We never thought they would accuse us [of trafficking] for the simple fact of not abandoning our children, for bringing them with us seeking the same thing Cubans have sought for years.
Judge Frank Gucciardo emphasized that the man’s actions were predatory, stating, 'You treated her as a chattel that could be simply discarded... She was grief-stricken and traumatised by the departure of her children with you.' The judge highlighted the emotional trauma inflicted upon the woman who was misled into an international situation, being left behind for 16 months.