Hallelujah! It took only a few hours for the truth to come out about the alleged “kidnapping” of an ….already kidnapped child by a Polish mother from Opole, as it was reported yesterday. In today’s follow-up article in its local edition, Gazeta Wyborcza reports, that the girl who was originally abducted to Poland two years ago, was recovered by a private organization who specializes in recovering abducted children. The action was based on a Polish court ruling under the Hague Convention proceedings from last year.
As the translator working for the father, Anna Juszko, explained – both the court in Opole and the local police WERE NOT ABLE (I say – not willing) to enforce the previously issued order and to recover the missing child of Graig Michael. Finally, the father was forced to use the only possible way – to ask for help an organization who specializes in recovering missing children under the Hague Convention treaty. They were successful and the little girl Crystal is already back home in Cyprus, happily joining her other sister and the rest of her family. Surprisingly (NOT!), the police department in Opole is still
pursuing the “missing child” case under the 211 KK article, based on a fraudulent report by the mother. I only wonder how long the head of KWP in Opole is going to pretend that they have not been duped into this PR fiasco (which was very easily avoidable). I also wonder, WHO IS GOING TO PAY for the wasted time and resources, due to the obvious slanderous reporting (I guess, one way will be to ask via Twitter, the head of supervising ministry -MSW, Mr. Sienkiewicz)?
In my opinion, the father has undisputed grounds to sue Poland, and the Polish government for incompetence, and the slander in Hague, and as I can only predict, he will use this option. What is the prosecutor and the police in Opole going to do with the person(s) who filed the false missing child report in the first place – clearly a violation of the existing law.
As far as the newspaper originally reporting about this “abduction” – well, at least the editor had enough brains to quickly retract the original reporting, and clear out the situation to its readers. Then again, one can argue that following this case for over 2 years, and having information about the existing lawful court order to return Crystal to Cyprus, AND describing this event as “kidnapping”, could be construed as malicious in nature. I will let the father and his attorneys chew on this little food for thought.
I hope that Craig Michael contacts me and sends me a nice photo of happy Crystal with her sister, as a souvenir of a sort, to somebody who’s been hoping for this happy ending. I could use a little pick-me-up nowadays. In a meantime, I will use the one that he provided to his translator, Ms. Anna.
Also a question to the kidnapper, Marta, and her parents – how does it feel to be stripped from your own child and grandchild with no warning at all? Not good, right? I hope you learned your lesson, and the others will also learn from your biggest mistake – KIDNAPPING A CHILD. It WAS WRONG, no matter how much you hate your husband. No amount of excuses can justify the removal of Crystal from her home, from the life with her dad Craig, from the other grandparents. I hope other would-be kidnappers will learn from your mistake as well, and maybe, just maybe, correct any mistake if there is still time.
Update 28 Jan 2014: Below are some extra photos of happy Crystal after reunification with her father and older sister. Isn’t she lovely?
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- Craig Michael girls recovered
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- Craig Michael girls recovered, finally at home in Cyprus
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- Craig Michael girls recovered by their father
