Kelly Rutherford is in a battle for her children. She started a petition for the Obama administration over the matter. That petition recently reached the 100,000 signature mark that is necessary for the White House to review the petition and respond to it.
The battle over the children has been going on for years; however, the most recent news wasn’t good for Rutherford. A judge ruled that the 5-year-old girl and 8-year-old boy won’t have to come back to the United States from France where they are living with their father.
In 2012, the children were permitted to live with their father in Europe. Their father lost his visa after his 2009 split from Rutherford. Since he can’t come back to the United States, Rutherford is the one who has to travel to see her children.
Rutherford acknowledges that she does want her children to have a relationship with their father. She notes that she hasn’t asked for money or full custody. She is simply a mother who wants to be able to parent her children.
This international custody battle has been a very bitter one. It has shed light on a problem that some parents face when having children with people who have citizenship in another country. It is important for parents to understand the concerns that have to do with international custody battles.
If you are locked in an international custody battle, you should explore your options for handling the issue. In Rutherford’s case, she turned to a petition to try to get help from the White House. That, however, is only one option for people facing such custody battles.
Source: The Washington Post, “Actress Kelly Rutherford’s White House petition reaches 100,000 signatures,” Helena Andrews, May. 13, 2015