A mother named Elin, 29, must send her two-year-old daughter to France within one week due to a court of appeal decision, according to multiple reports. Elin has two weeks to move to France, with half the time already passed.
The court of appeal ruled that the child's habitual residence is in France, contrary to the district court's decision that it was in Sweden, according to multiple reports. The decision is based on the number of days the child stayed in France and the interpretation of Elin's intentions during her stay there, according to multiple reports.
I get pain all over my body at the thought that she will feel abandoned.
Elin faces a difficult situation as she has no income, housing, or network in France and does not speak the language, according to multiple reports. The mother from Stockholm is forced to send her two-year-old daughter to the father in France because she stayed too long in France with the daughter during parental leave, according to multiple reports.
The father's lawyer, Pernilla Dahlrot, welcomes the court of appeal's decision, according to multiple reports. The case involves the 1996 Hague Convention, which allows authorities to cooperate across borders to protect children in custody and visitation matters, according to multiple reports.
It feels like a fever dream. I can't really take it in.
The story has spread widely on social media, according to multiple reports. Several unknowns remain, including what specific evidence the court used to determine Elin's intent to settle in France, the father's perspective on the case, and what legal options Elin has to appeal or challenge the decision. It is also unclear how the child's well-being will be ensured during the transition and what support is available to Elin in France.
I have no income there, no housing, no network. I don't know the language. Yet I am expected to leave everything.
My client is satisfied. The court of appeal has assessed that the child had habitual residence in France and that it is a case of wrongful retention in Sweden.
It is not just about the number of days, but about the actual living conditions. The court of appeal has looked at the fact that the family lived together in France, had a common home, and that both parents participated in the care.
It is unreal. I managed to crash for a few hours, but then it was just back on my feet to fight for my daughter.