Father of Nebraska tornado victim fights for custody of surviving child

MADISON COUNTY, AL (WAFF) - A North Alabama father is in Nebraska burying one of his daughters – and fighting to bring his other daughter back to Madison County.

Elijah Dixon's daughter Calista, or 'Cali,' died earlier this month when a tornado ripped through her mother's mobile home in Nebraska. Her sister survived, and now Dixon wants to bring her home.

The girls' mother remains in the hospital in a coma. Speaking over the phone Monday, Elijah Dixon said he thought he could bury Cali this week and then head home with his other daughter, Robin. The girls moved to Nebraska with their mother four months ago.

Dixon said authorities gave Robin's stepbrother custody of the child. He said authorities in Nebraska won't help because it takes six months to become a resident of the state, and his daughter did not meet that requirement. He has now hired an attorney and filed an emergency custody order in Madison County.

"I have not seen my daughter at all," Dixon said. "I'm getting nothing. I'm getting bounced around, as far as every time I get to some place, they're like, 'Well, we have no jurisdiction. We can't tell you what to do.' I'm sitting here in limbo."

Dixon said he planned on leaving Nebraska Friday, but refuses to come home until he can bring his daughter with him.

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