Nahed "Ned" Seder has been living without a heart for the last three years.

As troubling as that sounds, it's not quite what one might think.

Seder identifies his heart not as a biological organ, but as his 4-year-old daughter, Nadeen.

Seder's wife, Alia Makahleh, took the child to Jordan about three years ago as the couple tried to work out their divorce.

According to a Mercer County court order, Ms. Makahleh had to bring the child back within four months or she would violate a state child protection law.

Fast forward three years and Nadeen has yet to return to the United States. But a legal paper trail and a father's tears remain in her wake.