Custody Battles

Boy Returned to Dad in Brazil

Grandmother delivers him to U.S. consulate.

New Jersey father David Goldman just received a pretty nice Christmas gift: his 9-year-old son Sean. Sean's maternal grandmother and stepfather brought the boy to the U.S. consulate 25 minutes in advance of the 9 a.m. deadline set by the chief justice of Brazil's Supreme Court, who ruled in favor of Goldman on Tuesday. The ruling, which the Brazilian family accepted on Wednesday, ended a 5-year custody battle begun when Goldman's then-wife brought their son to Brazil, ostensibly for a two-week vacation in 2004, before dying last year. Sean reportedly cried as his guardians tried to bring him through the herd of journalists gathered in front of the consulate. Goldman has repeatedly said he won't feel safe until he's on a plane with his son. They were expected to fly back to New Jersey within hours.