Dubai: Dubai Police have intervened to help a distraught woman reunite with her daughter, in a bizarre custodial battle that saw the woman’s estranged husband escape the country with their child.
The case involves an Arab husband and a European wife who have separated but not officially divorced.
Married for three years, the couple’s relationship turned sour, following which the man went back to his home country leaving his wife and child behind.
However, according to Dubai Police, the man recently turned up at his wife’s residence where she lives with her mother and younger brother and with the permission from his mother-in-law took the child to the supermarket on the pretext of buying her some stuff.
His brother-in-law also accompanied him.
But, when they returned to the building, the man asked his brother-in-law to take the shopping bags to the apartment, and told him that he will follow with the child after parking the car.
But, when the man didn’t appear with the child, the shocked mother lodged a complaint with Dubai Police.
Lieutenant Colonel Rashid Bin Dhabwi Al Felasi, Director of Criminal Control section in Criminal Investigation Department in Dubai Police, said the European mother who is in her 30s, sought the help of Dubai Police as she was unable to contact her husband.
“Before coming to see his daughter, the man had made meticulous plans to take his daughter to his country and returned to Dubai after arranging necessary papers for his daughter’s exit. When he visited the house, his wife was away and the child was with her maternal grandmother, so with her permission he took the child to the supermarket on the pretext of buying her some gifts. His 14-year-old brother-in-law also accompanied them,” said Lt. Col. Al Felasi.
However, he added, after sending his brother-in-law to the apartment with the shopping bags, he took the child straight to the airport and flew back home with her.
“The mother was in a shock and claimed that her husband kidnapped her daughter. When the man refused to return the girl and banned the mother from seeing her daughter, she filed a case and the court ordered the custody to the mother,” added Lt. Col. Al Felasi.
Despite the court’s order, the man refused to return the child to his wife, which prompted Dubai Police to approach the embassy of the country which the man belongs to, even that hasn’t worked.
“We are supporting the mother and trying to solve her problem as she can’t travel to her husband’s country. We tried to call the husband who has refused to listen to us for two months now,” Lt Col Al Felasi said.
