Teen surfing net learns he was allegedly abducted (finds his own picture on missing kids site)

Sydney Morning Herald ^ | February 19, 2004

[dead]

US authorities have arrested the mother of a 17-year-old boy, who saw his picture on a missing children's website and discovered that he was allegedly abducted from Canada 14 years ago.

Acting on a Canadian-issued warrant, US marshals arrested Giselle-Marie Goudreault, 45, at her home in the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles.

She was being held without bail until Canadian authorities can extradite her on child abduction charges, authorities said.

Goudreault "was shocked and very emotional" during the arrest on February 11, said Jimell Griffin, a deputy US Marshal in Los Angeles.

The boy's father had custody of his son, and Mr Griffin said Goudreault did not return him after a court-ordered visit.

The teen, whose identity was not released, was immediately put in a foster home.

The boy spotted his own photo, taken when he was three, on a Canadian missing children's website a few months ago and told a teacher about it, authorities said.

The teacher contacted police, who then confirmed the story with Canadian authorities.

Mr Griffin said that, although it was Goudreault's son who initiated contact with authorities, the youth was upset at his mother's arrest and tried to comfort her while she was being led away.

Goudreault initially took her son to live in Mexico, authorities said, and she moved to the Los Angeles area in 1995. She had been remarried twice.

"They were taking her child away and she did what she had to do," Melissa Goudreault, her sister-in-law, said from her home in Red Deer, Alberta.

"The family is behind her and is trying to raise money for her legal defence."

AP

[beckysueb]

What a little puke!

[sirshackleton]

Wow...the only thing I seem to learn beyond politics on the Internet is how I can add a few inches....

[stainlessbanner]

the youth was upset at his mother's arrest

Maybe he should have talked to Mamma instead of going to the authorities/teacher.

[Pure Country]

Why is he a little puke? He was kidnapped many years ago...should she get a pass?

[Outlaw76]

I don't think its fair to call the boy names. He didn't call the police and we don't know how he told the teacher. Think of it, wouldn't it be funny to see your picture listed as an abductee somewhere? I would imagine if he had asked his mom about it first, he wouldn't have said anything.

[dead]

Do you think the boy's dad agrees with you?

[Momma Lou]

Yes!

[Tolik]

WOW. Ready made for movie.

Seriously, its a terrible case. It is a loose-loose scenario for everybody involved. Tragedy for the son and his mom (who did commit the crime 14 years ago).

Any info on the father who did have his custody back then? He is not really a winner neither, because it is 14 years too late.

I am sorry for all involved.

[FR_addict]

I don't understand your comment. The father had custody. The mother didn't have a right to take this child and hide him from the father all these years.

Yes, if the father was abusive, I could understand, but we don't know that. He was more likely the better and more stable parent.

Of course the boy was upset, his mother was arrested. He has feeling for her, but there was obviously something missing in his life, if he was surfing a missing children's site.

I hope he and his father are re-united soon.

[sharktrager]

The father has not been allowed to see his so for 14-years, and she should get a pass?

This is a woman who has moved her son to 2 foreign countries, and been married twice, in 14-years. A woman who does not think a son should be allowed to see his father.

There is no reason at all to assume she would be a better parent than the father beyond your anti-male bias.

[aruanan]

Why is he a little puke? He was kidnapped many years ago...should she get a pass?

He was "kidnapped" many years ago...by his MOTHER.

[beckysueb]

Perhaps I worded this wrong. I just think if the boy lived with his mother for 14 years, she can't be all bad. He has one more year before he is basically an adult. Whats the point in disrupting his life now? Just didn't see any point in getting his mother in trouble. She must have loved him to have kidnapped him. Besides, we really don't know the details behind the father getting custody. But I stand corrected.

[Brytani]

Lady, you've got to be out of your mind. Kidnapping, in case you've forgotten, is a crime. I'm sure all these men out there who kidnap their children love them just as much as this mother, however that doesn't make kidnapping right or justified or even legal. What do you say when a man kidnaps their child, I don't think I want to know.

Regardless if this crime (and yes, it's a crime to kidnap a child) took place 14 years ago, does not mean this so called mother deserves a pass for her actions. I'm sure the father, the other victim of this crime, is thankful that finally he is able to see the son he had stolen from him 14 years ago. But that doesn't matter to you right? After all, he's just a man.

[Jotmo]

I really don't think that the word "kidnapped" should be used in cases like these, which are basically custody disputes.

Yes, yes I know his father had legal custody.

I think the charge should be something along the lines of "Violating the fathers custody rights", or "unlawfully custody", something along those lines.

"Kidnapping" is far to strong a word/charge. It's the kids mother for heavens sake!

But, that's just my opinion. The law obviously is what it is.

[FR_addict]

I really don't think that the word "kidnapped" should be used in cases like these, which are basically custody disputes.

She didn't go to court to get custody of the child, she kidnapped him.

[Jotmo]

Yea, I know what you're saying.

Please understand, I know what she did was wrong, according to the law, and it certainly seems morally wrong as well. Although we just don't have enough information about the case to say that definitively. It's easy to imagine a scenario where one parent is given custody who doesn't deserve it due to abuse or what ever. We've all herd of stories like that. Just not enough information here.

I just think we (and the law) should differentiate between the scumbag who grabs someone else's kid at the mall, and one parent keeping the kid away from another parent.

[Pure Country]

He was "kidnapped" many years ago...by his MOTHER.

Okay, so he was kidnapped by his mother--she has a right to take him out of the country away from his dad? For the courts to give the dad custody, perhaps there was a problem with "mom". Of course, we don't know that, but for the boys sake, I hope the facts come out and he can choose who he wants to live with from here on out. I know that if my spouse kidnapped my child and I didn't see him for years, I'd be more than livid!