U.S. Dad Wins Huge Custody Fight
By Ana Cabrera and Elizabeth Stuart, CNN
Snowmass, Colorado (CNN) - It's been seven months since Dennis Burns has had any contact with his two young daughters. No visits, no Skype, no phone calls, no communication at all.
Just silence.
But all that could change in the next few weeks.
His daughters are victims of an international abduction.
Burns' ex-wife, Ana Alianelli, spirited away the children, 7-year-old Victoria and 5-year-old Sophia, from their home in Colorado and fled to her native Argentina more than 3½ years ago, violating a court order.
"You know I think about them a lot," Burns told CNN in an exclusive interview. "I dream about them a lot. I can feel their little hugs around my body. I just want to hug them back, and it's super painful."
Burns has devoted his life savings and all his time to fighting what's become a messy international legal battle.
His odyssey now appears to be reaching a conclusion: Argentina's Supreme Court has denied the last of appeals by his ex-wife this year, which means Burns has won his case. The final step will be an order of return from the U.S. State Department and a date to transfer custody of the girls to him.
It all began in September 2010, when Burns and Alianelli were divorcing and found themselves at an impasse: Alianelli wanted to relocate to Buenos Aires, and Burns wanted to stay in Colorado.
After a 13-month custody battle, a Colorado judge ruled in favor of Burns, declaring him the primary residential parent.
"I felt a sense of relief that was just beautiful," he told CNN last November, when "New Day" first presented his story. "I was like, 'I'm going to be able to spend time with my daughters, finally, and live with them and be able to teach them things, and show them things."
Just three weeks later, Alianelli flew the girls out of the United States on their Argentine passports. They've been living with her in Buenos Aires ever since.
Messy legal battle
Burns filed an application through the Hague convention child abduction treaty to have Victoria and Sophia returned to him. The Hague treaty is an agreement among countries designed to prevent or resolve cases like Burns'. The U.S. State Department describes it as "a multilateral treaty that provides protection for children from the harmful effects of abduction and wrongful retention across international borders." In theory, children should be returned within six to eight weeks after a Hague application is filed and a court gets the case. Argentina became a signatory country in 1991.
Despite the treaty, Burns' case has taken years to resolve. The Argentine court system allows for multiple appeals, which is exactly what Alianelli has done, dragging the case on for years. Two appellate courts ruled in Burns' favor. The last ruling was on New Year's Eve.
"The Supreme Court of Buenos Aires ruled for the return of Sophia and Victoria, which is fantastic and was really, really good news to bring in the New Year for me," he said.
Six weeks later, on Valentine's Day, Alianelli filed what would be her final appeal to the Supreme Court of Argentina. It has meant more waiting for Burns, but the Supreme Court of Argentina has ruled in his favor, and that court's decision is final.
Alianelli and her lawyers have declined several requests for an interview to get her side of the story. Instead, they provided this statement: "No comment."
Meanwhile, Burns was supposed to be allowed at least three Skype communications with his daughters each week - under court order - but he has been completely cut off by Alianelli.
"We're getting closer to justice being restored, and this is her way of getting back at me, I guess," he said. "But it's punishing them more than me. It hurts me, but they're children who need their father and their mother."
Taking the fight to Washington
Burns has joined forces with the hundreds of other American parents enduring the same heart-wrenching situation, taking their battle to U.S. lawmakers in Washington. Notably, he's working alongside David Goldman, who has been in Burns' shoes.
Goldman fought for more than five years to bring his son, Sean, home to the United States from Brazil. During his ordeal, U.S. Rep. Chris Smith, R-New Jersey, played an integral role in helping Goldman. Since then, Smith and Goldman have worked together to develop new legislation in the hopes of resolving parental abduction cases more quickly.
"Where's the enforcement? Where's the ruling? Every day is a day lost, every day is a day you can't get back, and we have to do what we can," said Goldman.
House Resolution 3212 is a bill designed to ensure that countries comply with the Hague abduction treaty. The bill outlines more than a dozen steps that the U.S. State Department could take, including the threat of sanctions, when a Hague country does not hold up its end of the deal.
The legislation has the potential to affect thousands of U.S. parents. The State Department reports more than 1,000 children were internationally abducted by a parent in 2013 alone.
The bill passed the U.S. House in December.
"It was beyond expectations," Smith said. "It was unanimous: 398 (yes votes). Totally bipartisan."
The bill now sits in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which held a first hearing on the proposed legislation on February 27.
"If HR 3212 was already a law, my daughters would most likely have been not only returned by now but probably would have been returned in the first year of this unending nightmare," Burns said.
The final legal decision
Now that Argentina's Supreme Court has ruled that Victoria and Sophia should return to the United States, Burns is in what he hopes are the final weeks of his nightmarish journey. Even after his daughters are back in his care, he vows to continue to help other parents fighting the same battle.
Burns hasn't had any communication with his girls since last July, and he realizes that he will never get back the precious moments he's missed out on for the past 3½ years. He also says he's concerned about how his ex-wife may have characterized him in the years since his girls were taken.
However, Burns remains determined and steadfastly hopeful that he'll be able to say these words to his daughters, in person, someday soon:
"Papa loves you, Victoria and Sophia. I love you very much."
CNN's Melissa Kondak and Michael Martinez contributed to this report.
New Day Hosts
Weekend Hosts
She is their mother, she carried them under her heart for 9 months, she felt them move, she gave birth to them, and more than likely she also breastfed them.I am pretty damn sure she is the one who is the primary attachment parent, not him. He should leave them where they are, and move there himself if he wants a relationship with the girls, as I am pretty sure that the girls are settled and happy with their mother, and should be left there.The girls will not thank him for the upheaval of their lives, and taking them off their mother,they will more than likely resent him for doing so.Only 2 people know what happened in that marriage, and I am sure she lost custody because she is a foreigner, and all countries give their own people custody before a they give it to a foreigner. Please everyone try and remember she is their birth mother and should not have to lose her children, when he could move to her country. and keep the girls happy.
In response to "Real Witness" I am Dennis' mother. I have just read all these postings for the first time. I am in shock about the maliciousness of some of the comments. I could go on and on about what a good person he is, how much he loves the girls and how he still, to this day, wishes Ana no ill will. I could challenge everything you have indicted Dennis with as a "horrible person" as you paint him. You obviously have had your brain washed by Ana. But I will leave the responses to all that you have said about Dennis to my son. I will just say the following simply to indicate how misinformed you are, Real Witness! You claim to know EVERYTHING, including that my husband and I divorced 20 years ago. THIS WEEK WE WILL CELEBRATE OUR 50TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY. Based on just that one lack of fact, the rest of your "facts" are just as pathetic and untrue. Think before you speak. God will judge you.
...Father's Day, What Father's Day ? ........
How Parental Alienation Effects Father's Today
.................By Joseph Goldberg, 2012.....................
I am spoofing the title of this article from a good
friend of mine, Chaim Steinberger. He wrote a very
insightful and brilliant journal article on Parental
Alienation that he called, “ Father, What Father ? “
I decided to write about this holiday because many
father's will be hurting when it arrives. They won't
be getting to see their child or receive a call or any
cards or any other acknowledgement because their
children are alienated and that means come Sunday
they'll be rejected for very unjustified reasons.
For some dad's who will be waiting to see their kid
because a court order forces them to go, don't be
to surprised when they don't show up. If they do
only to tell you they don't want to be with you, or
worse come over only to say that they hate you,
and don't ever want to see you again, I am writing
my article just for you.
You know the old saying, “ Silence is deafening. “
Well it's deafening for a reason, and as another old
saying goes, “ Everything happens for a reason. “
Even though you may not be getting their affection
on Sunday, it doesn't mean your child isn't at least
thinking of you, and because they are alienated and
unable to express to you that you're not forgotten ...
and that they do love you, let me be the first one to
remind you of that fact. Your kids do love you, and
you're not forgotten because Sunday, is also a very
painful holiday reminder for them.
It's painful to them to be without you because every-
where they go and see a father with his son or, with
his daughter; laughing, hugging, or kissing, smiling
at each other, going out to lunch together, to dinners
or a movie, driving together, talking on a cell phone,
texting, meeting up somewhere, it reminds them
that it's also not them being with you.
Every time they turn on their TV that day, flip open
their computer, listen to the radio, they will hear
that it's Father's Day, and every time they pass by
a store there will be an item for sale saying it's
Father's Day, and they didn't get you your present.
They didn't get to say, “ you're my dad “ and then the
words, `” I love you. “ They'll try and block it out but
how do you block out the sky, the ground below, how
do you erase the touch on your skin or, what you feel
deep in your bones ?
Denial is a fixated condition for alienated
children, so is breathing. Memories of love for
father are never really erased they're just
buried below the surface and those memories
will resurface on this Sunday, Father's Day.
Take comfort in the fact that your picture may
not be in a frame next to their bed or on the wall
in their mom's house, but they are not deleted
from their memory. It is also hard to ignore
mother trying to pretend how much better off
they are without you, while the look on her face
also reminds them she can't be the father they're
missing out on today.
No matter what stepfather tries to take your
place after you got replaced, displaced and
erased, nothing is ever going to hold back their
feelings of loss because they're connected to
their father when they see themselves in a
mirror. Some likeness of you is something in
their DNA that they can see in their own face.
Not only are there painful memories there
are probably more than a few good ones.
Like the time you took them to a show, or
watched them at a school performance,
or played some game with them, played
with your pet, took them to visit your
parents, cooked a meal for them, these
memories are also resurfacing around them.
Imagine how it must feel for them to watch
their friends getting together with their dads
and how they have to explain or avoid talk-
ing about you not being around on Father's
Day. Imagine their maternal grandfather try-
ing to act as a substitute for the father they
are missing in their lives and never saying,
“ Why don't you call your dad today ? “
How is their behaviour going to be memorialized
in the future.
Father's Day, is something I feel long after my
own father has passed away. You don't have
to actually be around to be remembered and
to be loved. I don't need to feel bad about the
father's day I am not spending with him this
Sunday, I will be thinking about all the good
times with my dad and I know that your child-
ren might want you to believe that they don't
love you back, but that's just denial talking.
You're as much a part of their life as you
have ever been ( even more so ) and not
because of being present, but because
of being absent. Believe it because we
know from all the social science research
that this is truly how alienated children
are feeling.
I feel my father is with me now even though
he passed more than 15 years ago. I was
alienated from him by a mother that
extinguished him from my life, but not
forever. We made up for all the lost time
and years of alienation that was stolen from
us both.
In the Jewish religion when a loved parent
dies we say prayers, Kaddish, and we light a
candle in memory of the parent. Perhaps as
a way to remember that you are still a
parent you should light a candle and keep
it burning all day, on Father's Day.
Say a prayer of love, memorialize your
feelings of loss and perhaps to help be
forgiving so anger does not take over
the better part of judgment in your life.
As a targeted, rejected parent remember the
good parts of the person you are and remain
and strive to lift yourself up, don't let any-
thing change that belief in your-self because
sometimes all we have is ourselves to believe
in, and in truth that's the one person whose
opinion counts the most.
For more educational information please visit
http://www.ParentalAlienation.ca
and
http://www.ParentalAlienationEducation.com
I am in a situation where my husband left South Korea without a goodbye. He returned to the United States in 2012. He asked me to come to the U.S.A to work on our marriage. The kids and I came here in March 2014. However, after two weeks he filed for joint custody, and stole the passports, birth certificates, marriage certificate, etc. I have no money and he has a lawyer and his family. Now, I have sleepless nights and cries myself to sleep. The kids are staying with me. He is on anti-depressants and has been suicidal before I came here. I am so tired of going to court and his lawyer threatening me. I just want to return to South Korea where I was happy teaching English for 11 years. I would not abduct my kids because I would not want to end up in jail. However, I am trapped in a country where I do not want to be. I was tricked by husband and his family to bring the kids here. He does not want sole custody of the kids, but he wants to see them now and then...that he is okay with. I have temporary sole custody of the kids. Being a foreigner in the U.S.A is not fun since I have no support.
Winning Your Case Depends On You
By Joseph Goldberg, Consultant
Anyone fighting over child custody, visitation
rights or, decision making as a non-custodial
parent should listen closely, because there are
not a lot of professionals that give advise to
lawyers in quite the way that I do.
In high conflict divorce and separation cases,
if a parent makes a false allegation of abuse
or destabilizes a child's trust in the other
parent or exposes the child to adult information
or badmouths the other parent to the child or
interferes with visit-
ation or blocks a child from telephone access
or uses a sibling to interfere with the other
parents authority, then this parent is program-
ming the child with parental alienation.
If you haven't heard about parental alienation,
you have a lot to learn. I would recommend
you google: parental alienation education.
For others that know about it and continue to
litigate and re-litigate this issue without
success, let me explain why things aren't get-
ting better.
Spoiler Alert
This is going to sound self-serving but it
doesn't make it any less true.
# 1 reason why things are not getting better:
You depend on a lawyer that's not getting any
input from an expert in parental alienation, or
the situation is worse you're acting pro per. I
want you to know there's a far better solution
but it requires making a crucial decision.
A. decision to hire a consultant.
When you hire a consultant, they can tell you,
“what is parental alienation” and “ what isn't
parental alienation. “ Unless you don't really
care, and if you don't care, you're only hold-
ing yourself back. Is that fair to you ?
Judges are not interested in two parents that
are totally at opposite ends in their parenting
style and polarized. That won't help any
parent-child relational problem. Judges in this
scenario will tune you out and look to appoint
some type of professional to give them guid-
ance i.e., a lawyer for the child, a mediator, a
parenting co -ordinator, a child therapist, a
custody evaluator, a supervisor of visitation, a
family therapist or a judge could decide to
empower a child to choose whether or not to
see or communicate with a parent they reject.
Many parents cannot afford a lawyer because
they believe that it will cost more than they can
afford. Sadly that is not always true because
they may have money but they're just not sure
how far that money can go. You need a
consultant to answer that concern.. In this
situation a parent can hire a consultant to select
a lawyer to work with them in an unbundled
legal services agreement.
When this happens two things start to change.
The first thing to change is that you now have a
lawyer and the other thing to change is that you
now have the best lawyer you could ever hope
to find. Why ? Because your consultant gives
the lawyer the input he or she needs to win
your case. I've been involved in many cases of
David versus Goliath, and I've seen the lawyer
with the $1,000. hourly rate lose. Money doesn't
win in court, the better argument does.
A competent lawyer becomes a very good law-
yer because of the input he or she receives
from the consultant. Stop looking for parental
alienation lawyers and focus on finding a
consultant available to help.
By the way, I define a win as an intervention
that restores and repairs the bond between the
alienated child and the rejected parent. A win
is not defined by getting sole custody or get –
ting 50/50 time sharing.
Still wondering why you need a consultant ?
Lawyers are not going to admit their short-
comings because if they did you would be look-
ing for a better lawyer. So they won't admit
that in your particular case they haven't got a
clue where to begin.
A lawyer will not spend the time or bill you for
the time it takes to identify the cause of the
ruptured relationships within your family. There
are only two ways to get to that answer; a full
psychological evaluation of all the members of
the family, or hire a consultant with an expertise
in parental child relational problems. The later is
less costly, and provides voluminous additional
help.
Did your lawyer screw the pooch in selecting a
mental health professional to begin counseling
for your child and or for your family ? Did your
lawyer come to some backdoor agreement with
the opposing counsel to select a mental health
professional without you knowing who they are
or even why they were agreed to ?
Are you stuck in a situation where a mental
health professional is actually making things
worse,not better ?
If that sounds like your situation then of course
you need to hire a consultant, because if you
don't, things will change again, your parent-
child relationship is going to get much worse
and that is not even the worst part, the worst
part is that your child won't be getting the treat-
ment they need for themselves. Can you turn
your back on your child, and give up knowing
that ?
Please call a consultant before you do.
Cases often have mental health professionals
with the best of intentions practicing outside
their areas of expertise, it's unethical, it's un-
professional, but getting them to step aside so
a competent practitioner can take their place is
not going to happen hiring a consultant.
Trust me when I say that if this is your reality
today, you're in the quicksand and I'm the one
trying to throw you the rope.
Many times a parent will ask me during a
consultation if I will talk to their lawyer before
they hire me and I say no. Lawyers do not
understand what I do, and cannot recommend
someone that provides a service they're not
that familiar with and why should they ?
I will tell you this much, after I have read the
case files I do talk to their lawyers and as soon
as they hear my strategy in the case they're
grateful for my involvement.
That is why your case depends on you. Nobody
can tell you if its smart to hire a consultant but
you.
I also know when a parent calls for a consult-
tion just to get a little free advice. Often times
a parent pretends to be a parent of an alien-
ated child and they aren't, they just want a few
tips or an advantage over the other parent,
some have been accused of alienation and want
to know what to expect.
It's not that different when a lawyer tells an
alienating parent they can't help them to seize
custody unless they can get some proof that the
other parent is a really bad parent or proof that
the child is in fear of the other parent, even if it'
might be totally untrue.
The truth is that parents are falsely accused of
parental alienation just the same as parents are
falsely accused of child abuse. I have the good
fortune of helping parents on both sides of this
issue. When you're accused of alienation you
need a consultant to rule it in or to rule it out.
Taking a chance without a consultant is a sure
bet that you'll get a poor outcome in court, it's
all up to you.
Nobody can guarantee that you will win your
case, but let me put it this way, your best option
is to hire that consultant. Share this article.
Visit my website at http://www.ParentalAlienation.ca
Getting custody of a child is a very decisive moment that will determine the majority of your life. So why not get the best to work for you? When i was getting divorced from my partner i remembered being worried about who was gonna keep the children. thankfully i stumbled upon http://rosenbergfirm.com/. They are the greatest group of lawyers i have ever had the pleasure to work with. They wont rest until they have won the case for you so i insist that if you have to go through with a divorce and are going to fight to see who gets the children, that you go to the website and get the help you need
I have an 8 year old daughter and have lived outside the US for the better part of a decade. I have seen what happens when a mother abuducts children from the father. Children need their parents and, based on the court documentation, this mother was not thinking about her children but of her own selfish wants. This poor man has endured so much at her hands and now their daughters don't get to see their father, don't get to know hlf of their heritage or learn from their families? The girls need to be taken back to their family in the United States and the mother needs to realize she has created this situation through her own lies and manipulations.
Dennis – I pray for you and your girls. Our friend just started getting visitation from his ex-wife after 4 years of fighting with the Japanese government. You are not alone.
Alianelli – The only way to heal this situation is to remember the girls are only half you and your wants are not their needs. Their father deserves to help is children grow as well. It takes a lot of courage to admit you were wrong but it tkaes cowardice to ignore what your children need. Allow them to go to their father and start the healing.
Mr. Burns, CNN:
Why you do not inform that
– mr. Burns declare himself as guilty of domestic violence charge.
– he violated two times the ONE year restriction. To take all the furnitures of the house, including his daughter beds.
– he uses drugs regularly
– he never paid a cent from their manutention. (Ordered by court)
– he organized orgies in the home family, while his daughter was in the hospital seriously ill
– he dont declare a single cent from his tips, evading taxes......
– he lost fortunes as a regular poker player.
...... This is only 10% of who this person is...
A real man dont hit and kick women....and dont deny it. Because the domestic violence case will be released and public...for free access... Im sure CNN will love that....
You clearly do not know Dennis bc your statements are either pure lies or you have been brain washed by Ana. Either way, shame on you for making such slanderous statements. You will be judged by the only One who matters in the end. There is only one truth and God knows it. Your false statements don't matter to anyone. Dennis is the kindest person I know. God bless him.
By the way, your comments are disgusting. Whoever made up these lies needs serious help for even being able to conceive of these things in her brain.
Mr Buns, I've been following your case since I have a cousin who is in a similar situation, in fact in your ex wife's situation, who I tried to contact but as CNN I did not have any answer. However, I believe there is always 2 sides of every story. I had the opportunity to be in Colorado recently and heard people you both have in common, which I end up having so many doubts about your side of the story.
Why did some neighbors testified against you?
Why do you say you are in bankruptcy when you took 125000 from your ex's sister?
Did you pay attorney fees in Argentina? Usually in your situation Argentina gives free attorneys. I am from Espana and I know pretty well how the law works in Latin America.
You said that the case of domestic violence was not true, but why did you have a year of probation?
I know my cousin left the US protecting her kids from the abuse and constant denigration caused by her ex husband, broken for paying attorneys and scared of a system who did not protect her or the kids from that abuse.
What a mother wouldn't t do for her kids?
Maybe one day Ana is giving her side of the story
Roberto,
Scroll down and read the responses that Dennis, himself, has written. Just bc you have your own situation that you are reflecting on, does not mean it's the same situation in this case. Please read Dennis' comments below. Also, all the facts are public record in the Garfield County Court. You will see for yourself. Dennis is a good person, NOT who she is making him out to be with lies just to get what she wants. It's amazing... people just lie and then watch the lie take on a life of it's own in the minds of people. Just remember dirt is in the mind of the beholder.
Ana,
I am talking directly to you right now bc I know you are writing some of these comments under a false name. You know deep in your heart that what you have done is wrong but you are so far into this scheme that you feel you can't turn it around without looking bad. So you are continuing down the same path bc you feel you have no choice. You DO have choice. Please stop the negativity and lying. Although our family is not happy with your choices thus far, if you did the right thing and stopped the momentum in the wrong direction, we can work this out. We would all be civil to you. I would even be kind to you. We need to do what is right for Victoria and Sophia. You and I used to be close, I thought. I was hurt when all this happened bc I couldn't understand how we could go from being good... to being the complete opposite. We felt completely blind-sided. Enough is enough. Please do what is right so that the girls can have quality relationships with both parents. I know that if we are all genuine, we can be ok again. I can forgive you and move forward in life. I pray this every day. One thing I ask of you is that you not be so judgmental of me and my family. I felt like no matter what I did, it was never good enough for you. I felt like I was walking on eggshells.
Take time and think about it. This CAN be rectified.
Cordially,
Kelly
I think it's wrong she took the children, I don't think it's right for little girls to go w/out a mother they adore and love. They may resent their father for bringing them to a place they don't even know w/out their mother. Little girls need their moms!!! Those children may grow up and move back to Argentina to be w/ their mother.... As a mother I would do everything in my power to keep my child... It's hard when the parents are from different countries, to bad she couldn't of compromise now she may not see her children grow into beautiful young ladies ... Very sad no matter what way you look at it. BTW I've meet Dennis he is a good man
I am a product of a broken home and I can speak from experience. These parents need to put aside their personal differences for the sake of the children. They don't realize the real permanent emotional damage they are causing their kids by doing what they are doing now. These kids will grow up resenting their parents for putting them in the middle of their dispute and will possibly have other personal problems in their own relationships as a result. It's unfortunate that adults cannot separate their own problems from the upbringing of children and keep their children's best interests first and foremost in such situations.
My sister and I were given to my father when my parents divorced. My father did the best he could but you need both roles playing their parts. Those girls NEED both parents but, unfortunately, I think this woman ruined it and will only be a danger. She's not stable and they're learning that this behavior is ok. What does she answer when those girls ask to see their dad? It is too bad that it has to be this way. I was 13 then and am now a 30 y/o woman and this was really troubling to read. The comments are crazy stories that I am thankful I never had to go through because I can't even imagine what those girls are going through. Lastly, is there justice for what she's done? Peace and hope for a justified outcome!
The mother is not stable? Have you seen any phycological test? Have you seen his phycological test. He also did not win custody . The girls have to be with the mother in Argentina or United State.. Before you talk get the right information please
I did read the very thorough Psychiatric Evaluation about everyone involved. I am licensed in the field and an qualified to interpret the results. The Psychiatric Evaluator even said there was a high risk of abduction on her part. He DID get awarded Primary Residential Parent by the Judge. I would suggest that YOU get the correct information before you put lies out there.
I have read the very thorough Psychiatric Evaluation for everyone involved. I am licensed in the field of Psychology and am qualified to interpret these Evaluations. The Evaluator made it clear that there was a high risk of abduction on her part. He was right. Also, Dennis WAS awarded Primary Residential Parent by the Judge. Ana broke the Court Order (and many others since then). Mia, take your own advise and "get the information right before you talk please".
And see what happened to you because you grew up without mother: you cant tell right from wrong 🙁 maybe you will change your mind when one day you will lose YOUR children to your ex husband.
This comment makes no sense. While it is true that children benefit best from having two, STABLE, loving parents in their lives, those that have only had that from one can be equally as successful. Believing otherwise is ignorant.
In a previous article on this story, CNN reported that the mother in this case had accused the father of abuse during their divorce / custody battle. If her accusations are true, then clearly she did what any loving mother would have done, which is to go to the ends of the earth to protect her children. Call her nasty names if you wish, but it's very possible that she's a good person and that he's an abuser. These kinds of stories happen all the time, and we as outsiders should not judge her. We don't know the truth.
The court records show that the allegations of abuse had no basis in fact whatsoever and that the mother fabricated them to justify her actions. Sadly, in many of these international parental child abductions the abducting parent accuses the other parent of abuse but they are only a small percentage of the time are they true.
I think you are beyond ignorant.When you illegally steal your children and run away with them, the first thing you say in your defense is that they were abusive and that gives everyone pause regardless if it were true. All she had to do was move out file for custody and act like a normal loving parent but she didnt do that at all, she did what all kidnappers do, is to run away and hide behind politics/excuses. Doesnt matter now, she has lost them and she could have had it so much easier if she just acted normally.
I witnessed this relationship in Colorado first-hand, and it is an atrocity if Dennis Burns gets his children back. He is a liar, a manipulator, a narcissist, and cares very very little for those girls. What he cares about is his ego and media attention. Shame on CNN for giving Dennis all that he really wants in life, and for not digging deeper into the real truth. His ex-wife is a beautiful woman inside and out who only wants the very best for her children, and is doing all she can to make a better life for them. There was no compromising with this situation. Dennis continued to abuse Ana and the children making their lives almost impossible while in Colorado. His solution was to have them all live together while he dated other women (which he started to do while they were still living together), just like his parents' situation where his father and mother were divorced but living in the same house for over 20 years. Is this what you consider a compromise? I have to believe that justice will prevail somehow, regardless of the stupidity of the American media machine.
"Real Witness" I will respond to you as I have with Stephanie who is also fabricating lies to back Ana who has deceived you also. Of course I would feel the same way you do if I believed someone was being abused. Yet Im sure Ana never told you that she was forced to tell the truth on the stand while being cross examined by my attorney. She confessed that she fabricated the abuse story. It is public record if you really are concerned for the truth. Since you dont have much of the truth and need clarification, my parents are not divorced either. You are far off the mark on everything you have written. But I understand since you are being spoon fed lies from the person who has been unwilling to cooperate on behalf of the good of her own children. The only thing you have right is that this was a situation of zero compromise. Only on her end. From the beginning, I had offered to buy her a condo in Basalt and agreed they could go to visit Argentina 2 -3 months per year. This was not enough for Ana. She said that they HAD to move permanently to Argentina away from me and my family. If these were your children would you have agreed to let them go, and would you have just given up on your children who you love? So I am persecuted for loving my daughters and not giving up on them? CNN, the State Department, the US Embassy, the Central Authority of Argentina as well as the Supreme Court of Argentina all have done their due diligence and read ALL the FACTS and court records surrounding this unending saga Ana has created at the expense of the emotional well being of our daughters. You come on here and spew lies that you have been manipulated into believing. Who do you think really knows the ONE Truth...you or EVERYONE else who actually did their homework before passing judgement and slandering someone whom you dont know? I forgive you because.. you know not what you do...And believe it or not, I work hard from my soul to forgive Ana every day. Luckily for me I do not have to judge her since that is God's place in this life.
Dear Mr. Burns. I went through the same. I am sorry for what you are going through. I recovered my children after 5 years and not because the mother agreed to return them. Even after getting a Supreme Court decision, the trial court refused to let the children go and I suffered all kind of threats from the mother and her family, who continued absconding the children, and from the court itself. False accusations and persecution was a daily challenge. Corruption and discrimination is widespread in Argentina's courts. My children suffered huge psychological abuse in an attempt to separate them emotionally and to inflict fear to return with me. They also suffered severe physical abuse which involved the use of horse whips and even required surgery. Being with a parent is no indication of well-being when the parent won't respect them and the children still experience the harmful consequences of these illegal and immoral actions for years. I will be more than happy to share my experience with you if there is a way to get in contact. Wish you and your children the best.
You are flat out lying. It's pathetic. There is nothing narcissistic about Dennis. He is one of the kindest people I've ever known. I've known him for a very long time. Ana is the Narcissist for many reasons, one of which is defying Judges Orders left and right since this process began. Dennis has been following the law since the beginning of the process ALWAYS having the childrens' best interest at heart. This could've easily been a smooth divorce where the kids get to spend quality time with both parents. That has always been Dennis' wish. But the Narcissist, Ana, wanted only what SHE wanted and simply kidnapped the kids. That does not sound like a person who makes healthy judgment calls for the childrens' sake. And for God's sake, stop pretending you know what you're talking about, when we all know that you are lying.
Why does this story say kidnapped? Can a biological mother kidnap a child? She may have disobeyed the courts but is it really kidnapping? Was she hurting the children? Ransoming them? Abusing them? Was the doing drugs? Was she unfit? The article does not indicate.
Absolutely, look up the definition of kidnap.
bibleverse, child abduction is child abuse. It's documented as such by the UN and other credible agencies. If you think a family abduction by a parent doesn't harm the children you are both naive and misguided.
So sad when adults cannot put their children first. These girls probably need both of their parents...sadly none of us making comments know the "whole story" so it is possible one parent is better or worse than the other–but we do know the girls are paying for their parent's mistakes. We need to be able to trust the courts to make a good decision in the best interest of the children. The parents needed to compromise in the first place and now, no matter what happens, there is more pain for the two little girls who only want the people they love to love each other...or at least be kind to each other.
Good morning from #NewDay and TeamCNN~
Thanks so much for all your comments regarding this story. We encourage you to share your opinions. Please be respectful of others whose opinions may differ from yours. Otherwise, your comments may be removed. Also, no profanity or your comments may be edited/removed.
Have a wonderful #NewDay!
Lola / CNN VCM
Ok so I am going through a Divorce and I am the father. I was in court yesterday. Luckily my wife has the brains enough to realize the need for 2 parents, But she did try to use the abuse card, then the 'I am a better parent" then, " He(father) can not "handle" the daughter.
I never thought that this woman would do so much but what is fascinating is that the courts are heavily inclined to give extra room to women simply because they are considered weaker.
But as we all know they are not weaker just sneakier and that is becoming evident to the courts. But the bottom line is children love both parents and no matter how hurt I (you) are one should never separate a child from his parents. I did not see my father for 6 months when I was a child and I still feel that fear at 50.
Sacrifice for the children is the only option in Divorce! Because the children have already been sacrificed!
Thank you
Good morning, "Honesty,"
Thank you for sharing your very powerful comments about this story.
We so much appreciate your sharing such wise comments – the children are indeed the ones who suffer.
Have a lovely #NewDay!
Lola / CNN VCM
Please, TeamCNN, I urge you to get this story RIGHT. Go see those children. Go visit Ana. Find people who know Dennis and ask around about him. Go to Snowmass and Carbondale and see how many people you can find that will support what he is doing. Take your story one step further instead of just benefiting from all the attention you are getting from it. Thank you!
The person named "RealWitness" is lying. Why doesn't she say her real name if she is so certain of the (lies) she is spreading? I've yet to meet a person who knows Dennis who doesn't like him. He just got involved with a poisonous snake. Ana thinks she is hurting Dennis. She is hurting the children. She needs to come back down to earth and stop making toxic decisions that are causing emotional pain and scars for the children.
I was in the same shoe as him, but my fight, was here, in Illinois, I did not see my son for 6 months and it was killing me,
My Ex-wife took off with one of here boy friend, I reported my son as missing and i ended in jail, for reporting it. justice was long to come but i got 80% of the custody at the end. Now going for full custody, i light of my ex tapes,
some of the comments on here are disturbing, if a woman wins custody, shes a hero, if a dad does, then there is something wrong with the system, and most likely him, how bias can you people get? i know lots of WONDERFUL FATHERS WHO HAVE CUSTODY, men can be nurturing. caring parents by themselves, men have been put down by society for too long! WTG GUY, I HOPE SHE DOESN'T PULL ANYMORE BS AND YOU GET YOUR KIDS!
I completed understand however we as an American should be very careful about date and marry someone from another country. Please make sure there something in store before have children since this is a big headache on bother side. The children is so innocent and hurt. I hope for everyone sake please take the time to get to get to know the person. It's look bad for American because the world is think we are to stupid when it comes with custody battle with both parent and one of them not a US citizen. All in all just be careful
How could I get of hold of these gentlemen? My ex-husband lied to me, said he was taking my daughter on vacation and never returned her! he also cut me off completely off her life for almost 3 years, not until she was 18 is when she first was able to come back and visit. NEVER came back to live with us 🙁 ... I missed precious moments of her life!!! It has been almost 6 years and my daughter and I are very close now...any way, please allow me to join people who lose their kids! By the way, I live in USA and so my daughter's father, different states and MANY miles away! Thank you!
No word about punishment for the kidnapper/ex-wife? Here's hoping that the ex-wife does not spring some other plot twist.
Yeah she could run off to some place who doesnt care what US law says, like Venezuela
Pretty sure these kids are loved by both parents. The break up was the true sin here. No sides win.
I met them both and witnessed their relationship from the very beginning. He is a pig. He is a selfish pig. He abused Ana to the point of leaving her no choice but to make such a poor decision. She was never going to win given that she was a foreigner here in the US. Their girls do not deserve any of this. But I know that Ana wants only the best for them. She put up with more than any other woman would have while leaving alongside him, which led her to make not the smartest/healthiest decision. I wish things get straightened out and those girls get to see both their parents, but hopefully live with their Mom.
So you are a witness, you can be a witness on a new trial? Sad story.
Stephanie it is interesting that you are such a witness to this history since I dont even know who you are. I will state for the record for everyone reading here that my ex wife, Ana Alianelli perjured herself to the courts and falsified abuse charges against me here in Colorado and also in Argentina (when I wasnt even in the country). Ana HERSELF ADMITTED she lied about those abuse charges to the court after my attorney cross examined her and got her tangled in her web of lies on the stand. She was forced to admit to the judge that she made it up. It is public record at the Garfield County Court. This was part of the reason I was awarded Primary Residential Parent Status; due to her attempted manipulation and perjury in court. Of all the ignorant comments made on this forum, at least most people just dont know what they are talking about and have no idea of the pain Ana has put our daughters through, not to mention myself and my family through parental alienation. But to directly fabricate lies is a special kind of slander Stephanie. I pray for you and the rest of the misguided and ill directing folks on here who so easily formulate their prescription to a 4 year saga of emotional child abuse. It is certainly more complex than most know. I also find the strength every day to pray for Ana that she might come to her senses and do the right thing for the sake of our daughters. After all, their well being is what matters most here. I have always said that I am sadly responsible for half of a failed marriage. But I always tried to put the needs of the girls first so they could have both parents and both families in their lives as they deserve. They dont deserve what she has put them through with extended periods of being completely cut off from their father and half their family so Ana can play a vengeance card since I fail to give up on our daughters.
Are the chillden American?
You threw a huge publicity show and drama club badmouthing your childrens mother in public to complete strangers, whining and complaining the the whole world. Why couldnt uou be a man and go to live Argentina to see your kids and let them have their mother? 0h its inconvenient yo live in a foreign I guess! But you expected this from her twisting her arms. You probanly are already remarried and ecpect the stepmother will replace the their resl mother? The girls will hate you when they grow up. This is a lesson to women not to marry foreigners especially us men. Their court will always give custody to american spouse matter what. Stay away from them women.
Stephanie,
You are either a blatant liar or have been lied to and completely believe the lies you've been told. It doesn't matter what you say bc all the Courts know EVERY single detail about them both. Ana purgered herself in all the Courts just to get what she wants. The Psychiatric Evaluator and all the Judges know that she got tangled in her web of lies. Looks like you've gotten tangled up too. Once again, it doesn't matter what you say. This is much bigger than you. It is about the children not living with an abductor, who has abused the children by way of Parental Alienation. Look it up. It is a form of child abuse.
I don't know how anyone could defend kidnapping one's children and then completely cutting them off from their father.
Quit chasing hot South american women, they all yo back to mo man, just like American Women
I fathered a boy with a Swiss woman (inadvertent donor father?). We were never married and my son was born in Switzerland. For the first 15 months the mother "allowed" me to visit. I would make the long journey from California to Zurich but it was never easy and caused tension within my team. But by the end of 2011, the mother informed me the visits were to stop. And so they did. I continued to pay maintenance. The mother was insensitive, brining my son to Lake Tahoe for skiing and then to Hawaii for beach holidays, twice a year. I asked for short visits, hoping to see my son, whilst he was in the USA. No go. By March 2012, I broke down with emotional despair. I reached out the Swiss Authorities to get visitation help. I was told that help would only be forthcoming if I relocated to Switzerland. So I quit my job and moved to Switzerland, thinking that I could establish a visitation plan. I arrived in Switzerland to discover that the local authority had mysteriously made a decision, without input from me. The notification of the decision reached me after the date for appeal had passed. These were no mistakes. And so began my long journey. The Swiss system is pernicious and process orientated. The interests of the child are non-existent as measured by outcomes. The order provided for a visitation "warden" to organize visits. But the "warden" appointed the hostile mother as the visit "supervisor" – all but ensuring that visits did not happen. While this process was being worked out, I did not see my son from January to August 2012. This was a critical age, my son was 2/12 years old. The games continued until I gave up and left Switzerland in April 2013. I had been living on my savings – with no visits there was no point staying. Also, the Swiss Child Welfare Authority had decided to give my son to the grandparents and appointed them as custodial foster parents. These authorities never consulted with me. Not one meeting, not one phone call. The decision was made as if I did not exist. The reason for handing my son over to the grandparents was because the mother is a Swiss Flight Attendant – and never around. This decision destroyed me when I learned of it. The grandparents protect their daughter and have always been hostile. So now my son was living with hostile foster parents and the situation could not be more hopeless. But as I was leaving, my case came before a Swiss Court – the Bezirksrat in late April 2013. The court officials were ignorant and prejudiced. The hostile grandfather attended and defiant – insisting that he did not have to cooperate with visitation. Some sanity prevailed but it was not much. I was given 6 "supervised" visits of 3 hours each after which a report was to be written. Remember now that I had returned home. Never mind the time and cost it takes to travel to Switzerland from California, I attended each one of the 3-hour supervised visits. I knew if I did not, I would never see my son again. The Swiss had all but made this clear.To make matters awkward, the proposed new visitation regime was mysteriously postponed for several months but it commenced in late July 2013 and was completed in October 2013. A report was written which all but said that the mother was the problem. And then nothing. All access stopped. In December 2013, a new child endangerment bureau, the KESB, stepped in. I was summonsed to a meeting and told that visits should be allowed to take place. An order was made and a schedule published for additional 3-hour "supervised" visits. The mother and the hostile grandparents continue to ignore the order which now included Skype. Since January 3rd 2012, I have seen my son for about 58 hours. My life has been destroyed. I have been tormented emotionally and nearly exhausted my savings and pension, which I cashed in. I am 47 years old. I am trying to rebuild my life but there is an enormous void. My son is my only child. I should be allowed to see him and access should be enforced, by the Swiss. I have never requested custody or asked for anything other than what Swiss fathers would get. There are other cruel injustices to this story not mentioned here but the mother and the hostile grandparents were skiing in Lake Tahoe just this March, as they do each year for 3 weeks. I no longer ask for visits and nor do I dare go for fear of trouble and confrontation. My story is true and verifiable. Alas, there are no good answers for the mother and the grandparents behavior. There are not "two sides to this story". Just selfishness and cruelty.
Your story really moved me and made me rethink the world we live in.
Why was the father given primary custody of the girls? What makes him better for the girls than their mother? I am sorry but as a Latina mother if anyone tries to unjustly take my children from me I would do the same thing she did. She probably didn't see any other way. Now these girls are going to be taken from their mother and the world they know. I wonder if they even asked the girls what they wanted. I am not saying the father doesn't have rights, of course he should be able to see his daughters, but give him the primary custody Why?. Could it be because he was the U.S citizen and she was not? All around I feel sorry for these girls.
Unfortunately, you cannot make another country abide by our laws. It's a lesson learned to all Americans who marry someone who was born in another country or has dual citizenship with another country because when things go sour they can take the kids and there is simply nothing you can do about it to stop it, and then you spend thousands and many years trying to get them back....IF you can get them back, some countries aren't cooperative at all....especially countries when it is typical males get custody. Woman aren't the only one's who flee...men do too.
Now he has to pray she doesn't up and take off with the kids and disappear, and if he finds them, he'll have to start this whole process all over again.
If the mother was a US Citizen, there was no way the father could get the custody. Mothers in US are always victims unless if they are from another country.
That's a bunch of crap I have my daughter living with me in Turkey. I am in the military and they still gave me my little girl.
I watched the video, and sorry but this guy seems like he's playing the part very well. My guess is he's a narcissist with BPD who has pandered well to the courts. He probably at the time was also able to retain better counsel than his ex-wife and that is key to "winning' any legal issue.
So after the divorce was it realistic that the mother could even stay in the US and/or support herself, or was that another part of his and his lawyers' strategy? The courts are not the place for justice, that's for sure.
The Argentine Supreme Court was wrong. They are taking the kids from their loving mother and placing them with a misogynist meat eating male who will most likely molest them when he gets the chance. Children belong with their mothers and not the sperm donors who cannot pay the small amount of child support the courts have asked them to pay.
your a special kind of stupid aren't you? you are ASSuming that all mothers are better parents than fathers, which is a dumb and one sided comment.. get a grip girl!
You are a complete and total idiot....just because they are the mother doesn't make them the best parent. I have custody of my little girl...but with what your saying here my little girl should have been left with her mother that tried to kill her first child, and is on every drug known to man.
WOW!!! What happened to YOU?? It sounds like you are projecting your own experience onto this canvas where it definitely does NOT belong. Dirt is in the mind of the beholder. You need help.
I hate international custody battles one parent will win and the other parent and the kids lose. I am glad that he won the battle. Kidnapping the kids is not the way. Sadly, these two little girls will never again see or touch the most important role model in the life of any little girl, their mother. Hopefully, Burns has a sister or his mother lives nearby and can teach two little girls about things that a father cannot teach them, how to be women... I haven't heard if the mother is facing jail if she returns, but, that is likely the case. Maybe when they turn 18yrs-old they can at least get the chance to get to know their mother. Meet her family learn about the customs of a Hispanic family.
Something does not sound right about this guy. This lady is not all over the media bashing the dad, but it's him all over the media bashing the foreign woman. Why do these guys marry a foreign woman and not American woman, so he could treat her like a slave and then take the kids because she tried to get out? Because he could not treat an American woman as badly and get away with it? It reads that this guy could be a psychopath/sociopath or just a plain a–hole . The children were pretty young when they divorced. What foreign chick would come to the USA with no social benefits or network, and leave a "nice" guy with 2 small children? No way this guy is 100% innocent of nothing. What did this guy do that was so bad that she would chose to be a single mom in a foreign country? This guy is no hero.He should have made peace with his exwife before it ever got to court, for the sake of his young kids. Good dads do not find it necessary to instigate custody battles from hell and spread his children's private business all over the newspapers.
You have no idea what you are talking about. He is a great Dad. She is a selfish and wanted what she wanted and that's that. There is clearly NO logic with her. He is not bashing her in the media. He is simply telling the truth about what has happened, which is so extremely unfair. This is his way of finding the justice that is due here. He wants to be with his kids. This is the only way left to make it happen. The reason she is not in the media is bc she knows that what she has done is WRONG. It is PUBLIC RECORD that she admitted she lied in the Courts about the "abuse". It is a known tactic used for exactly what she has done. Go look it up. It is PUBLIC RECORD that she got caught in her web of lies. Do your homework before coming onto this forum and throwing dirt. And by homework, I mean research from TRUSTWORTHY resources. Not the lying, manipulative woman who wants what she wants at ANY cost to the children.
Nobody is saying one parent is "better than the other". The kids' home is in Colorado, not Argentina.
For example, if the kids were born and lived in Argentina, it certainly would be wrong for Dad to take them from their home and bring them to Colorado against the wishes of Mom.
Good for the father. Something tells me if the father had taken the children women would be demanding he be imprisoned and would call him a kidnapper, but alas it was the mother so all is well right feminists?
Why has he not gone to see them in the last seven months...playing the martyr...the article didn't make any mention of what attempts he has made to make contact with the children or communicate with the other parent. The article also did not mention restraining order so I assume he didn't make much effort to travel to where the children have been living for the past few years because of HIS CHOICE...disappointing on his end...doesn't sound like he made much effort to reconcile. I'm sure my comments will upset some...but they are true. He should have saved his 'life savings' for the children's college fund and tried his best to be involved in their lives the last few years versus allowing his pride to get the best of him... this is a lose – lose situation and the girls are now going to have to uprooted-but at least he "WON"???
Every waking moment of his life, he is trying to be with his daughters. Ana makes it IMPOSSIBLE for him no matter what angle he takes. If you only knew the REAL details, you would understand and definitely NOT say what you just said. THAT is the truth. Don't try to speak with authority on something you don't know enough about.
This is why you should try to save your marriage first. If he was that concerned about his daughters he should have moved to Argentina. Now, with this ruling his kids will be scarred and will go through turmoils in their life. I know fathers who have abducted their kids leaving the mother's out of total contact, so it goes both ways. I feel sorry for the kids.
...so the Argentinian Supreme Court is biased in favour of the American father?!!,,say what?...lol
The kids were taken from their father, and now they are going to be taken from their mother? The kids are going to suffer even more and even worse now that they are older – two wrongs don't make a right.
Lots of opinions here on which parent is more selfish. What stood out to me is the dad saying "I" get to live with them, "I" get to teach them things, "I" was happy to win custody... Too many "I" statements.
Too many "I" statements??? What about the only one that seemed to matter from the mother – "I want to live in Argentina." She could have compromised before that. For a father to win primary residential custody in the area he won it in – that is really huge and means the courts saw something in the mother that we aren't privy to on the outside, to not award her primary custody is shocking. In the end, I hope for her sake and the sake of those beautiful little girls, I hope this mother learns to compromise and allow the children to know her and work with this family. Start over kind of thing. It sounds like they will let her. If I was her, I would salvage everything I could with them so I could stay a big part of the girls' lives. Tragic story that could have been avoided.
Yummyvette,
You are very astute! 🙂
Way to go Dennis. I'm surprised the liberal press published that a woman did something bad. Treat her the same way she treated you, don't let her talk to the kids. The kids were born in the US and the US is their residential country. When they arrive shred the argentina passports and refuse to sign them to get renewed. Don't let the kids go to argentina again. The hague convention makes you promise not to press charges against your ex, but if she ever shows up in the US, I would consider doing it. I hope you got sole custody. Congratulations.
You are a very resentful person. First the girls are not both born in the US one was and the other was born in Argentina. Ana speaks the girls in english sends them to english school and she has been connecting them to Skype or letting him see the girls anytime he wants. The girls are super attach to the mother and never have a bad reaction when mr. burns came down to see them for 2 days. Get inform
Ana has not been connecting them through skype. She has been Court Ordered to do so and broke yet another Court Order. She has broken ALL ties of communication between the children and their Father and his family ALL TOGETHER for over 7 months now. NO COMMUNICATION WHATSOEVER! The girls are super attached to the Mother now because they are identifying with their abductor, which is common in this situation. This is why it is considered child abuse. Look up Parental Alianation. It is a form of Child Abuse. Even prior to 7 months ago when there was skype interaction, Ana would make it so difficult to connect. She would pay games on email. Not be available on Skype when she said she would. Always playing games with Dennis and his family. So sad. YOU need to "get inform"ed.
He is not a resentful person. He is a person who wants justice for the Burns family. He is merely saying that Dennis should mirror Ana's behavior. If you find that resentful, then you find Ana's behavior resentful. In which case, I agree with you.
You watch. This witch of an ex-wife will disappear into the night with the kids. Alianelli has to have friends and family that have been paying for the lawyers and the court cases. You don't believe they won't secretly move her to some other location and start using new names? Corruption is rife in South America and a new identity can be easily purchased. She'll disappear to some other town / village, and will be supported from a distance by family. You watch.
Le. Which movie have you seen? You have a very creative mind uuuuuuu scary
What SHOULD have happened is that two adults should have compromised.....PERIOD. The children need both of them and if she wants to go and visit family in Argentina....fine. If she wants to take the children with her for defined periods of time that are agreed upon...fine. Bottom line is that either parent depriving another capable parent of their children are absolutely nothing less than maniacal a$#holes that in the end get children with many more issues than if they were to have "played" nice to begin with and at least let the children see an attempt to do the right thing for the sake of the children.
If he abandons his kids, he's a terrible dad. If he fights for them, he is a terrible dad. Good thing he cares more for his kids than some idiot's comments on the internet.
I'm a woman but I totally agree with CrazyHicks. What do women want?
Good for this guy. About time men win one. Mostly it's all about women in custody cases. 96% of all custody's are awarded to women. Is THAT fair?