My ex abducted my son, help me get him back!
On December 25, 2017 my apartment flooded through no fault of mine and my apartment was deemed unlivable. Because my son, Kaleb, had a medical condition where he had trouble controlling his bowels, after a week I felt that being in a hotel was not good for him as it was causing so much stress for him and making his condition worse. I contacted my ex husband and through verbal agreement decided that it would be best for Kaleb to finish out his school year in Tacoma with him while we sorted out getting a new place to live. The verbal agreement was that when Kaleb was done with his school year in June, he would return to me at my new residence in Idaho.
Nothing was filed through the courts to amend our 50/50 parenting plan. So this is still in place, we just did a verbal "one time" agreement which is extremely common with parenting plans.
I agreed to this solely on the fact that at the time Aaron was living with his parents so his work schedule of two weeks home and two weeks away was not that much of an issue and it was the lesser evil at the time.
Starting in February 2018, Aaron refused to cooperate with me for phone calls and I had to go through his mother in order to speak to Kaleb. They would only allow me to speak with him one day a week on Sundays, which only lasted 2 weeks. His mother then told me that it was not good for Kaleb to continue talking to me because I made him cry by telling him how much I miss him and love him. They did not let me to speak to him for about a month.
When it was getting closer to June, my ex kept avoiding the topic of returning my son to me. For July 4th, 2018, my ex, along with his father, drove Kaleb to my residence which was about 5 hours away per my request. During this visit my ex would not speak to me despite many efforts for me to do so. I expressed that I wanted Kaleb to move back with me now that we were stable and that was the agreement we had made. My exs father said that my ex would never agree to it. He also said in this conversation that he did not approve of how my ex was behaving towards me and said “I will have a talk with him because he needs to learn how to communicate better with you for the sake of Kaleb”.
Also during this visit, my ex initially refused to let Kaleb spend both nights he was in town at my residence. After multiple pleadings, he agreed to one night.
When it was time for Kaleb to leave with my ex, he begged to not go back with them and said he wanted to stay with me and his brothers. I asked him why and he said “I don’t like it over there. I would rather be with my mommy”. I also asked him about soccer and he said “I don’t like soccer but *insert exs name here* makes me do it”. Yes, my son called his own dad by his first name, not dad.
My urge to just keep Kaleb and not let him go back was strong, but I did not want to traumatize my son even more than he already had been at this point.
Months of inconsistancy with my ex go by at this point. I call Tacoma PD on multiple occassions for him not adhering to the parenting plan, and they said because of how the PP is worded, I have to go through the courts. They would not help return my son to me.
I started making some phone calls to law firms and I was told that because of how the parenting plan was worded, I would have to file a petition for a parenting plan change and that was my only option, to which I could not afford an attorney to do this.
At this point I just kept trying to get visits. I was told he could come visit me or I could come visit him and then last minute either Aaron or his parents would cancel on me.
My concern is that my ex is not even at home half of the month. He spends two weeks a month away on a boat for work and the two weeks that he is away he lies to me about where my son is. He gives me a different answer every time when I ask who is taking care of my son while he is away at work.
The parenting plan clearly states that Kaleb is to live with me most of the time, especially since my ex is never at his residence long term.
The visits that were cancelled are as follows:
Kalebs spring break in 2018, I was denied not only being able to have him at my residence, but I was not even allowed to see him.
my exss parents, verbally said they would drive Kaleb over for Christmas on December 22. They cancelled on me December 12 stating they did not know they were expected to come over, despite telling me on the phone that they were.
I made arrangements to come for a 3 day weekend in January in which they told me they would be out of town and that did not work for them but we agreed on February 18th (Presidents Day).
When that weekend of February 18th came Aaron sent me an email stating that they had plans and it did not work for them and again cancelled on me.
In March 2019 for Kalebs spring break I attempted to have Kaleb come stay with me and his brothers for the duration of his vacation, Aaron once again told me that it was not in Kaleb’s best interest to come be with his family.
Aaron refuses to let me have my son stating that I can come see him whenever but when I try and cancels on me every single time.
Through the course of this process, me and his brothers have been given limited phone/Facetime with Kaleb. In these phone calls Kaleb has expressed his unhappiness living over there, especially now that Aaron no longer lives with his parents but has moved in with another woman. Kaleb has verbally expressed that my exs new girlfriends children are mean to him, he does not call my ex “dad” but actually refers to him as his legal first name, and cries to come home. When Kaleb gets upset and starts begging to return to live with me and his brothers, my ex quickly hangs up the phone every single time.
I would also like to not that he waited to file these papers knowing that me and my other two children were moving to Texas end of August 2019.
I would also like to add, that my ex and I were separated three years before the divorce was final, and in those three years we were able to coparent beautifully with zero issues. When I remarried in October of 2017, this is when my ex because combative and unwilling to coparent in an effective manner. I just want to be able to have my son see both of his parents and not feel torn between the two homes.
I am extremely concerned for Kalebs well being living with my ex in the situation he is in. I have a video of Kaleb saying that his hands are strong because he goes around punching people, which is not the attitude he had when he left my care. Kaleb has become aggressive, mean, and even when talking with his brothers trying to bully them over the phone. These have never been behaviors from him until being in my exs care.
I have been asked multiple times why I do not just drive over and take him home, and I want to clarify that that thought crosses my mind every single day. However, I refuse to traumatize my child by bringing him home that way. It does his mental health no good for me to rip him away from his father in secret just because the parenting plan allows me to do so.
I appreciate everyone who has taken the time and patience to read this. This has been a hard agonizing journey that I would not wish on ANYONE.
The funds needed are for as follows:
The retainer for my attorney is $3500
I, once again, have to fly from Texas to Seattle which runs about $500 (because by the time I have the funds to pay for the ticket, it will be very close to when I actually have to leave and the price will be higher than normal).
I cannot stay at my friends house again and have them drive me around like they have already been so nice to do, so two nights at a hotel and a rental car $500.
My court date is September 19, 2019 at 9 am. My first round in court on August 27, 2019 I represented myself and just in the 5 minutes in front of the judge and other attorney just to postpone my case I was railroaded. I have the proof that my ex is keeping my son from me. As well as the proof that he stopped paying child support January 22, 2019 despite also having a court order for that. He is contempt on two accounts. I just can't do this alone.
It has been over 400 days since I have seen my son. Over 400 days that my ex has ignored the parenting plan and now proceeds to make up lies about me to gain control. Please help me bring my son home.
This is July 4, 2018. The last time I ever saw my son face to face.
Nothing was filed through the courts to amend our 50/50 parenting plan. So this is still in place, we just did a verbal "one time" agreement which is extremely common with parenting plans.
I agreed to this solely on the fact that at the time Aaron was living with his parents so his work schedule of two weeks home and two weeks away was not that much of an issue and it was the lesser evil at the time.
Starting in February 2018, Aaron refused to cooperate with me for phone calls and I had to go through his mother in order to speak to Kaleb. They would only allow me to speak with him one day a week on Sundays, which only lasted 2 weeks. His mother then told me that it was not good for Kaleb to continue talking to me because I made him cry by telling him how much I miss him and love him. They did not let me to speak to him for about a month.
When it was getting closer to June, my ex kept avoiding the topic of returning my son to me. For July 4th, 2018, my ex, along with his father, drove Kaleb to my residence which was about 5 hours away per my request. During this visit my ex would not speak to me despite many efforts for me to do so. I expressed that I wanted Kaleb to move back with me now that we were stable and that was the agreement we had made. My exs father said that my ex would never agree to it. He also said in this conversation that he did not approve of how my ex was behaving towards me and said “I will have a talk with him because he needs to learn how to communicate better with you for the sake of Kaleb”.
Also during this visit, my ex initially refused to let Kaleb spend both nights he was in town at my residence. After multiple pleadings, he agreed to one night.
When it was time for Kaleb to leave with my ex, he begged to not go back with them and said he wanted to stay with me and his brothers. I asked him why and he said “I don’t like it over there. I would rather be with my mommy”. I also asked him about soccer and he said “I don’t like soccer but *insert exs name here* makes me do it”. Yes, my son called his own dad by his first name, not dad.
My urge to just keep Kaleb and not let him go back was strong, but I did not want to traumatize my son even more than he already had been at this point.
Months of inconsistancy with my ex go by at this point. I call Tacoma PD on multiple occassions for him not adhering to the parenting plan, and they said because of how the PP is worded, I have to go through the courts. They would not help return my son to me.
I started making some phone calls to law firms and I was told that because of how the parenting plan was worded, I would have to file a petition for a parenting plan change and that was my only option, to which I could not afford an attorney to do this.
At this point I just kept trying to get visits. I was told he could come visit me or I could come visit him and then last minute either Aaron or his parents would cancel on me.
My concern is that my ex is not even at home half of the month. He spends two weeks a month away on a boat for work and the two weeks that he is away he lies to me about where my son is. He gives me a different answer every time when I ask who is taking care of my son while he is away at work.
The parenting plan clearly states that Kaleb is to live with me most of the time, especially since my ex is never at his residence long term.
The visits that were cancelled are as follows:
Kalebs spring break in 2018, I was denied not only being able to have him at my residence, but I was not even allowed to see him.
my exss parents, verbally said they would drive Kaleb over for Christmas on December 22. They cancelled on me December 12 stating they did not know they were expected to come over, despite telling me on the phone that they were.
I made arrangements to come for a 3 day weekend in January in which they told me they would be out of town and that did not work for them but we agreed on February 18th (Presidents Day).
When that weekend of February 18th came Aaron sent me an email stating that they had plans and it did not work for them and again cancelled on me.
In March 2019 for Kalebs spring break I attempted to have Kaleb come stay with me and his brothers for the duration of his vacation, Aaron once again told me that it was not in Kaleb’s best interest to come be with his family.
Aaron refuses to let me have my son stating that I can come see him whenever but when I try and cancels on me every single time.
Through the course of this process, me and his brothers have been given limited phone/Facetime with Kaleb. In these phone calls Kaleb has expressed his unhappiness living over there, especially now that Aaron no longer lives with his parents but has moved in with another woman. Kaleb has verbally expressed that my exs new girlfriends children are mean to him, he does not call my ex “dad” but actually refers to him as his legal first name, and cries to come home. When Kaleb gets upset and starts begging to return to live with me and his brothers, my ex quickly hangs up the phone every single time.
I would also like to not that he waited to file these papers knowing that me and my other two children were moving to Texas end of August 2019.
I would also like to add, that my ex and I were separated three years before the divorce was final, and in those three years we were able to coparent beautifully with zero issues. When I remarried in October of 2017, this is when my ex because combative and unwilling to coparent in an effective manner. I just want to be able to have my son see both of his parents and not feel torn between the two homes.
I am extremely concerned for Kalebs well being living with my ex in the situation he is in. I have a video of Kaleb saying that his hands are strong because he goes around punching people, which is not the attitude he had when he left my care. Kaleb has become aggressive, mean, and even when talking with his brothers trying to bully them over the phone. These have never been behaviors from him until being in my exs care.
I have been asked multiple times why I do not just drive over and take him home, and I want to clarify that that thought crosses my mind every single day. However, I refuse to traumatize my child by bringing him home that way. It does his mental health no good for me to rip him away from his father in secret just because the parenting plan allows me to do so.
I appreciate everyone who has taken the time and patience to read this. This has been a hard agonizing journey that I would not wish on ANYONE.
The funds needed are for as follows:
The retainer for my attorney is $3500
I, once again, have to fly from Texas to Seattle which runs about $500 (because by the time I have the funds to pay for the ticket, it will be very close to when I actually have to leave and the price will be higher than normal).
I cannot stay at my friends house again and have them drive me around like they have already been so nice to do, so two nights at a hotel and a rental car $500.
My court date is September 19, 2019 at 9 am. My first round in court on August 27, 2019 I represented myself and just in the 5 minutes in front of the judge and other attorney just to postpone my case I was railroaded. I have the proof that my ex is keeping my son from me. As well as the proof that he stopped paying child support January 22, 2019 despite also having a court order for that. He is contempt on two accounts. I just can't do this alone.
It has been over 400 days since I have seen my son. Over 400 days that my ex has ignored the parenting plan and now proceeds to make up lies about me to gain control. Please help me bring my son home.
This is July 4, 2018. The last time I ever saw my son face to face.Organizer
Jocelyn Maxwell
Organizer
Borger, TX