Demons of the Night

Demons of the Night

Though, it has been many years since my daughter and step-son were abducted by my former spouse and spirited to a faraway country in 2007, I still occasionally awaken in the middle of the night. When this happens, my mind is filled with memories of happier times and yearn for their return.

In 2009, I was granted an Order of Return by the international courts. Sadly, this victory was short lived after a family court judge in the US ruled that it was in my children’s Best Interest to remain with the abductor and allowed them to return to the country of which they were ordered from. This decision was based upon the length of time away from their country of residency during this time.

All evidence was swept aside under the guise of, “It concerns me about this, but…” or “It concerns me about that, however…”. In the end, this particular judge did not follow “Best Interest” standard as mandated by the law. Instead, there was a level of bias, heavy handedness and a trade-off of expediency vs fairness and compassion. All factual evidence was ignored.

I remember a letter I penned to the President of the USA requesting assistance in helping to bring my children home again. I explained that I now have sole custody of both children and the other parent ignored the order of their return after a modification of parental responsibilities in 2011. This is an excerpt of this letter. 

“Five years have now passed since the modification hearing and I am still without my daughter and step-son and they, without me. There has been no contact since their return. A dangerous precedent was set the day this judge ruled in such an erroneous fashion. Basically, he said “kidnap your child, take them overseas and if you are made to return, get in my courtroom, I will give the child back to you”.  

At this point in time, I have come to realize my children won’t be returning on my time schedule. After all, they have been gone for over twelve years and are now being taught to hate me through lies, manipulation and brainwashing. There is simply nothing I can do to stop this from happening until, I am in their lives again.  

Sometimes, I feel like this is a bad dream and will snap out of the slumber that has engulfed me. Unfortunately, this is not the case and I now live a life that is filled with great sadness and heartache. I keep reminding myself that nothing is forever and one day those things that were made wrong will be made right.

In the meantime, I keeping fighting and working on ways to support others who are experiencing parental abduction and/or alienation. I understand the pain and grieving that each of us experience. As such, we need to stand together and help the rest of the untouched world know the plight that was forced into our lives.

Perhaps, the day will arrive when these atrocities are no longer an issue and all children are able to enjoy the benefit of having both parents in their lives. Unfortunately, as long as our current laws remain the same and family court judges are not held accountable for their actions, I fear that parental alienation is here for a long time to come.

It is for this reason, that we absent and targeted parents of alienation must unite and share our horror stories with the rest of the world. If we remain silent, nothing will ever change and the pattern of abuse will continue in the next generation. 

For the moment, Demons of the Night will haunt each of us during our quest to bring our children home again.

David Shubert