Bochert continued to search for her child, even employing the wide reach of social media by creating a Facebook page titled “Have you Seen Cara Cox?” On that page she shared several photos of Cara and Cara’s father, including sharing an age-progressed photo of what Cara may look like today on Mother’s Day of this year. The following day, a tip came in to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children indicating that Cara and her father were residing in a remote area in Hidalgo, Mexico, about two hours outside of Mexico City. A few days later, U.S. authorities went to the residence and arrested Cara’s father and extradited him to Florida. He will be returned to Volusia County, where the initial abduction took place, and federal authorities are exploring whether any federal criminal actions could also be filed.

Florida Visitation Arrangements

Custody and visitation arrangements are a common facet of divorce proceedings when children are involved. In addition, non-married parents may also establish these types of arrangements through the family court system, provided that paternity is established. While in many cases these arrangements are honored and both parties comply with their terms, sometimes they are not, potentially resulting in serious consequences. Courts take into account the best interests of the child or children when deciding child custody issues, and also have the ability to modify their orders should circumstances change.

While the case of Cara Cox is an extreme example, these things can happen, and children and parents can both suffer as a result. The early intervention of an attorney in a child custody case can ensure that both parents’ interests are adequately represented, potentially avoiding an acrimonious situation at a later date. Additionally, these situations rarely occur spontaneously and without warning signs, and an attorney can help obtain a temporary modification or a restraining order, should the circumstances warrant it.

Contact a Ft. Lauderdale Family Law Attorney

Anyone with a child custody or other family law issue should discuss their situation with an experienced Boca Raton family law attorney as soon as possible. With over 30 years of experience practicing in family law, attorney Alan Burton has the skill and experience required to bring your case or issue to a successful resolution. To schedule a free consultation with Mr. Burton, call our office today at (954) 229-1660. To send us an email, please fill out and submit the contact form on the right side of this page.

Due to the great diversity of people, you frequently see many Americans marrying people from foreign countries. When these couples have children, divorce can bring about some serious issues regarding the stability of the minor children.

Divorce frequently creates a considerable amount of anger between the parents, and the minor children are often times used as pawns by the parents.

In happier days, family trips abroad were generally wonderful experiences for the family and particularly for the children. Now that a divorce proceeding has commenced, just the thought of a minor child traveling abroad with one of their parents can send shivers up the spine of the other parent.

Parental kidnapping is a real event and it happens every day across this country. Just the other day a child was recovered in Mexico, after having been unlawfully removed from central Florida to that country by her father. This is the story of Cara Cox, as reported by CNN.

These kinds of situations can be prevented, but early action and intervention is required. Passports for children should be promptly removed from the control of a parent who has ever made a threat about kidnapping. Any threat should be considered “real”.

If a parent refuses to surrender a child’s passport, you should seek immediate relief from the court for a turnover of the passport. Additionally, a court order for supervised visitation or time sharing should be considered if the facts support that relief.

Immigration should also be alerted and put on notice of the potential threat.

There are state and Federal laws designed to assist in the recovery of children taken abroad unlawfully. An example is found in the provisions of the Hague Convention, which purpose is to foster cooperation and assistance from foreign countries in returning children.

These laws can be complex and tedious, and could take years to implement and enforce.

The better course of action is to be preventive, and take all immediate precautions as the circumstances warrant. Be proactive, and trust your gut feelings. .

Contact a Florida Family Law Attorney for Help

Family laws and court precedents can change on a regular basis. If you have any family law matter or concerns, you should always consult with a family law attorney who is familiar with Florida law and keeps up to date on any new changes. If you are facing divorce or any other issue in Boca Raton or Fort Lauderdale, do not hesitate to contact experienced lawyer Alan R. Burton for assistance today.