I feel that we have not heard all sides of the story on the parental abduction case.
We do not know what the father was like and what, if any, mental health issues there were with the mother. Most importantly, from a legal perspective the parents did have joint custody, and let’s not forget that.
We should treat this as some wrong-doing like using a false identity and breaking the terms of a legal custody agreement but not as a full-blown kidnapping.
We should treat it with some compassion and respect to mental health/medical issues if they are brought to light during trial or the investigation.
Do not brand the mother as a hardened criminal that would do this again – we do not have all the facts. Let her take her punishment, learn from her mistakes, and let society move on.
The cost of too much punishment is expensive from a legal, criminal, and taxpayer perspective. Enough justice can be served without any vigilante-type justice or mental trauma brought from the public and/or the media. It could create more unneeded anxiety for our society.
Jeff Martin
Victoria