This is unbelievable: you probably heard about the little boy from New Jersey who was kidnapped by his mother to Brazil several years ago. She was supposedly only going on a vacation, but she did not return. Then, to compound the tragedy, she subsequently died in childbirth. The child now lives with his stepfather, who will not give him back to the real father, in the United States. A lower court in Bolivia said the child must be returned, but this was vacated by an appellate court. So, the child remains in Bolivia!
International kidnapping was addressed by what is called the Hague Convention, because it was promulgated in the Netherlands. All member countries must hasten the return of children who are kidnapped to a signatory country. The United States ratified this Treaty in 1988.
Brazil signed on to the Hague Convention - but you wouldn't know it by this sad case.
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