Serbian couple continue U.S. custody battle

There have been no new moments in the case of a Serbian family fighting to be reunited with their children in the United States. This is according to Serbian Ambassador in Washington Vladimir Petrovic, who commented on the case after Belgrade's Blic newspaper ran a story that the prosecution in California determined that the parents, Verica and Vuk Nastic, did not sexually abuse their children, aged 8 and 5. Serbian couple continue U.S. custody battle Petrovic told B92 that this decision of the prosecution was made six months ago, and that the legal battle in the case is still ahead. The Serbian couple have been accused of sexually abusing and neglecting their children. Last July, an office technician found digital photographs of their naked children in the computer that Vuk Nastic gave him. The AP report about that case says that although federal law enforcement agencies so far have found no basis for criminal charges, California's child protection system, "with the consent of a judge, deemed that the children remain at risk and has kept them from their parents" "Both the San Joaquin district attorney's office and this office declined prosecution of the parents, concluding that the photographs were actually taken by one of the children," U.S. Attorney Benjamin Wagner wrote in the letter obtained by the AP. "The decision we are talking about is old," said Ambassador Petrovic. "When the parents were accused of allegedly abusing their children, a public prosecutor in California determined that the photographs were in fact taken by the son, not the father. This is no news." But six months later, the children remain in foster care, separated from their parents and from each other, with the San Joaquin County Child Protective Services now saying there is evidence that the girl was molested by the father, the AP reported. "CPS produced a videotaped interview with the 5-year-old girl to make a case that the father had inappropriately touched her, said an attorney for the father, Robert Powell. He said the questions were ambiguous and that the father's conduct amounted to routine contact between a parent and young child, such as drying her off with a bath towel," the news agency said in its report. Vuk Nastic told B92 that he and his wife have finally been allowed to see their children, but under supervision. They have been prohibited from discussing the case, and the parents are forced to communicate with their children excursively in English. A preliminary hearing in the case will be held on January 25, while the main hearing has been scheduled for February 14. Serbia has moved to support the couple and is providing funds for their legal expenses, with Serbian Justice Ministry State Secretary Slobodan Homen quoted by the AP as saying that "there are indications of major human rights violations by the Child Protective Service, which is acting on its own."

Serbian couple continue U.S. custody battle

Petrović told B92 that this decision of the prosecution was made six months ago, and that the legal battle in the case is still ahead.

The Serbian couple have been accused of sexually abusing and neglecting their children. Last July, an office technician found digital photographs of their naked children in the computer that Vuk Nastić gave him.

The AP report about that case says that although federal law enforcement agencies so far have found no basis for criminal charges, California's child protection system, "with the consent of a judge, deemed that the children remain at risk and has kept them from their parents"

"Both the San Joaquin district attorney's office and this office declined prosecution of the parents, concluding that the photographs were actually taken by one of the children," U.S. Attorney Benjamin Wagner wrote in the letter obtained by the AP.

"The decision we are talking about is old," said Ambassador Petrović. "When the parents were accused of allegedly abusing their children, a public prosecutor in California determined that the photographs were in fact taken by the son, not the father. This is no news."

But six months later, the children remain in foster care, separated from their parents and from each other, with the San Joaquin County Child Protective Services now saying there is evidence that the girl was molested by the father, the AP reported.

"CPS produced a videotaped interview with the 5-year-old girl to make a case that the father had inappropriately touched her, said an attorney for the father, Robert Powell. He said the questions were ambiguous and that the father's conduct amounted to routine contact between a parent and young child, such as drying her off with a bath towel," the news agency said in its report.

Vuk Nastić told B92 that he and his wife have finally been allowed to see their children, but under supervision. They have been prohibited from discussing the case, and the parents are forced to communicate with their children excursively in English.

A preliminary hearing in the case will be held on January 25, while the main hearing has been scheduled for February 14.

Serbia has moved to support the couple and is providing funds for their legal expenses, with Serbian Justice Ministry State Secretary Slobodan Homen quoted by the AP as saying that "there are indications of major human rights violations by the Child Protective Service, which is acting on its own."