Specialist Leydi Mendoza is fighting for custody of her daughter, Elizabeth, shown with her in May 2008.
Back from Iraq, soldier regains access to her daughter
Specialist Leydi Mendoza is fighting for custody of her daughter, Elizabeth, shown with her in May 2008.
PATERSON, N.J. - Specialist Leydi Mendoza stood alone among the hugging families in Fort Dix when she and 300 other members of the New Jersey National Guard returned home from Iraq three months ago.
When she went to her former boyfriend’s home afterward to see their 2-year-old daughter, he ended the visit before Mendoza was ready and subsequently allowed her only a few brief visits, saying the toddler needed time to adjust to having her mother around again.
Passaic County Family Court Judge George Rohde intervened yesterday after Mendoza, 22, and her former boyfriend, Daniel F. Llares, also 22, were unable to reach a custody agreement through mediation.
He granted Mendoza daily access to the child, Elizabeth. He also is allowing Mendoza to have her daughter at her home for weekend sleepovers until the legal dispute is resolved.
“It was hard,’’ Mendoza, who lives in Lodi, N.J., said of the case. “I’m just glad the judge granted me these visitation days.’’
A family care plan set up by the military before Mendoza deployed gave Llares, who lives with his parents, temporary custody while Mendoza was overseas. It stipulated they would resume joint custody once she returned home, but the military doesn’t enforce the plan.
Both Mendoza and LLares are now seeking sole custody.
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