Cary dad to abducted kids: 'I love you and I miss you'

A McHenry County father issued a heartfelt message Friday to his two children taken to Mexico last month by their mother, who authorities believe has no intention of returning them to their dad or the only place they have called home.

"I just want to say to my children, Andrea and James, that I love and I miss you, and I know you miss me," James Carol said outside a McHenry County courtroom Friday. "I want you to know that you're both very good children."

Carol made the statement after a McHenry County judge issued an order granting him full legal custody of his children - a 5-year-old girl and 4-year-old boy - at least until further proceedings in December.

The decision comes about 10 days after county authorities issued a felony arrest warrant accusing Carol's former wife, Sonia Leon De Carol, of Cary, of child abduction for unlawfully keeping the children from their father.

Leon de Carol, 43, took the children to her native Mexico June 5 for what was supposed to be a three-week vacation to visit family.

But after she arrived, Carol learned that the phone number his ex-wife had given him to contact their children was bogus, as was a residential lease she provided a court to prove she intended to return. Leon de Carol later canceled tickets for a return flight from Mexico, authorities say.

Since June 4 Carol has not had any contact with his children and only occasional e-mail contact with his former wife. The latest, received this week, asked for $20,000 and said the children were doing well, Carol attorney Robert Medansky said.

Although Friday's legal order means little until the children return to the United States, Medansky hopes it serves as impetus for federal authorities to get more involved in the case.

"The more help, the better," Medansky said. "If nothing else, maybe it will prompt her to bring the children back."

Court records show Carol married his former wife, who was born in Mexico but now is a legal resident of the United States, in 2002. He filed for divorce in 2006 and last year, with the divorce final, reached a joint parenting agreement giving her residential custody of the children, but allowing him frequent visitation and daily phone calls.

Although his wife now faces up to three years in prison if arrested and convicted of the child abduction charge, Carol said his focus is on bringing his children home safely.

"My biggest worry is for my son and for my daughter," he said. "My son is autistic and he needs to be tended to educationally and physically. The things that are going on between (me and my former wife) should have as little impact on the children as possible."

<div class="infoBox"> <h1>More Coverage</h1> <div class="infoBoxContent"> <div class="infoArea"> <h2>Stories</h2> <ul class="links"> <li><a href="/story/?id=304158">Cary woman charged with abducting children to Mexico <span class="date">[07/10/09]</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div>