HELLO everyone this is a letter my cousin Stephanie Fleming Montessi wrote and it is amazing. This should help you understand better. I want to thank all of you for all of your help and hard work. I am beyond grateful and appreciative for everything. Ava & I thank you so much! My daughter Ava and I and our families are grateful for whatever help or guidance you can provide regarding my current situation. My name is Shauna Lynn Hadden (3/01/1980). In an effort to help my daughter understand her Brazilian heritage and also to visit with her father and his extended family, I planned a trip to Brazil on May 21, 2013 with an intent to stay until June 12th. As you may know, the trip has taken an unfortunate turn as my ex-husband has tried to obtain custody of our daughter while here. Our passports were taken and we are on a no-fly list at risk for being arrested if we try to leave. My visa is set to expire on August 21st, 2013. Ava and I live in Agawam, Massachusetts. I am an employee of the state and work for the Department of Children and Families. I am also pursuing my Master’s Degree in social work at Westfield State College. Junior and I were married on 07-01-2006 in the US. We had our daughter Ava Concilia Machado on 03-16-2007. My ex and I were divorced on 01-11-2009 and it was later found that he was illegal in the US and he was deported on 04-01-2010. During the divorce he signed over all custody to me in the US for Ava. Since he has been back in Brazil, he presented an amicable and friendly approach to being a father to Ava.They have been able to Skype over the Internet and stay in touch for the last few years. He built up trust and we thought it was safe to visit. Junior and his family have been encouraging me to visit Brazil for some time. They offered to buy the tickets for us to visit. I finally felt as though she was at the age appropriate to make a visit with me and meet her extended family and understand her heritage. Junior purchased our tickets to fly from JFK airport to RIO. We were supposed to then fly to Criciuma, Santa Catarina Brasil where Ava’s father lives, however, I sensed that his demeanor had changed and felt a sudden sense of worry for how encouraged we were to hurry up and get there. When I broached the topic that we may not make the trip right away and instead visit some friends first, Ava’s father became enraged and angry and I knew that I had made the right decision. A Brazilian friend of ours, Joao Paulo Gomes was also concerned and paid for our next flight to Fortaleza Brasil instead to stay with his family. We have stayed with this family since May 21, 2013 when we arrived where I have monitored the situation. We skyped and talked on the phone with Ava’s father for two days and he made numerous threats regarding taking custody of Ava and making sure we never leave Brasil. Then we stopped hearing from him because he was personally arrested for another crime he committed years back (he stole 2000$ from a friend and fled to the US) never went to court so when he went to court against me he got arrested for his previous warrant). That is an open case for him now as well. On June 6th, 2013, the federal police in Brasil showed up at the family residence with a court order to confiscate Ava’s passport (not mine) but they took mine anyway. I have no idea how he found out where I was staying. I was scared so we handed them both over. It was then that I was made aware that Jr. attempted to get custody and was denied, however, he asked for a visit, which is why they detained us and took our passports. The family I am staying with knows attorneys who have helped me thus far. I have spent $6000 so far in legal fees for the Brazilian lawyers. The lawyers have tried to get the case transferred from Criciuma to Fortaleza. The attorneys sent our defense in and the court ruled that Jr. is allowed one supervised visit in Fortaleza. He has 15 business days to respond. That date is approaching (July 5th). The courts are extremely slow in Brazil and it took three weeks to get our defense heard. In that time, I tried to obtain help from the American Embassy and they told me all I could do was hire attorneys. My family in the US reached out to local politicians to no avail. It wasn’t until yesterday, when I started a social media campaign and everyone from our hometown forwarded my facebook post around that any action to help has begun. My mother also wrote a more formal request to the Congressman to get his attention. The local news stations are airing my story this evening. The Congressman is finally getting involved and Senator Warren has placed a call to my mother in the last few hours. It feels like we are making some traction, but I need all the help I can possible obtain. Thank you again for any help or guidance you can provide. My daughter is scared and confused and needs to get home to the US and back to her normal routine. I am terrified that the courts will drag this out past the expiration of my visa and I will have to leave my daughter. Sincerely, Shauna Hadden and Ava Concilia Machado.
Posted on: Thu, 04 Jul 2013 08:27:43 +0000
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