Arkansas Father Pleads With Two Governments To Get Kids Back

That New Jersey father is now getting lawmakers, President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to intervene and ask for the boy's return and that's exactly what Chris Bobo of Arkadelphia is doing.

Bobo recalls, "The last time I actually had a conversation with the children was November 14, 2005; last time I saw them was May of 2005."

That's when a Clark County Judge awarded Chris Bobo full custody of his then-6-year-old daughter, Halle, and 10-year-old son, Jacob. He explains, "I raised them, so I know them very well."

He and his ex-wife had worked out regular visitation between Arkadelphia and her new home with her new husband in the United Kingdom, but after the ruling, Luanne Uttley refused to bring the kids back.

"Jake was terrified; he was crying. He couldn't complete a sentence and I just kept asking, 'Why? What's wrong?'" Bobo says about his last conversation with Jacob.

The kids are now a fixture on National Missing and Exploited Children flyers.

Bobo explains, "By law, I'm the custodial parent. By court orders, I'm the custodial parent. By the Arkansas Supreme Court, I'm the custodial parent; per the United States government and the State Department, I'm the custodial parent."

We have confirmed with those agencies that this is an open case and Clark County has an active felony warrant on Luanne Uttley, but it's an international battle.

Bobo explains what the U.S. Attorney's office told him, "It's what they call dual criminality and that means what she's facing in this country, the U.K. thinks our punishment is to harsh, so they will not allow extradition."

So Bobo started back at square one, writing the President, applying to the Hague Convention of International Abducted Children and canceling the kids' passports.

He adds, "Each time I've presented something and tried to get somewhere, it's been meet with opposition."

Bobo says he will never stop fighting; the kids last words to him are a daily reminder, "They said, 'We don't want to go back; you don't know what it's like. We don't want to go back!' My children need to be returned to the United States per United States Court orders and bottom line, I want to see my kids."

Bobo says this should not be an issue of diplomatic relations, but rather a parent's rights.

Halle is now 10 and Jacob is 13. Bobo sends them gifts through the U.S. Consulate which gives him reports every six months on how the kids are doing.

According to the State Department about 3,000 abducted U.S. children are in other countries.