Father Reunited With Kidnapped Daughter After 15-Month Separation
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) – A three-year-old girl from Sunrise is back in her father's arms after a 15-month separation.
Lilly Abigail, 3, disappeared with her mother, Megan Everett, in a case authorities call parental abduction. Everett was spotted and arrested in North Florida.
Robert Baumann, the girl's father, picked up his daughter a little over a day ago.
"Being reunited with my daughter…words can't describe how happy I was, I mean, it was beyond amazing, it was—just perfect," said Baumann. "I was definitely very excited and very happy, but I also was scared cause I wasn't sure if she was going to remember me or what was going to happen once I got there. I didn't want to shock her any more than she's probably already been shocked with this entire ordeal."
Everett remains jailed in North Florida awaiting extradition to Broward County. At the time she left South Florida, Everett left a note saying she was taking her daughter away because she didn't want them to vaccinate and brainwash her.
Baumann knows his daughter's transition to life with him in South Florida will take time.
"She's playing--in that aspect she's good--but it's definitely going to be a long road to recovery when it comes to remembering who she is because she thinks she's Marian not Lilly and also who her family actually is," said Baumann.
Baumann believes his ex-girlfriend should be prosecuted, saying parental kidnapping is just as serious as stranger abduction.
"To me, a parent can do more damage psychologically, to me, than maybe a stranger would," Baumann said.
CBS4's Joan Murray asked Baumann if he had a problem with his daughter ever having contact with Everett again.
"I mean at this point I always wanted Lilly to have her mother and her father and maybe, if Megan could seek some help, maybe down the line, I could maybe see supervised visitations. I do not suggest nor want her to ever be alone with the child for the fact that she could possibly say 'I'm gonna run again.'"
Baumann said he's looking into the possibility of getting therapy for his daughter to help her transition back to her life in South Florida. At his point, however, he says he's taking it day-by-day, hour-by-hour.
