Little Ethan has finally been found. The baby who had an entire nation holding its breath, has been found in California.
The seven-month-old child was taken away under false pretenses by his father on August 30 during a vacation in Puglia with his mother, Claudia Ciampa, who has already traveled to Los Angeles to be reunited with her son.
The resolution of the case was made possible thanks to joint investigations by Italian and U.S. police forces, who tracked down Eric Howard Nichols, the mother’s former partner. Once the man’s residence was located, authorities immediately took custody of the baby and obtained an urgent court order to protect him.
In the coming days, a hearing is scheduled to discuss Ethan’s repatriation to Italy in accordance with the Hague Convention on International Child Abduction.
Ciampa, upon learning the news, expressed deep gratitude for the dedication of the authorities involved, particularly the efforts of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In the preceding months, Ciampa had appealed to various institutions and written letters to Pope Francis and Minister Antonio Tajani. In the Sorrento Peninsula, where the mother resides, numerous solidarity events were organized, including a candlelight vigil led by local mayors to raise awareness about the case.
The discovery was announced by Gian Ettore Gassani, president of the Italian Association of Matrimonial Lawyers (AMI), who represented Ciampa in the legal proceedings. Gassani emphasized the complexity of the case and the critical role of international cooperation.
Ethan’s story has a happy ending but once again highlights the serious issue of child abductions. In Italy alone, there are currently 527 unresolved cases of this nature.
