California Mother and Father have Son and Daughter (together, Children).

Father is sentenced to jail.

Mother is struggling financially.

Father’s mother (Grandmother) comes from Mexico to visit Mother and Children.

By agreement with Mother, Grandmother takes the Children back to Mexico for about six months.

Grandmother sends Daughter back early.

But, at the end of the six months, refuses to return Son.

Grandmother files in Mexico for legal guardianship of Son, and cuts off contact with Mother.

Mother reports Son as abducted to authorities in California, and files a proceeding for Son’s return to the US under the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction.

California and US government officials meet with their Mexican counterparts.

The Mexican trial courts rule that Son should be returned to Mother in the US.

But Grandmother does not comply … and files appeals and civil rights cases to stall the conclusion of the case.

Seven years after Son’s arrival in Mexico, Mother and Daughter go again to Grandmother’s home. They finally get to see Son after all those years.

Grandmother agrees to allow Son’s return.

Son arrives back in the US on the Fourth of July.

Read more in this Woodland [CA] Record article: Boy reunited with family after prolonged Hague process.