Allan Andres Cevallos Sarzosa v. Cryster Dennisse Vergara Enriquez, No. 3:24-cv-89

In a dramatic and emotional case, Beck Redden LLP stepped up on short notice to represent Cryster Vergara, a 26-year-old mother, in a crucial federal district court hearing in Galveston. The case involved allegations under the International Child Abduction Remedies Act brought by Vergara’s ex-boyfriend, Allan Cevallos Sarzosa, who sought the return of their 2-year-old daughter to Ecuador.

Vergara found herself without legal representation just days before the final hearing. Judge Jeffrey Vincent Brown asked Beck Redden to intervene, asking the firm to step in and prepare the case for trial in just two weeks’ time. Without a moment of hesitation, Beck Redden associates Maryam Ghaffar and Lena Silva stepped up to represent Ms. Vergara. Not only did the team defeat a pending summary judgment motion, the team faced an intense 11-hour evidentiary hearing where they successfully countered Allan’s claims of wrongful removal with compelling testimony of the abuse and manipulation Vergara suffered in Ecuador. Their case was bolstered by a former security officer’s testimony, found just a day before the hearing, which corroborated the abuse and was pivotal in undermining the father’s case. In addition, Beck Redden won a hard-fought evidentiary battle to introduce a domestic violence expert’s testimony that shed light on the insidious cycle of emotional, financial, and mental abuse that survivors, like Ms. Vergara, endure.

Judge Brown ultimately ruled in Vergara’s favor, denying the petition and allowing her and her daughter to stay in the United States. This case highlights Beck Redden’s unwavering commitment to justice, even in the most challenging circumstances, and the profound impact their work can have on clients’ lives.