The living conditions of a 10-year-old boy are at the heart of a battle between his two wealthy parents. This may be a familiar subject for some in Washington, regardless of their personal wealth. In this child custody case, the boy has been in the custody of his mother since her divorce from his father, but the father is now seeking to change that arrangement.
The father, who is the brother of the president of a former Soviet-block country, has filed a lawsuit claiming that his former spouse should lose child custody of their young son because, among other reasons, she left him alone at home with a babysitter while she went on an exotic vacation. In addition, the ex-husband claims the ex-wife is the subject of a criminal warrant issued by Interpol, a fact his ex apparently disputed. In fact, the international agency has noted that she was taken into custody as she visited Dubai recently.
Just as is often the case in child custody matters in Washington, the mother of the child in this case asserts her own version of the facts. She denies that the boy was alone and claims he was on vacation in another country, attending the wedding of his half-brother. There are additional denials of the Interpol charges.
Child custody disputes can be emotional. Typically, both parents believe that they are doing what is in the best interests of the child involved. However, in some cases, a contentious battle places the child in the middle of a tug of war. While it is almost always better that parents work together to reach a mutual agreement, it is not always possible. When that occurs, a judge will usually step in and make the decision for them.