I’ve already posted a couple of times previously on a particularly drawn out and complex family court case that continues to take novel twists and turns, since its beginning in about 2003. See Vermont Holds It Has Exclusive Child Custody Jurisdiction over Child Raised by Lesbians and Interstate Child Custody / Visitation Dispute by Lesbian “Second Mother”.

To recap the lengthy history of this family court case, Birth Mom and Psych Mom are a gay couple living in a civil union in Vermont when they decide to have a child, Daughter, together. They break up when Birth Mom becomes an evangelical Christian and leaves Vermont and the gay lifestyle … and tries to cut Psych Mom out of Daughter’s life.

The dispute works its way through the family courts of Vermont and Virginia (Birth Mom’s new home) on appeals and, ultimately, it is agreed by both states that Vermont retains child custody jurisdiction of Daughter. The Vermont family court awards Birth Mom primary child custody of Daughter, but awards Psych Mom liberal child visitation and timesharing with Daughter.

Birth Mom consistently refuses to comply with the family court’s child timesharing orders … and, for that reason, loses legal custody of Daughter to Psych Mom. At which point Birth Mom allegedly absconds with Daughter to an uncertain location. A warrant for Birth Mom’s arrest issues.

Enter a Tennessee evangelical pastor (Pastor) who reportedly aids Birth Mom in flying Daughter to Nicaragua, where Pastor had been a missionary. Birth Mom and Daughter reportedly live in a beach house in Nicaragua, which is owned by a businessman whose daughter works at an evangelical university law school in Virginia – which represented Birth Mom in her Virginia family court case appeal.

In the latest twist, now Pastor is under arrest in Virginia on federal charges of international parental kidnapping, and is expected to be transported to Vermont to appear in federal court.

Additional arrests may follow.

Read more in this New York Times article: Pastor Is Accused of Helping to Kidnap Girl at Center of Lesbian Custody Fight.