Guardianship of Donaldson

Opinion

FITCH, J. * -

I

Introduction

David, age seven, and his five-year-old sister, Tammy, were the subjects of a custody contest between their paternal aunt in California and their maternal grandparents in Illinois.

The children’s father obtained sole custody in dissolution proceedings. About two and one-half years later he died and the children were placed informally with the aunt. Unbeknownst to the aunt, the mother made arrangements through an attorney to have the children live with the maternal grandparents in Illinois. The grandparents, under the pretext of visitation, took the children to…