The Ho Chi Minh City People's Court will hear the custody dispute between Chung Vy Hung, 42, and his ex-wife, Thu, 37, on 24/9.
The court has also summoned Hung’s father, Chung Quoc Tinh, 66, as an interested party.
In October 2023, Tinh filed a lawsuit against his former daughter-in-law after learning his granddaughter had sought help from the police, claiming abuse by her mother. At the time, Hung was receiving medical treatment in the US. The court accepted Tinh’s lawsuit under Article 84, Clause 5 of the 2014 Law on Marriage and Family, which allows for expedited proceedings to protect a child's interests.
In April of this year, after his health stabilized, Hung returned to Vietnam and filed his own custody modification request with the court.
The court has repeatedly summoned Thu, but she has not appeared or responded to the lawsuit. Legal notices have been posted at her last known address.
Two cries for help
Hung and Thu married in 2012 and divorced in 2016 due to irreconcilable differences. The court granted Thu custody of their then 3-year-old daughter, with Hung ordered to pay 10 million VND in monthly child support.
In his custody modification request, Hung stated he has consistently fulfilled his child support obligations. This money was intended for his daughter's education and living expenses, but Thu pressured him for additional funds each month. He alleges she misused this extra money for personal expenses and even failed to pay for his daughter's education for an extended period.
According to Hung, his daughter has repeatedly called him for help, even expressing suicidal thoughts at times.
Court documents show that in September 2023, the girl ran into the Cau Ong Lanh Ward Police Station (former District 1) in a state of distress, crying and asking for help. The police referred the case to local authorities where Thu and her daughter resided.
To ensure the girl's safety, local authorities temporarily separated her from her mother for 15 days. As Hung was undergoing medical treatment abroad, the girl was placed in the care of her paternal grandparents.
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The girl's plea for help to the Cau Ong Lanh Ward Police Station (former District 1) regarding alleged abuse by her mother. Photo: Case File |
The girl's plea for help to the Cau Ong Lanh Ward Police Station (former District 1) regarding alleged abuse by her mother. Photo: Case File
Local authorities interviewed neighbors to assess Thu’s behavior. They reported she frequently argued with her mother using vulgar language, sometimes even kicking her out of the house. Thu was also described as quarrelsome with neighbors "for any reason" and often late taking her daughter to school, sometimes arriving as late as 10 a.m.
Tinh said that after taking his granddaughter into their care, the family noticed unusual behavior, including anxiety and insomnia. They took her for a medical evaluation, and the Ho Chi Minh City Regional Forensic Psychiatry Center diagnosed her with "severe post-traumatic stress disorder."
While the girl was with her grandparents, Thu repeatedly came to their house, causing disturbances and demanding her daughter back. Local authorities had to intervene multiple times.
After the 15-day separation period ended, the girl was returned to her mother. However, a few days later, the then 10-year-old girl wrote a five-page letter to the Cau Ong Lanh Ward Police Station. In it, she described her suffering, constantly hearing her mother yelling and arguing with others, even chasing and hitting her grandmother. She claimed she was sometimes deprived of food and forced to beg her father for money, and made to miss school.
"I don't know who can help me. I just want to live with my father and grandparents... because there I am loved, fed, allowed to sleep, and go to school," she wrote, adding, "I don't hate my mother."
A plea for the child's well-being
Tinh said he was heartbroken to learn of his granddaughter's alleged abuse. In addition to seeking help from authorities, he filed a lawsuit against Thu, requesting custody for himself and his family while his son was still in the US.
He believes Thu’s health, mental state, and parenting abilities are not suitable and could negatively impact his granddaughter's safety and development. He requested the court grant custody to his family.
In his petition, Tinh stated that despite his age, he receives a stable pension, owns a home, and resides in Cau Ong Lanh Ward. The proximity of schools would make it convenient for him to care for his granddaughter.
In April, Hung filed his own petition with the court, stating that his health and work situation had stabilized, enabling him to formally request a custody change. He requested the court grant custody to him and his family.
After a year out of school, the girl has re-enrolled in 5th grade with her grandparents' support and began 6th grade at the start of this school year.
Hai Duyen
*The mother's name has been changed.
