[2NJSons_Mom]

jjm323,

In an effort to bring more awareness, I have just posted a link to this thread, as well as the Dateline transcript, in Monkey Musings Daily where many members stop in to chat. 

http://scaredmonkeys.net/index.php?topic=4248.new#new

I'm sorry I missed your recent updates on the airing. 
 

[2NJSons_Mom]

jjm323,

Have you tried to contact Red, the owner of this Forum.  Perhaps he'd be interested in doing a Front Page article on the Scared Monkeys Blog at http://scaredmonkeys.com/       red@scaredmonkeys.com  (email).

Dana Pretzer also has his radio show here  -  dana@scaredmonkeys.com 

http://scaredmonkeysradio.com/

[jjm323]

jjm323,

Have you tried to contact Red, the owner of this Forum.  Perhaps he'd be interested in doing a Front Page article on the Scared Monkeys Blog at http://scaredmonkeys.com/       red@scaredmonkeys.com  (email).

Dana Pretzer also has his radio show here  -  dana@scaredmonkeys.com 

http://scaredmonkeysradio.com/

Thanks for the suggestion.  I e-mailed all of them.  Hoping for a response.

[jjm323]

Congressman Christopher Smith (R-NJ) has taken up David's cause after the airing of last Friday nights Dateline NBC Special. Congressman Smith is flying to Brazil today with David and will accompany him to a court hearing tomorrow in Brasilia in which the custody of Sean could potentially be determined. 

http://www.app.com/article/20090205/NEWS/90205014

Yesterday afternoon Congressman Smith submitted to the House of Representatives House Resolution 125: "Calling on the Central Authority of Brazil to immediately discharge all its duties under the Hague Convention by facilitating and
supporting federal judicial proceedings as a matter of extreme urgency to obtain the return of Sean Goldman to his father David Goldman for immediate return to the United States."

Please contact your Congressman and ask them to pass House Resolution 125.


Let's all thank Congressman Smith and say a prayer tonight that David and Sean will soon be reunited.

I would love for Scared Monkeys to do a front page story on this case.

[MuffyBee]

Good news! I hope David and Sean will be reunited soon. 

[jjm323]

IT TOOK MONTHS OF HARD WORK, BUT IT IS ALL PAYING OFF TODAY.

First, Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ) contacts David and agrees to accompany him to Brazil.

Then the AP Bureau in Brazil breaks the 4 month media blackout on the case.

http://www.wtopnews.com/?nid=105&sid=1594108

Now, better late than never the New Jersey Democratic Senators (not wanting to let s small NJ COngressman steal the thunder) have called for Sean's return!


LAUTENBERG, MENENDEZ CALL ON BRAZILIAN PRESIDENT TO TAKE ACTION TO RETURN
SEAN GOLDMAN TO FATHER

N.J. Senators Say Son Belongs With Father in United States ; Request Meeting With Brazilian Ambassador to Settle International Custody Dispute
 
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Sen. Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ) today called on Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to follow international law and assist in the return of Sean Goldman to his father in the United States .  Sean Goldman, who is eight years old, was taken to Brazil by his mother Bruna Goldman in 2004 and kept in Brazil without the consent of the boy’s father – David Goldman.  David Goldman has since waged a legal battle to get his son back.
 
Dear President Lula:
 
We are writing to bring your attention to an international custody dispute involving David Goldman, a United States citizen from New Jersey , and his son, Sean Goldman.  In 2004, Sean, a United States citizen, was taken to Brazil by Mr. Goldman’s late wife, Bruna Goldman, for a two-week vacation.  Once in Brazil , Mrs. Goldman informed Mr. Goldman that she would permanently stay in Brazil with the child without Mr. Goldman’s consent. Since that time, Mr. Goldman has not been permitted to visit with or gain custody of his son, even after Mrs. Goldman’s death in 2008.   
 
For the past four years, Mr. Goldman has been working within Brazilian and U.S. courts, to secure return of his son and assert his parental rights.  On August 26, 2004, two months after the child’s arrival with his Mother in Brazil , the Superior Court of the State of New Jersey issued a ruling ordering that Sean be returned to the United States .  When the child was not returned, Mr. Goldman filed judicial proceedings with the Federal Court of Rio de Janeiro based on the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of the International Abduction of Children.  Under the Hague Convention, of which both the U.S. and Brazil are signatories, a child who is a habitual resident in one party country, and who has been removed to another party country in violation of the parent's custodial rights, is to be returned to the country of habitual residence. 
 
The failure to return Sean to Mr Goldman appears to be in direct contradiction to the intentions of the Hague Convention.  It is our understanding that Mr. Goldman has been prevented from securing the return of Sean to the United States based upon Article 12 of the Hague Convention, which states that it is within a judge’s discretionary power to refuse return of a child if the application for return is made more than one year after the date of the taking and the child has become settled in the new environment.  However, this application of Article 12 hardly seems fair under these circumstances, and seems inconsistent with the language and purpose of the Treaty.  Mr. Goldman did petition for the return of his child within a year of his being taken to Brazil .  Additionally, it would set a dangerous precedent to deny parental rights based of the length of time for which the parent was denied access to the child and time-consuming judicial proceedings.
 
Further, with the death of Bruna Goldman, any possible argument of the child having become acclimated in the care of his Mother has dissipated.  Mr. Goldman is Sean’s remaining biological and legal parent.

As we are sure you can appreciate, these four years have been extremely painful for Mr. Goldman.  He has not been permitted to see his son Sean since 2004 – and even when Mr. Goldman traveled to Rio de Janeiro in October 2008 for visitation ordered by the Brazilian court, Sean was hidden from him and those rights were violated.  Many diplomatic efforts have been made to ensure Sean’s return to his father.  The U.S. Embassy in Brazil has repeatedly urged Brazilian authorities to recognize Mr. Goldman’s paternal rights and the international and national laws that favor his case. Furthermore, the Special Secretariat for Human Rights of the Presidency of the Republic of Brazil, the central authority for the Hague Convention in Brazil, has sent a request to the Office of the Attorney General for the return of Sean to the U.S.
 
Given the strong and friendly relationship between our two countries, we are writing to respectfully ask that you examine this case and take appropriate action to reunite Sean and his father.  We also request a meeting with Ambassador Antonio de Aguiar Patriota at his earliest possible convenience. Thank you for your time and consideration.
 
 
Sincerely,
 
 
U.S. Sen. Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ)
U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ)

DAVID AND SEAN WILL BE TOGETHER SOON!
 

[Nut44x4]

A new member posted about this a short while ago and I moved it to Crimes Against Children forum.  Thank you, Edward for posting the video. 

I might add Sean's name to the subject line and merge these somehow.

Other information can be found here:

http://scaredmonkeys.net/index.php?topic=4281.0

I merged them

[jjm323]

David and Sean reunited in Brazil for first time in 4 1/2 years.

http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090209/NEWS/90209071

Hopefully, we are moving closer to a happy ending.

[2NJSons_Mom]

David and Sean reunited in Brazil for first time in 4 1/2 years.

http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090209/NEWS/90209071

Hopefully, we are moving closer to a happy ending.

I just saw a news update that mentioned the reunion and came here to post it!!!  I do hope it is getting closer to that happy ending. 

[2NJSons_Mom]

      abc news report said no guarantee that father & son will be reunited permanently (my words).     

Have to keep on keeping on.   

[jjm323]

     abc news report said no guarantee that father & son will be reunited permanently (my words).     

Have to keep on keeping on.   

You are right 2NJSons_Mom.

Yesterday was a first step, but we have to keep the pressure on the government and courts of Brazil to do the right thing.  I did not see the WABC news report, but Jeff Peagues has been a big help in getting the story out. I trust what he says.

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WE CAN DO RIGHT NOW IS HELP PASS HOUSE RESOLUTION 125.  Please click on below link and follow instructions on how to contact Congressmen in your state. Thanks!


http://bringseanhome.org/hr125.html




http://bringseanhome.org/help.html


The Media has picked up on the visit. Here is some future coverage:


* The Today Show, Tue Feb 10, around 7:30am they will have a 2-3 minute update on the case

* The Today Show, Wed Feb 11 at either 7:30 or 8am, will have a live interview with Rep Chris Smith discussing the case

* The Today Show will have David on as a live guest upon his return from Brazil, perhaps later this week or next

* Greta van Susteren’s GretaWire Blog

http://gretawire.foxnews.com/2009/02/09/update-on-an-story-we-covered-on-the-record-at-10pm/

[jjm323]

Check out this morning's interview.


http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/29116960#29116960

[2NJSons_Mom]

Check out this morning's interview.


http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/29116960#29116960

Thank you.   I had missed it this morning.  My heart is in my throat.  As Matt Lauer said, the emotion in his voice.   I cannot imagine being in David's position and hope today's visit is enough to sustain him until this is resolved in his favor. 

[jjm323]

Check out this morning's interview.


http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/29116960#29116960

Thank you.   I had missed it this morning.  My heart is in my throat.  As Matt Lauer said, the emotion in his voice.   I cannot imagine being in David's position and hope today's visit is enough to sustain him until this is resolved in his favor. 

Thank you for your thoughts and support.  I can't imagine there were many dry eyes after that interview.  I am choked up again just thinking about it! It is amazing what we as Americans can accomplish when we work together for a common and just cause. 

If you haven't contacted your Congressman yet about HR125 calling on the central authority of Brazil to immediately discharge all its duties under the Hague Convention by facilitating and supporting Federal judicial proceedings as a matter of extreme urgency to obtain the return of Sean Goldman to his father, David Goldman, for immediate return to the United States, follow the below link and please do:

http://www.bringseanhome.org/hr125.html

[jjm323]

Can you please post this in the other Chat Thread:

If you haven't contacted your Congressman yet about HR125 calling on the central authority of Brazil to immediately discharge all its duties under the Hague Convention by facilitating and supporting Federal judicial proceedings as a matter of extreme urgency to obtain the return of Sean Goldman to his father, David Goldman, for immediate return to the United States, follow the below link and please do:

http://www.bringseanhome.org/hr125.html

Done.  

[jjm323]

DAVID GOLDMAN will appear on Larry King Live tonight 3/4/2009 at 9:00 p.m. EST.

Please stay tuned.

There will also be an update on the Today Show at 7:15 a.m. this morning.

Hillary Clinton will officially comment on the case.

Again, if you haven't contacted your Congressman yet about House Res 125 calling on the central authority of Brazil to immediately discharge all its duties under the Hague Convention by facilitating and supporting Federal judicial proceedings as a matter of extreme urgency to obtain the return of Sean Goldman to his father, David Goldman, for immediate return to the United States, follow the below link and please do:

http://www.bringseanhome.org/hr125.html

[Nut44x4]

jjm323,

I suggest all of pertinent information be posted in one thread.  I can move these new posts with video, etc. to the main stickied thread.  The Subject of the sticked thread should be changed to something with Sean's name, Abduction date and something about David being denied access to his son.

I think this may bring more attention.  Also noticed that one of our members posted the same video from Greta in the Missing Person Forum section.  If you'd prefer all info to be there, I can see if our admin agrees.

I see you have posted the same in the stickied thread.  Got a little confused, as it is now in three threads.   

You think you're confused????  I don't have a clue! LOL! I still don't understand why there are 2, lmao.

[2NJSons_Mom]

Highlight of news coming up on ABC, heard something about David/Sean and a state trip Obama will be taking????   I hope I heard right. 

[2NJSons_Mom]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090313/pl_afp/usbrazilpolitics

SAO PAULO, Brazil (AFP) – Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was heading to Washington Friday, ahead of weekend talks with US President Barack Obama that would include the global crisis -- and the fate of an eight-year-old boy.

US lawmakers this week overwhelmingly passed a resolution calling on Brazil to return the boy, Sean Goldman, to his US father and said they wanted Obama to raise the matter with Lula when they see each other on Saturday.

Sean is currently living with his stepfather in Brazil after his Brazilian mother -- who took him to the South American nation after a split with her US husband David Goldman four years ago -- died in childbirth last August.

A Brazilian court has granted custody of Sean to his Brazilian stepfather, ignoring a previous court decision in the US state of New Jersey giving custody to David Goldman.

The story has become regular fodder in US media, and, more recently, in Brazil.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton raised the Goldman case when she met her Brazilian counterpart Celso Amorim two weeks ago.

While emotions were running high over that case, US and Brazilian officials were more focused on the financial and economic crisis reshaping the world, and how the talks could go to addressing it.

Lula and Obama were to discuss "possible remedies to the global financial crisis," Amorim said.

The fact that Lula is to be the first Latin American leader to be received by Obama since the latter took power on January 20 spoke volumes about Brazil's role as the pre-eminent economic and diplomatic power in the region south of the US border.

This time, a Brazilian president was not heading to Washington hat in hand asking for a bail-out, as has happened so many times with his predecessors when crises struck.

Instead, Lula was arriving as one of the leaders of the emerging nations, which will meet with the industrialized nations in a G20 summit in London April 2.

His country, which last year was given an investment-grade rating and announced gigantic oil finds, is reaching for a higher global profile to match its strengthened economic clout.

Brasilia's aspirations include a permanent seat on an expanded UN Security Council, and a voice in helping solve the nasty and prolonged Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

"It's the first time that Brazil has economic stability with democracy, and it's certain that it's emerging -- but that signifies as well great responsibility," said Paulo Sotero, head of the Brazil Institute research unit in the Woodrow Wilson center of studies in the United States.

Regionally, Brazil is seen as an independently minded nation of 190 million people whose socialist-capitalist policies give it prestige among both free-market US allies (Colombia, Peru, Mexico) and hard-left US antagonists (Venezuela, Cuba, Bolivia).

Still, the crisis is hitting Brazil hard. Industrial output has fallen off a cliff, unemployment is taking off, and, worse, international credit for the commodity-exporting nation is drying up.

Brazil has been vociferous in demanding the wealthier nations provide credit to emerging countries, and that trade be boosted, not subject to protectionism.

"That is our priority number one," Lula told reporters Thursday, saying he planned to raise it with Obama and at the G20 summit of leading industrial and developing countries.

He said action must be taken "to normalize international credit for companies and so that people can get money from loans."

The Brazilian president also hinted strongly that Obama should overcome his resistance to nationalizing faltering US banks.

"Normalized credit means that certain countries are going to have to create public banks," Lula said.

[2NJSons_Mom]

Just heard on NBC news that the court has decided Sean should be returned to his father.  I will post it when I find written documentation. 

This is great news.