The child, a girl, was 5 months old at the date of the alleged wrongful retention. She had lived in England for the first two months of her life. The parents were married and had joint rights of custody.
On 27 October 1989 the mother went to the United States, her State of origin, with the infant. In January 1990 she informed the father that she would not be returning.
The father’s return petition was filed in mid February 1991.
