Children are the most precious treasures in the hearts of parents around the world. Yet, when relationships fall apart, many estranged couples find themselves locked in bitter disputes over custody. In their quest to keep their children close, they often resort to combative legal battles, demanding visitation rights, custody modifications, or financial support for childcare and education.

Attorney Shea reached out to me via a message on LINE, inviting me to a meeting at Lex Solution Investigations’ office to strategize for a custody modification case.

This case involves an Italian client introduced by a well-known corporate client of Attorney Shea’s firm. The legal team takes this case very seriously, recognizing the challenges in any legal battle. In this instance, the client could only provide evidence from the last three months showing that his visitation rights were obstructed. He presented proof of his phone number being blocked by the child’s mother (his ex-girlfriend), making any form of communication or video calls with his daughter impossible. Although such evidence is critical for custody modifications, Attorney Shea’s team, after discussions with the client, agreed that additional evidence was necessary to increase the chances of winning the case. To this end, they engaged Lex Solution Investigations for assistance in collecting more substantial proof.

When Provided Information Becomes Outdated

Despite the detailed information provided by the client—including residential addresses, the daughter’s preschool name and location, the mother’s identification details, phone number, workplace, family address, and photos of all relevant individuals—the investigative team initially found no trace of the mother and child. With the client’s advance payment already exhausted, pressure began to mount. Being based in Italy, the client couldn’t verify the accuracy of his own data firsthand and grew increasingly skeptical of the investigation’s progress. He expressed his frustration to Attorney Shea, demanding a refund.

Attorney Shea, valuing the partnership established over years of collaboration, advised us not to take the criticism personally and instead focus on solving the problem at hand: finding the child and mother. Time was of the essence, with a family court hearing scheduled for the following Tuesday. Unfortunately, despite all efforts, only the mother’s legal representatives attended the hearing. The court required her lawyers to confirm the child’s residential address, but the provided address was unchanged and inaccurate.

Breakthrough via Virtual Conference

Desperate for new leads, the team organized a video conference with the client. After allowing him to vent his frustrations, they encouraged him to share more details about his relationship with the child’s mother. The client revealed that she was a former flight attendant, whom he met and fell in love with during a flight. She had told him she was transitioning to an administrative role to focus on childcare, but he wasn’t sure if she still worked for the airline.

The turning point came when the client recounted an incident six months earlier. While visiting Taiwan to see his daughter, he stayed at his ex-girlfriend’s home. She often dressed up and went out late at night, leaving him and the child at home, which led to arguments. One morning, as he walked his daughter to preschool, she pointed to a Porsche SUV and exclaimed, “Uncle’s car!” The man in the driver’s seat smiled and greeted them warmly. The client discreetly photographed the car and recorded its license plate.

“That’s the key!” I exclaimed, feeling like a lightbulb had gone off. We immediately requested the client to share these details.

Finding the Child’s New Address

The investigation shifted focus to tracing the vehicle’s owner. Using this lead, Lex Solution Investigations identified the man in question and obtained a clear video of his face, which the client confirmed. Following the man for several days, the team discovered that he often drove to a residential community in Taichung City over the weekends. Surveillance captured a pivotal moment: a mother and daughter emerged from the community, with the child running joyfully into the man’s arms and the mother affectionately kissing him on the cheek. This crucial evidence restored the client’s confidence and trust in the investigative team.

Comprehensive Evidence Collection

The gathered evidence included numerous instances demonstrating neglect of the child’s best interests. Examples included:

• Failing to use crosswalks while crossing streets with the child.

• Transporting the child on a motorcycle without a safety seat.

• Allowing the child to sit in a car’s back seat without a booster.

• Taking the child to a karaoke venue until after 2 a.m.

• Leaving the child alone in a running vehicle while shopping at a convenience store.

• Potential unemployment of the mother, raising questions about financial stability.

Victory in Court

Thanks to the robust evidence collected by Lex Solution Investigations, Attorney Shea’s legal team achieved an unexpected victory in court. The Italian father was granted custody of his daughter. Concerned about his daughter being hidden again, he reengaged the investigators to monitor her whereabouts until he could travel to Taiwan and bring her home. Grateful for their relentless efforts, he personally apologized to the team for his earlier doubts and outbursts, expressing deep appreciation for their unwavering support.

Lex Solution Investigations demonstrated their expertise in navigating complex custody disputes, reinforcing the importance of meticulous evidence collection and professional investigative services in ensuring justice and the best interests of the child.