EMILY KOYAMA - 19 months - Springfield MO

An international kidnapping case with Springfield roots is heating up.
Back in January Springfield native Trina Atwell Chavarria fled to Costa
Rica with her now-18-and-a-half month old daughter.
An international war is being waged over Emily Koyama.
Her mother is charged with felony parental kidnapping.
"So hopefully all of this can be just a bad dream for her."
Roy Koyama says its been a nightmare for him,
one that's taken him into foreign territory.
Koyama's fiance Atwell fled Springfield with their
then-7-month-old daughter Emily, almost exactly one year ago.
"I went into a deep state of depression. It's almost like mourning
a death, because I was in love with my child and deeply in love with
her," Koyama tells us.
Atwell claimed abuse.
"I had protection orders against him, and he violated those by
sending me text messages constantly, sending me emails," Atwell told us
by phone from Costa Rica last month.
Koyama denies those allegations.
So this father embarked on a quest to get his daughter back.
"The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children has helped
me out a lot. They actually helped me obtain travel expenses through
the U.S. Department of Justice. They paid for everything for me."
Koyama took his case to Costa Rican court.
When he went to Costa Rica last week he brought along new evidence.
Back in November he asked Greene County to grant him sole custody of Emily.
Since Atwell never showed up in Missouri for a hearing, Koyama won.
Now he's waiting, 5 days for a ruling, and in the meantime,
vacating his mobile home and heading to what he calls a more suitable
home for a child.
"This is the home that Emily and I will be living together in,"
Koyama explains as he shows off the house on Newton Street.
He'll move in mid-February, along with two boys from a previous marriage.
It's the happy family that exists now only in pictures,
and Koyama says that's the real crime.
"I'm innocent of everything except for I'm guilty of being a father
that wants to be with his children, and I'll take that life sentence
because I love my kids."
In five days the judge's decision will determine whether Emily
will stay in Costa Rica or return to the United States.
Both Koyama and Atwell have set up Facebook pages for Emily.
Koyama's allows fans to make direct donations to his attorney to
help cover his legal fees, which he says have been exorbitant.

Family Abduction

EMILY KOYAMA DOB: Jul 5, 2008 Missing: Feb 2, 2009 Age Now: 1 Sex: Female Race: Biracial Hair: Blonde Eyes: Blue Height: Unknown Weight: 20 lbs (9 kg) Missing From: SPRINGFIELD MO United States

TRINA ATWELL-CHAVARRIA Abductor DOB: Mar 2, 1979 Sex: Female Race: White Hair: Blonde Eyes: Blue Height: 5'2" (157 cm) Weight: 125 lbs (57 kg)

The photo in the center was taken of Emily in September 2009. She was allegedly abducted by her mother, Trina Atwell-Chavarria, on February 2, 2009. A felony warrant for Kidnapping was issued for Trina on February 13, 2009. They are believed to be in Costa Rica. Emily is Biracial. She is Asian and White. Emily has birthmarks on her upper lip and on the back of her head. A portion of Trina's hair is dyed darker than her natural hair color. She has a tattoo on her lower back.

ANYONE HAVING INFORMATION SHOULD CONTACT National Center for Missing & Exploited Children 1-800-843-5678 (1-800-THE-LOST) Greene County Sheriff's Office (Missouri) 1-417-874-1212