A Mother. A Child. A System Gone Wrong.
What Happened to Vincent Should Never Happen to Any Child
Marthe is a loving German mother and an integral part of the San Miguel de Allende community. Her son, Vincent, is her whole world.
They came to Mexico seeking peace after a turbulent family situation in Austria — hoping for safety, healing, and a new life.
Then, without warning, everything changed.
Vincent was suddenly taken from Marthe by Mexico’s child protection agency (DIF) — without a court order and without due process.
Marthe was left alone — 7 hours from home, with no family, no income, and no way to defend herself. The courts were closed. No judge had heard her case. No evidence had been considered.
Vincent was held in state custody for more than 6 weeks — separated from his mother, denied his routine, and frightened.
As evidence of irregularities mounts, authorities involved appear to be scrambling to cover their tracks — while Marthe fights on, alone, against a system that has already ignored her rights.
Vincent was separated from his mother by Mexican child protection services following an international custody complaint.
No criminal charges have been served against Marthe. There is no known judicial order authorizing this removal.
Marthe’s lawyer is now involved, and both the German and Austrian Embassies have been informed but they are doing nothing to protect Marthe & Vincent's rights.
We urgently need to raise $36,000 USD (we have currently raised just over half of what's needed) to cover legal defense, safe housing, and living costs while Marthe fights to get sole custody of her son.
All of this has happened before a judge had heard Marthe’s side of the story.
That’s not justice. That’s not protection. That’s a silent erasure of a mother’s rights.
Marthe fled a toxic situation to protect her son. Now they’re isolated, under legal attack, and running out of options.
They Took Her Son. She Got Him Back. But the Fight Is Far From Over
CLICK BELOW TO HEAR MARTHE'S STORY
When Marthe and her son Vincent moved to Mexico, it was only meant to be temporary — a break from the oppressive conditions in Vienna during the COVID era. She never imagined they’d be thrust into a legal and emotional nightmare that would tear their lives apart.
Vincent thrived in Mexico. He has a loving home, a supportive community in San Miguel de Allende, and a joyful daily life at his Waldorf school surrounded by friends. But that peace was suddenly shattered.
On July 16th, everything changed.
An operation was allegedly orchestrated that involved public officials forcibly removing Vincent from his home — with no valid court order, no abuse allegation, and no legal justification.
Vincent was taken to a government shelter for abused children — over 7 hours away from his home — and held there for six long weeks.
During that time:
Vincent was denied contact with his mother until she got a court order granting her access.
He stopped eating and lost 4kg
He was exposed to Hepatitis A and bullied by older children.
He had to wash with a bucket of cold water for the first four days until he was moved to another place.
The judge delayed his release for weeks — despite a clear federal order to return him to his mother immediately.
Marthe is Vincent’s primary custodial parent, with shared custody. Yet, her rights were completely ignored — and her ex-husband attempted to keep Vincent in state custody while sightseeing in Mexico and planning to enroll Vincent in the shelter’s school.
This was not a custody dispute — it was an unlawful and traumatic separation fueled by apparent corruption and abuse of power.
Against overwhelming odds, Marthe and her community fought back.
With the help of dedicated lawyers and supporters, Vincent was finally released.
But the fight is far from over.
Vincent is now under house arrest with 24-hour police surveillance — as they launch criminal proceedings against those who orchestrated this injustice.
Marthe is now seeking sole custody to ensure this never happens again.
Your support — whether through donation, prayer, or sharing this story — can make a real difference.
Together, we can demand accountability.
Together, we can help Marthe and Vincent reclaim their peace.
⏳ We Are Now in a Race Against Time to Stop a Tragic Injustice
Marthe now faces a series of high-stakes legal battles in a system that has already denied her basic rights.
Her lawyer has uncovered serious inconsistencies and irregularities in how the case has been handled from the beginning. Yet, the system remains unresponsive.
Both the German and Austrian embassies have acknowledged that standard procedures in international custody cases were ignored — but have done nothing to help.
But to keep fighting, Marthe urgently needs financial support.
Her legal fees alone are projected at $20,000 USD — the minimum required to ensure her voice is heard in court and her child’s rights are protected.
Vincent is under strict house arrest — and it’s affecting his health.
Since being released from the shelter, Vincent has been under continuous house arrest in a 42m² one-bedroom apartment in Cuernavaca. Armed police are stationed outside 24/7.
Although Marthe is legally permitted to leave, Vincent is confined to the apartment and a small enclosed outdoor space. He cannot even kick a ball, let alone attend school or visit friends.
This confinement is taking a serious toll on his mental health.
Recently, he was rushed to the emergency room with severe stomach pain. The attending physician concluded that his condition was partly psychosomatic — brought on by extreme stress — and recommended his immediate release from confinement.
This is now a fight to protect a child’s emotional well-being and his bond with the only stable parent he’s ever known.
We are urgently raising funds to:
Pay Marthe’s legal team to continue defending her rights and Vincent’s future
Cover translation and court filing costs
Provide safe housing and living support while Marthe & Vincent remain stranded in Cuernavaca
Pay for therapy for Vincent to help him heal from the trauma he’s endured
Vincent needs his mother. Marthe is fighting with everything she has — but she cannot do it alone.
Please donate today.
Every contribution helps. Every hour counts.
The System Had Failed Her
This is not a criminal case. There are no charges. No findings of abuse. No due process.
Just a mother and child — ripped apart in a legal system that is ignoring its own rules.
Vincent — a young child torn from the only safe world he knows — was placed in a state-run shelter, separated from his mother for 6 weeks.
He lost 4 kilos. Asked for his mom constantly. He didn’t understand why he couldn’t go home or see his friends.
Marthe wasn’t even allowed to see him until her lawyer intervened. She was eventually granted only one hour a day — just sixty minutes of supervised time — with her own son.
This isn’t child protection — it’s trauma. And it’s happening in silence.
Now, there is growing pressure for custody decisions to be made — before Marthe has had a chance to present her side of the story.
Authorities are moving ahead without a hearing, and without considering the full context of Marthe and Vincent’s life together.
Her Lawyer is Alarmed
Marthe’s lawyer is now on the case and has raised serious concerns about irregularities in how this has been handled.
This isn’t just a dispute — it’s a disturbing breakdown of the process that’s supposed to protect children and families.
💣 This Is No Longer Just About Custody — It’s About Accountability
Vincent was held illegally for six full weeks and has now been under strict house arrest for over three months.
This is no longer a matter of delayed paperwork or bureaucratic oversight. Evidence is surfacing of serious misconduct — and those involved are now attempting to hide the truth.
We need your help to keep the legal pressure on and ensure those responsible are held accountable — and that Vincent is finally freed from house arrest.
🧡 Why We’re Raising $36,000
Marthe needs urgent funding to:
File legal motions before the court closes for the Christmas break
Safe temporary housing for another 30 days while she’s forced to stay in Cuernavaca awaiting the critical court hearings
Living expenses — food, transport, legal filings, and document translations
Support while Marthe is unable to earn an income as a freelance worker under duress
Fight back against a process that’s stacked against her
Marthe has no access to savings or family support. She is 100% reliant on our community — and your kindness.
🚫 We’re Not Using GoFundMe
We’re accepting direct payments only to ensure:
100% of your support goes directly to Marthe
No platform fees or middlemen
No risk of censorship or account freezes (as happened with the Canadian Truckers)
✊🏽 Stand With Marthe and Vincent
This isn’t just Marthe’s fight — it’s a stand for every parent who’s ever been silenced, sidelined, or steamrolled by bureaucracy.
💔 Her son was taken without a valid court order.
🕊 She has done nothing wrong.
⏳ We have to act swiftly.
If you’ve ever said no to coercion…
If you’ve ever fought to protect your child…
If you believe that a mother and child deserve to be heard — not erased —
👉 Now is the time to help.
With deep gratitude,
The San Miguel de Allende Community