US Children Abducted By Estranged Parent Remain in Brazil, Bahamas - State Dept.

Brazil and the Bahamas are failing to address cases of American children abducted by an estranged parent who refuses to return the child to the United States, US Department of State Spokesman John Kirby said in a statement.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — Kirby stated on Thursday that the United States is "specifically concerned with unacceptably long judicial delays in Brazil."

"There are 14 abduction cases that have been pending with the Brazilian judiciary for more than a year," he told reports.

The statement also noted a lack of cooperation from Bahamian authorities with regard to open abduction cases.

The United States, Brazil and the Bahamas have signed the Hague Abduction Convention, an international treaty that provides a legal mechanism for countries to work together on international abduction cases, according to the State Department website.

Kirby’s statement also singled India and Tunisia, which have not signed the treaty, for failing to cooperate with US authorities in resolving child abductions.

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