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Father Reunites With Son After Intercontinental Custody Battle

Written by NewsOne Staff on January 18, 2012 4:41 pm

Eugene PothyEugene Pothy (pictured) of East Orange, N.J., was finally reunited with his 10-year-old son, Philippe-Emmanuel, on Tuesday, after the boy’s mother, Judith Any-Grah, sent him to relatives in the the Ivory Coast for eight years, according to the NY Daily News.

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For Pothy, finally reuniting with his only son was a long time coming. Any-Grah and her family refused to return Philippe year after year, and on top of that, any assistance the Father was able to drum up for his cause was intermittently blocked by red tape and regulations.

In 2011, Pothy reached out to the State department, but they couldn’t help him because the Ivory Coast isn’t a member of the Hague Convention on International Parental Child Abduction. Then last November, the agitated Father reached out to the NY Daily News with his story. And still, nothing became of his case. Finally, it was anti-abduction activist Peter Thomas Senese who made Pothy’s dreams come true.

The New York Daily News reports:

Pothy said Senese brokered an agreement with the boy’s mother, Judith Any-Grah, that stipulated his return. The judge approved it and Any-Grah’s family overseas complied. The boy will now live with Pothy, who already has residential custody of his 6-year-old sister, but his mom will have joint custody.

For her part, Any-Grah claims she sent the boy away because it was difficult being a Mother while in college. Still, Pothy maintains that it is best for his son to be in the United States with him:

Now, I can do my job. I can be his dad.

Watch Pothy reunite with his son here:

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Tags: Africa, Child abduction
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  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Iwillbfree/ Iwillbfree

    …And the Black man is ALWAYS considered a ‘dead beat dad’!!!

    LOOK AT THAT FATHERLY LOVE ON THIS BROTHER’S FACE!!!

  • SimplyComplex_87

    i’m wondering why the boy’s mother didn’t just send him to live with his father instead of sending him all the way to another continent. since the father already has custody of his daughter, i take it he’s able and willing to provide and care for his children.

    she must have had some intense drama with/hatred for Mr. Pothy to keep his son away from him for so long…and during the boy’s most formative years at that. but at least they’re reunited before he’s hit adolescence…i hope they can pick up where they left off and establish a strong father/son relationship.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/CicaKhadafi/ CicaKhadafi

    This boy is where he belongs. I can’t understand his mother’s actions but the end result was a joy to watch.

  • SoultrySoul

    True story Simply…I stopped associating with a female I went all through school with and celebrated part of our adult lives together – was my Sistah-friend…she viciously kept her son from his father. I could not condone her decisions because it was all vicious emotions.

    If she could do that to her own son…I know she would never give two shyts worth a dayum about the safety and emotional needs of mines. This happens a lot with twisted emotional females.

  • SimplyComplex_87

    wow…i’m sorry you had to lose a friend like that, but i don’t blame you for making that decision.

  • http://www.facebook.com/tammi.simons Tammi Simons

    PAS, Dead Beat Parent, Illegal Adoption, Foster Care Wrongs, etc.

    It is so great to hear someone finally getting their ‘Rightful Prayer Answered.’

    Can someone start a face book page or website where people can share only their good endings to encourage others to continue on? That would be nice.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Iwillbfree/ Iwillbfree

    A WO-MAN SCORNED WILL DO ANYTHING!

    Remember that quote? lol

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Iwillbfree/ Iwillbfree

    Good to hear that from a REAL sister!

    I stay away from DRAMA also. You have some negroid males, who act like wo-men, too!

  • SimplyComplex_87

    lol…don’t come in here stirring up s**t… ;-)

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Iwillbfree/ Iwillbfree

    lol!

    Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil!

    lmmao ;-)

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/courtneyR/ courtneyR

    great story.

  • Anonymous

    This man handled his business and did it well. His child was in another country and still he did not give up. So what’s the problem with these cat out here stressing their baby momma who lives 5 minutes away won’t let them see their child and they let it be that…f**k that you take her ass to court and you don’t even need a lawyer but just to have one you can call a student lawyer free of charge to assist you or there are organizations that are geared towards father’s rights….it’s a shame how some choose not to utilize the system that is awarded to them. Lack of resources is no longer a valid excuse…search the internet and network.

  • SoultrySoul

    And that’s exactly what it came down to be – my decision based on her actions. We all have a sense of the type of folks we want in our circle (You feel me)

  • SimplyComplex_87

    yes, i feel you ;-)

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