A Northern Ireland mother who wanted to return home from the US with her son yesterday lost her custody battle after a US court ruled the boy should stay with his father in Florida.
The ruling came after the court was told Northern Ireland was a dangerous and "troubled land", the BBC reported last night. The US was not only a "safer" place but was an environment in which the child was more likely to become a "successful adult".
Ms Cara Gunn, originally from Derry, and her ex-husband, Mr Bobby Gunn, have been embroiled in a dispute as to where their son, Dylan (5) should live. Delivering the court's verdict Judge Carven D. Angel said "the parent who had demonstrated the best understanding of and commitment to the concepts of shared parenting as well as the best ability to ensure and facilitate the difficulties that will be involved in visitation is the father".
The fact that Ms Gunn's other child from a previous relationship had not been given sufficient contact with her father "indicated some, if not a total lack of concern for the ideals of shared parenting".
The judge added that Ms Gunn's concerns about money displayed "an attitude more self-centred than family centred".
Ms Gunn had been planning to return to Northern Ireland with her child. However, following yesterday's ruling she is hoping to raise the $10,000 needed for an appeal.
