Sitting tight...

Today I am sitting tight just waiting for the word from the judge in Costa Rica, the FBI, and Interpol to see where my case is about to go.  I find that my story is not very unique except for people, places, and things that can be interchanged from my story to the next International Parental Kidnapping case.  I have been learning over the past 22 months on how to be strong for my self, my children, and still never give up on the future.  It's been a roller coaster of emotions every day and sometimes I get lucky and make it a week without some type of low.

Life has chosen me to be a strong father and a good example of fortitude in tough times.  I am not close to being a perfect individual, but I know how to make it through the good, the bad, and the ugly.  My goal is to inspire other LBP's to reach out for help and to never stop reaching out when things look really bad.

I am currently awaiting the return of my daughter Emily Alina Koyama from the country of Costa Rica, where she has been held as a prisoner by her mother.  Emily has been isolated the entire time with minimal contact with her mother, and has had to learn Spanish as her primary language to communicate.  My daughter is a Blond haired, blue eyed little princess being held captive in a country where she is by far the minority. 

Emily was ordered to be returned to the US by a judge in Costa Rica, and now her mother is on the run again to avoid facing the truth about her actions almost 2 years ago.  The kidnapper has been charged with a felony parental kidnapping in the US and is now possibly facing Federal charges called a UFAP (Unlawful Fleeing to Avoid Prosecution) which will escalate the trouble the kidnapper will face. 

I have learned that when it comes to kidnappers, they believe/live their lives to the very end...  it is amazing to read the emails from the kidnapper and how she things she is in the position to make demands on how things will be handled from custody, to lifting warrants, and the return of the child.  It's as she is living in a dream state and thinks she has full control over what happens next.  Well... thanks to the judicial system in Costa Rica, she has been able to just about do what she wants with no penalties or charges yet.  I say yet, because I know her latest escapades haven't earned her any friends in either the US or Costa Rica.  She is setting herself up to become an example of what not to do when the legal system has made specific orders on a return of a child back to the country of origin. 

I have done all I can to convince her to turn herself in and come back to the US, but she still believes she is doing the "right" thing by hiding and claiming she is not hiding from anyone and that she is where she has always been (on the run in my opinion).  It's just a matter of time before she gets caught, and all the people that have been helping her will most likely be facing federal charges as well (it's called aiding and abed-ding  a fugitive for those of you about to go to jail for this).  I wonder how long her support system will hold once they know they will be charged with crimes and face time in a Costa Rican jail?

So, for now, I'm sitting tight just waiting for some news... FBI warrant, Interpol warrant, and some good old fashion Contempt of Court charges.  By then it'll be too late for her to get any type of deals for charges to be lessened or dropped.  I pray the kidnapper comes to her senses and gives up sooner than later...

Special thanks to:

my friends & family
NCMEC (National Center for Missing and Exploited Children)
Greene County Sheriff's Office
Chad Courtney - Courtney and Mills Attorney's at Law
Belasario Solano - Court appointed attorney in Costa Rica
the Office of Roy Blunt
Department of State
US Embassy in Costa Rica
bringseanhome.org
Karl Hindle
and anyone else out there with children in their life, and your prayers...