Nurse Reunited with her Baby
Published: January 27, 2005
A British nurse has flown back to New Zealand and been re-united with her baby daughter for the first time in more than two weeks, in emerged today.
But Diane Jelicich, 41, is back with five-month-old Caitlin for just four days as the tug-of-love battle for custody with estranged husband Stephen, 39, continues.
A frantic Mrs Jelicich, of Birchgrove, Swansea, south Wales, was forced to return to the UK alone two weeks ago after her husband disappeared with Caitlin.
He came out of hiding at the climax of 10 days on the run last week as their marital rift turned into an international custody battle.
Diane touched down in Auckland on Saturday after flying back to New Zealand to stay with friends living outside the city.
She has since been granted four days with Caitlin but believes the on-going custody wrangle could take weeks to resolve.
Diane’s mother, Lilian Ellis, 66, of Winch Wen, Swansea, said: “Diane flew into Auckland on Saturday morning and is staying with friends.
“Last night she was back with Caitlin and she has him for four days. I don’t understand the legal situation but she is very happy to have the baby back.
“Luckily, she has friends in New Zealand who she can stay with for as long as it takes.
“We have all been devastated with worry here since this whole thing started.
“Diane has said that she will not come back again without Caitlin. But she has also been told that the whole legal side of things could drag on for weeks.”
The couple met in an internet chatroom in 2000 and Mr Jelicich, who is from New Zealand, came over to the UK to visit several times.
He moved to Swansea permanently after they married in 2003 and Caitlin was born.
They flew to New Zealand for an extended visit in October last year but argued soon after arriving and the relationship quickly deteriorated.
A New Zealand court then ruled, not long before they were due to return home to Wales, that custody of Caitlin should be decided in Britain.
Mr Jelicich subsequently went into hiding with Caitlin claiming he could offer her a better life in New Zealand and demanding a new custody hearing.
That demand appears to have been granted despite earlier acknowledgement that the courts in Caitlin’s country of birth should make such a decision.
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