Leeanna Dinkens Reunited With Children After 2 Years

[Mystica43229]

FRANKLIN, Ind. -- After more than two years apart, an Indiana mother has been reunited with her three children.

Laura Vivas, 50, the paternal grandmother of Leeanna Dinkens' children, was arrested after authorities said she took the children from Indiana in 2008 and hid out in the Mexican state of Morelos until marshals hunted them down.

At a news conference Friday, authorities declined to say how they found Vivas and the children. She and her boyfriend, Javier Hernandez, had been awarded temporary custody of the children, but they didn't show up to court or return the children when Child Protective Services said the girls could go back to their mother, police said.

"That is our understanding of the reason Laura Vivas took them out of the country, that she didn't want to return the children to their mother, and in fact took the children in violation of the court order," said Johnson County sheriff's Lt. Doug Cox.
The images of Dinkens' daughters -- Sierra, Jasmine and Jaden -- had been frozen in time for her since their disappearance during a custody battle.

"I felt like I was at a funeral," she said. "I felt like my girls were gone, and I was never going to see them again."

Dinkens and her family were devastated, but they never gave up hope.
"Not when it comes to your kids or grandkids, you don't (give up)," said Cindy Rippy, the girls' maternal grandmother. "You just don't throw in the towel."

Authorities used phone records to track the girls' whereabouts. Dinkens was told last week that they had been found.

"I almost had a heart attack," Dinkens said.

Dinkens endured more heartbreak when she finally reunited with her daughters in Houston.

"My two youngest don't know me as their mom," she said.

Jasmine, now age 5, and Jaden, now 3, speak very little English, so Dinkens keeps showing them pictures to help them acclimate.

Sierra, now 10, may have the hardest time adjusting to her new home in Indiana.
"It didn't have no doors," she said. "It was like camping outside."

The girls just met their half-sister, Hailey, 1, and have yet another sister on the way.
The oldest children are in school again. Their family asked 6News not to reveal where they live.

http://www.theindychannel.com/news/25048807/detail.html

[Pene784]

Perhaps grandma was trying to protect these children from a mother they had already been taken away from??? I am a little shocked that she already has another child and yet another on the way!!!

[Aena]

Mom had been cleared by DCS to get her kids back, I wonder why they were taken to begin with? What did mom have to do to get them back? Grandma should have never taken off with them, she should have fought for them in court if she thought mom still wasn't fit to have them. Sounds like the way they were living with grandma was neglectful, no doors in the house, like camping? How exactly were they living down there in Mexico? Kids can't speak hardly any english? Not really sure they were better off with grandma down there anyway, depending on why they were taken away to begin with.

I like how in the article it says they wont release how they found them, then a few paragraphs later said they used phone records, they sure know how to keep a secret LOL


At a news conference Friday, authorities declined to say how they found Vivas and the children.

Authorities used phone records to track the girls' whereabouts

[tenntitanfan]

I'm wondering why the grandmother had temporary custody of these children instead of their father. I'm also wondering why he really hasn't been involved in this reunion since he was cleared of being involved in the abduction.

[Nell]

Perhaps grandma was trying to protect these children from a mother they had already been taken away from??? I am a little shocked that she already has another child and yet another on the way!!!

She was cleared and was going to get her girls back. The mother of her ex, who was probably prejudiced against her, had no right to take her kids at all. And what does it matter that she had more kids in the last 2 years?