Help Daniela get custody of her daughter!

I write to you today with a heavy heart to ask for your help in a dire situation. This is Daniela, a Mexican mother who is about to lose all contact with her 3-year-old daughter who currently lives in Austria.

The story is heartbreaking: In Durango, Mexico, in late summer 2024, Daniela was pressured by a questionable court process under the Hague Convention to immediately hand over her child to the father (an Austrian citizen), a man the daughter only knew from video calls. Daniela was given 30 minutes to pack for herself and her daughter before all three were driven to the airport to relocate to Austria. Her extended family had assembled at her parents' home to share in this rushed departure, but the child was not permitted to leave the car while Daniela said goodbye to everyone she and her daughter loved.

Daniela left behind her job and financial security to ensure that her daughter never feels abandoned.

This is a domestic abuse story that continues to haunt Daniela and her daughter as they struggle to be together in Austria. Daniela did what we hope women who are victimized will do, and fled a violently abusive relationship at the hands of her ex husband. Despite leaving this unsafe home, she, and consequently her daughter, continue to be victims of the patriarchal systems that do not protect women and their children.

The situation, with all three now in Austria, continues to escalate. The father continues to deny Daniela access to her daughter, despite a court agreement 'enforcing' the mother's rights. The daughter, meanwhile, asks her mother not to stop fighting to get her back. The child dreams of returning to her grandparents' home in Mexico.

While a reputable law firm is on retainer, the monthly costs are overwhelming for her family and friends. The lawyer fees are €4000/month. She needs a good lawyer to help her get custody of her daughter! This is where your donations will be directed. Additional funds may go towards psychological support for both Daniela and her young daughter.

As this situation takes its toll on both the child and the mother, Daniela is constantly in a fight for their lives. She will be forced to leave Austria on December 2, 2024, BEFORE her custody trial concludes (she loses her VISA as a divorcée). If she leaves the country, she will lose all contact with his daughter for a minimum of one year.

My connection to this story is that Daniela is my daughter in connection and relationship. In 2017 she was an international student with whom my family connected on a deeper level. While she lived with us, we formed a lifelong bond. We have vacationed together and stay connected; when her mother shared the heart wrenching details of the rushed and panicked departure of both Daniela and L, our families started planning how we could help. In mid September I travelled to Austria to support Daniela for a much too brief 10 days. It was still early days for her in Austria and she was very much grieving the loss of her daughter. I witnessed the controling behaviours of a narcissist who clearly has every desire to hurt Daniela at every opportunity without reflecting on the trauma inflicted on his daughter. At no point have decisions been made in the best interest of 3 year old L.

Every dollar counts in this race against time. Your support means so much and we thank you for your generosity.