WHO is preventing a mother & daughter being together this Christmas and New Year? WHY?

Emma Morris is a British citizen living in Costa Rica, and mother of 3-year-old Hope. Hope’s father is Juan Phoenix, Emma's common-law husband and father of Joaquin Phoenix the movie actor and his siblings. Emma and Juan split up in April 2012, and Hope’s custody is supposedly being managed by PANI, the Child Services Ministry of the Costa Rica Government.

In late April, Juan Phoenix took Hope for 9 days without Emma’s permission. Emma filed a police complaint and PANI returned Hope to Emma. Later, after receiving anonymous phone calls, PANI took Hope from Emma on June 5, 2012, based on hearsay evidence, without proper written notification and without Emma’s lawyer or a translator present. Temporary custody was granted to Juan Phoenix.

Four months later PANI removed Hope from Juan Phoenix to a foster home. The foster parents spoke little English, the only language Hope understands. Emma was granted very limited visiting rights. In the 5+ months between June 5 and November 26, Hope and Emma were together for about 50 hours, less than 10 hours/month. For these 1 hour visits Emma made bus journeys of 4 or 5 hours; visits were often cancelled, with less than 24 hours notice.

On November 29, 2012, while little Hope was seeing a psychologist, PANI arbitrarily handed Hope over to Liberty Phoenix Lord, daughter of Juan Phoenix, again without proper notification or due process. Liberty Phoenix lives in Florida USA, so Emma is terrified her little daughter will be taken from Costa Rica before the court can make a decision, and all legal appeals exhausted. Liberty took Hope to San Jose, capital of Costa Rica, far from where Emma can visit her easily. Liberty cannot be reached by phone any longer. Emma cannot contact any of the people involved. So Emma cannot speak to Hope by phone and doesn’t even know where her little daughter is living.

Because PANI ignored Emma's legal and parental rights, and the Phoenix family seems to have interfered in due process, this petition requests that;

1) PANI observes National and International laws governing Hope and Emma.
2) The Phoenix family steps aside and allows the courts to do their work.
3) Hope & Emma are allowed frequent and regular visits pending court hearings.

Meanwhile 3-year-old Hope cries and asks to see Emma, who she last saw on November 26, 2012. Obviously little Hope can’t understand why she is being shunted around between strangers and cannot speak with her mother, or see her. Because of actions by PANI and the Phoenix family, Emma and Hope will have no visits over Christmas and New Year. In addition, Juan Phoenix has provided no support for Emma, and she relies on the generosity of friends and family to pay for food, water, utilities and legal costs.

THIS IS NEITHER FAIR NOR HUMANE FOR ANY MOTHER AND 3-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER!

If you believe Hope and Emma should be reunited, please sign up to insist that PANI and the Phoenix family respect the basic right of Emma and Hope to be together. Stop the heartbreak – give Emma back her Hope!

Thank you, from the International Friends of Hope and Emma.