I’ve been closely following the case of April Griffin, a 28 year-old Milwaukee woman who’s been jailed since May 15 for her refusal to reveal the whereabouts of her 11-month old son after Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Michael Goulee allowed the boy’s father to have visitation rights. Since being held in custody, Griffin has lost custody of the child, with the judge awarding full custody to the boy’s father. Griffin has alleged she fears the boy’s father – who is not a U.S. citizen – would attempt to take the boy back to his native Africa. Griffin has also alleged Matthew Sebuliba, the father, has an “extensive history of domestic violence and abuse” against Griffin. In response to Griffin’s concerns about Sebuliba taking their son back to Africa, Judge Guolee ordered Sebuliba to surrender his passport, but Griffin still refused to reveal the location of the boy.
As reported in Proof and Hearsay and the MJS, earlier today Judge Guolee offered April Griffin a furlough to allow her to help get her older child ready for the school year, but Griffin sat silent as her attorney refused the offer. Now I understand Ms. Griffin’s desire to want to keep her child safe from harm, but I can’t help but wonder what this situation is doing to her older child, who’s been forced to get by without her mother for over three months.
Ultimately, April Griffin may have some really good reasons for her unwillingness to comply with the judge’s order and reveal the whereabouts of her child, but in choosing to deal with the situation in this manner, all she’s done is discredit herself and make it so the situation she was most trying to avoid – Matthew Sebuliba getting custody – has now come to pass. I hope for the sake of everyone involved – but most of all the 11-month old child – that April Griffin will come to her senses and realize the best way to get the outcome she desires is to work within the confines of the family court system.
Have you worked within the CONFINES of the Family Court system? Do you have a child in that system? Have you ever had a child, of your own, in that system? The information you reference is incomplete and misinformed. I would suggest you obtain more information before you propound your opinions about what other people should do about their own children.
Mr. Aleman, I haven’t had a child of mine in the confines of the family court system, but I fail to see what bearing my personal situation has on my ability to comment on April Griffin’s situation.
Further, what information that I’ve referenced is “incomplete and misinformed?”
And since you’re so interested in the truth, perhaps you can shed some light on April Griffin’s allegations of Matthew Sebuliba’s “extensive history of domestic violence and abuse” against her, since a search of CCAP and the Milwaukee Municipal Court website turns up no convictions or citations for domestic violence against Mr. Sebuliba.
P.S. – Thanks for visiting!