How can a mother hurt her own children?

[AlleyW]

How can women loose control and actually hurt their own children? Is it really not possible to realize you need mental health support?  I have a friend who's niece and nephews have been kidnapped by their mother who lost custody in Italy after the courts found her mentally unfit. Instead of seeking the therapy that the judge requested of her, she kidnapped her four American children during her visitation period and escaped to St. Petersburg, Russia (she is dual US/Russian citizen). She then abandoned them into ultra-orthodox institutions/orphanages as she can not care for them. The Russians will not help the father get his children back.

The city has rallied around the family and created a blog:

http://bringflorentinekidshome.wordpress.com/

Why wouldn't the mother go get help? I fear for these poor children.

[Audreesmommy757]

some moms just hurt their kids...as sad as is...she needed help and rufused it and has endangered the lives of her chidren...she is not mentally capable of motherhood and should be arrested when found..that poor father

[Meltopia529]

 That is so sad! I truly hope this woman gets the help she needs.

[sweetlyblissful]

I don't get it. It makes me sad.

[lynnd4]

I doubt she realizes the severity of her actions. If she was mentally ruled unfit by the courts, why expect her to behave rational? It's difficult to judge irrational actions with rational reason. Why won't the Russian courts help?

[MommaNuney]

 Awful and sad!

[AlleyW]

Great question on the Russian Court. They are surprising everyone!  The mother filed in Russia for domicile, alimony and to take the father's rights away (based on false accusations), but the St. Petersburg court was not stupid nor nationalist here. The judge declined the woman's request and made big news. The Russian court confirmed that the Italian court is the one to have jurisdiction on this case.  There is still an appeal available to the mother in Russia. We are all praying the decision does not get overturned! ...and that she will come back to Italy and work things out. (maybe too optimistic)

[fanci64]

Sounds like the father needs to hire one of those companies that specialize in recovering children from foreign countries that are in there kinds of situations if the courts are not doing their jobs properly. They are out there and many of them will do it for free, costs are covered by donations. It takes some research to find the right company and the right person but they are out there. Good luck to him.

[AlleyW]

No luck yet with the Russian courts. The lower court judged the father was in the right and that the jurisdiction lies in Italy (was great news) but the mother filed an appeal which then reversed the decision and the case starts all over again!

Friends and family are writing to US government representatives asking for help with the Russia Government to look into this case, as the psychological wellbeing of the children is at risk.

Please join the Petition to Secretary Hillary Clinton to intervene:

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/848/883/039/

[mommy_2_be_2010]

Bump

[SabrinaLC]

Sometimes you just don't realize what you're doing until it's actually happened.  I have never hurt my children but I've had moments and luckily I was able to snap out of it.   Until you've been in that type of situation you can't really judge what they may or may not have been thinking.  You can't understand unless you've been there.

Now here coming and kidnapping her children is wrong and that may have been premeditated