David Goldman of Tinton Falls, New Jersey has finally been reunited with his 9-year-old son Sean Goldman in Brazil on Christmas Eve. A court decision ended the five-year legal battle by Goldman to regain custody of his son Sean.
The boy arrived Thursday at the U.S. Consulate in Rio de Janeiro for a reunion with his father, ending an international custody battled. A consulate statement said, “Sean Goldman is finally with his father David. The U.S. Consulate is doing its utmost to assure that the reunion will be as smooth as possible.”
Brazillian Supreme Court Chief Justice Gilmar Mendes rules Tuesday in favor of David Goldman, paving the way for the reunion. The U.S. State Department issued a passport to Sean so that he could travel back to the United States with his father.
Goldman married Bruna Bianchi Carneiro Ribeiro in New Jersey in December 1999. Their son Sean was born in May 2000. Four years later, Goldman drove his wife and son, along with her parents, to Newark Airport for a planned 2-week vacation to her parents home in Brazil. When the family arrived in Brazil, Goldman’s wife phoned to say that the marriage was over and they would not be returning to the United States.
David Goldman’s wife obtained a divorce in Brazil without his consent or knowledge and subsequently married Joao Paulo Lins e Siva, an attorney from a prominent family in Brazil. Goldman was notified by Brazilian authorities that his ex-wife died during childbirth on August 22, 2008.
For the past four years, Goldman has been battling to regain custody of his son. Several failed attempts in 2009 had him jockeying back and forth to South America. He returned to Brazil last week and repeatedly said that until he and Sean are on a plane and it is heading toward the U.S., he will not let his guard down.
A Gulfstream G-IV, chartered by NBC News, lifted off three hours after father and son were reunited. The pair were photographed boarding the aircraft at the Galeao Airport in Rio de Janeiro. They were accompanied on their journey by NBC News correspondent Jeff Rossen. According to NBC News spokeswoman Lauren Kapp, “The Goldman’s were invited on a jet NBC News chartered to fly home to the U.S.”
It seems likely that an exclusive first interview with David Goldman and his son Sean Goldman will air on NBC either during the evening news on Christmas Eve or on “The Today Show” on Christmas Day.
More photos and video below.