Senators ask Lebanon for boy's return to mother in Tampa

TAMPA (FOX 13) - Rachelle Smith has not seen her little boy, Dexter in 19 days. She says his father, Ali Salamey, kidnapped him and took him to Lebanon.

"I think about him every single day. There's not a day that goes by that he's not on my mind and I'm fighting as hard as I can for you, Dexter," Smith said, with her attorney by her side, at a press conference in Tampa.

Smith and Salamey were in the midst of a custody battle when he fled to Lebanon last month.

Smith's attorney, Patrick LeDuc called it an international incident and blamed the state of Lebanon for being complicit.

"He obtained a Lebanese passport for himself and the child without the mother's knowledge and consent, in violation of our laws," LeDuc said.

Days after the kidnapping, Smith says Salamey sent her "taunting" cell phone videos of Dexter playing and looking happy.

The United State has no extradition treaty with Lebanon. Five days after Dexter was taken, Smith begged the government for help, and now she is getting it.

Both Senator Marco Rubio and Senator Bill Nelson have written letters to Lebanese officials asking for their cooperation in returning Dexter to the United States.

"Thank you God that they are helping me and that this is actually going to turn out OK," said Smith.

She said she also plans to travel to Washington D.C. to meet with the senators face-to-face.

On the website bringdexterhome.com, Smith says she asked also asked the secretary of state and the president for help. Smith says she hopes her efforts will bring her one step closer to holding her little boy again.

"I just want him home safely. He's a U.S. citizen. He belongs in the United States. This is his home," said Smith.

On Wednesday, she will be in family court to ask for full custody of Dexter.