Mother loses custody battle for son

Linda Berger’s application to keep her son Liam in SA was dismissed by the court, notes a report in The Mercury. Judge Ben du Plessis ordered that Liam’s father, Hal Berger, would with immediate effect have custody of the child and that the court in California had the right to decide over final custody. Du Plessis further ordered that the SA Central Authority facilitate the boy’s return in the company of his father or a social worker. The judge noted that Hal undertook to withdraw felony charges against Linda emanating from her abducting the child more than two months ago. The judge ordered Linda to pay all the legal costs incurred to her husband in the latest spate of applications. Full report in The Mercury (subscription needed)