A mother in Calgary last month thinking she would finally see her daughter. The child’s paternal grandmother took her to Europe — that much the mother knew. However, she was not prepared for what she would learn in court.
The 6-year-old girl was not in Germany as the mother thought — she is in Iran. While the grandmother does have relatives and there is a return airline ticket to Calgary, the mother doesn’t know how her child was granted a passport. In addition, the consent to travel letter was not signed by the mother — only the father.
The mother and father split up about four years ago and the father had custody from day-to-day. The mother was to have the girl every other weekend. She called to tell the father that she was going to be a bit late picking up her daughter the next day, but there was no answer. She found out that the girl had been taken to Germany by her father’s mother and with her father’s permission. A “Hague Application” was filed the following Monday by the mother. Germany is part of The Hague Convention, but Iran isn’t.
The mother insists she didn’t sign the application for a passport. The Citizenship and Immigration Canada department — which handles passports — says that fraud allegations are taken seriously, but the mother has not heard back from the CIC.
The mother said that the father signed a copy of the consent to travel letter, which listed that the child would be in Germany and then in Iran. It was notarized. The father says he didn’t realize that was what he was signing because he has difficulties with English.
The judge ordered that the child is to be returned to the mother and that she will have sole custody when the child returns. The grandmother’s house has had a lien placed on it until the child is brought back. In the meantime, the mother can do nothing but wait.
When faced with child custody situations, an experienced lawyer can provide advice and guidance during difficult time. He or she can help you pursue the child custody ruling you feel is in the best interests of your child.
Source: cbc.ca, “Calgary child taken to Iran ‘without my knowledge or consent’ says mother,” Judy Aldous, June 06, 2016