TAMPA, Fla. — A Tampa mom’s fight to bring her son home landed her on the steps of Capitol Hill. The local mom is begging lawmakers to take action after she says her son was abducted to Lebanon.
Now there's hope after an agonizing three months with no word from four-year-old Dexter.
Tampa mom plans to meet with members of Congress about her son's case
"It's heartbreaking and I grieve every single day that he's gone and I hope to speak with him soon," said Rachelle Smith, Dexter's mother.
Smith says her son's father abducted him to Lebanon and cut communications with her.
"Dexter is a beautiful four-year-old boy: happy, the love of my life and it's very hard," she said holding back tears.
Smith has been granted full custody.
"There are U.S court orders demanding that Dexter be returned to the United States immediately," said Smith.
It's not that easy because Lebanon does not partake in U.S. extradition laws meaning without the help of lawmakers she's powerless. But today she's making progress as she meets with the Lebanese ambassador.
Then there's a meeting with the Foreign Affairs Committee discussing international child abduction. Sadly, Smith won't be the only parent with a heartbreaking story.
"I believe that the ongoing plague of injustice of parental kidnapping will be taken more seriously," she said.
