December 2009

International Family Law: Mum fights for abducted baby's return

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We represent this English mother whose baby was taken from Texas to Mexico A young mother has told of her living hell after her baby son was abducted by his father. Samantha Lowry, who is from Swindon and now lives in the US state of Texas, hasn’t seen her three-month-old son Sebastian for six weeks.She is desperately worried about the safety of her child, who was taken without her permission to Mexico by his father, 40-year-old Daniel Pavon-Cuellar.She had only two months to get to know Sebastian and has described the weeks since his disappearance as torture.Speaking from the city of Austin last night, Samantha said: “It is hell. The worse thing is not knowing if Sebastian is safe. If a child is in danger in the UK the authorities remove the baby straight away, but in Mexico it’s much more complicated.”It’s a complete nightmare. Sometimes it is too much to cope with and I can’t bear it, but you can’t give up hope.”The Lowry family are in Austin supporting Samantha with her fight to get Sebastian back.Sister Jemima, 21, described how Sebastian was allegedly taken from Samantha.She said the baby’s father insisted on seeing his son after the couple split up.Jemima says that when Samantha arrived at his home in Austin on May 25, he allegedly pushed her out of the house and locked the door.It is then alleged Samantha rushed across to a neighbour’s house to phone the police, but while she was inside Mr Pavon-Cuellar sped off in his car with Sebastian.He allegedly phoned Samantha 30 hours later from Mexico and ordered her to meet with him or never see Sebastian again.Jemima says 24-year-old Samantha, who was awarded sole custody of Sebastian, is trying desperately to get him back.”She is staying strong – she knows she has to for Sebastian’s sake,” Jemima said. “Every day she has to fight for her son.”The FBI has issued a warrant for the arrest of Mr Pavon-Cuellar. A picture of Sebastian and his father has been posted on the US National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children.The family have asked South Swindon MP Anne Snelgrove for help.Mrs Snelgrove contacted the Foreign Secretary’s Office and Child Abduction Unit and raised the case at Prime Minister’s Question Time while Tony Blair was still in power.

Mr Blair replied that “full consular support” was being provided to the family in both Houston and Mexico City.

Samantha has also begged for Foreign Secretary David Miliband to intervene.

“Please, please help my baby,” she appealed. ” I beg you to do whatever you can to encourage the Mexican Government to return Sebastian safely.”

8:37am today

By Gazette Reporter

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International Family Law: Japan – New Law on Choice of Law

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Japan’s new law on the choice of law is now in effect. It supersedes the law known as the “Horei

Law.” The new law is entitled the “Ho no Tekiyo ni Kansuru Tsusoku,” meaning “Law on the General Rules of Application of Laws.”

It will have a significant effect on international family law cases concerning Japan, as well as in commercial matters.