(CNN) -- An 8-year-old American boy is caught in the middle of an ugly custody battle so high profile that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is using her clout to try to bring the boy home. David Goldman's legal battle to gain custody of his son has drawn the attention of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. In 2004, David Goldman dropped off his wife, Bruna, and then-4-year-old son, Sean, at the airport for a two-week vacation in Brazil. Shortly after she arrived in her native country, Bruna told David she wanted a divorce and planned to stay in Brazil with their son.
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David Goldman's wife, Bruna, took son to Brazil, asked for divorce
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Bruna later remarried, died while giving birth
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Brazilian court awarded custody of Goldman's son to stepfather
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U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has asked Brazilian government to return child
Sean
Goldman thought he was getting his son back, but a Brazilian family court judge granted custody of @placeholder to Bruna's new husband.
Bruna
Bruna
Bruna
Bruna
And Mr. Goldman, while @placeholder was still alive, failed to do so.
Sean
@placeholder knows exactly that he is not his biological father, but he also calls him Daddy.
Sean
Even though it was not mentioned during this interview, @placeholder normally talks to Mr. Goldman or at least used to talk to Mr. Goldman and also her -- his grandmother here in the United States.