The custody dispute over the four-year-old girl moved Austria. For her mother, Julia Erickson, the tragedy continues. Your child is still with the father in the US. And she herself is now on trial for child abduction in Krems (Lower Austria).
Julia Erickson held the small stuffed dog firmly in her left hand during the process. Little Diana dropped him off when she was taken from her apartment in Lower Austria by police officers on January 20, 2022. Soon after, the four-year-old was on a plane to San Francisco, where she has lived with her father ever since. Without mother. The “Krone” reported extensively on the tragic course of the Austro-American liaison’s custody dispute.
Became a victim of domestic violence in the US
The charge that led the 44-year-old to the Krems Regional Court is child abduction – threatened with up to three years in prison. She hid Diana in the summer of 2021, robbing her father, who had fought for sole custody in the United States. At the beginning of her statement, the Lower Austrian burst into tears: “We were victims of domestic violence in the US, from which our child was not exempt.” While on leave with Diana in 2019, she made the decision: “I wanted a divorce.” Her husband did not appear on the supposedly agreed divorce date in Austria.
On July 17, the alleged hiding place was discovered
“Suddenly I was accused of child abduction,” continued the broken woman, who was desperate for help around the house. At first she waited in her mother’s apartment until the court decided that the little one could not be returned. “A friend then offered to come to her house in the countryside for the summer. Diana played in the paddling pool, fed the animals and happily ran through the garden,” she describes where she stayed during the accused period. Those were carefree days. Before the police rang the doorbell on July 17 and the “hideout” was revealed. “I am convinced of my client’s innocence,” said her lawyer Philipp Winkler.
The father was questioned via video as a witness. To the mother’s surprise, he reported that he had been in Krems in the summer of 2021: “I wanted to contact the mother.” He also went to the police at the time. In vain. When asked by the judge where Diana was now, he replied, “She’s in her bed and asleep. It’s 1:45 a.m.” – Interrupted.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
