Michelle Favreau, 39, who has been jailed for 18 months for refusing to divulge the whereabouts of the boy, faces up to three years in prison at her sentencing. On Thursday, a jury in U.S. District Court deliberated for about six hours before returning the verdict.

Favreau says she was subjected to abuse by Keith Miller, of Bennington, Vt., and moved from Vermont to Massachusetts to Florida and finally Canada in 2001 in a bid to keep their son away from Miller.

"I decided to protect my child and myself from any further abuse," she testified Thursday.

Favreau had custody of the boy and Miller had visitation rights when she fled to Canada, ignoring court orders.

The boy was left with friends in Quebec when Favreau returned to Vermont in early 2006 to face charges.

Miller, who testified he never physically or sexually abused Favreau, hasn't seen the boy since 2000.

"I miss him terribly," he told the jury Thursday. "I love him deeply. ... I do not want to take him away from her."

Both claim to have legal custody. In 2002, a Vermont court awarded Miller custody of the child at a hearing Favreau says she didn't know about. A Canadian court gave her custody of the boy in 2003.

Favreau acknowledged in the trial that she never reported the alleged abuse when it happened, saying now that she was afraid of retribution.

In court Thursday, two witnesses testified on her behalf.

One was the boy's first grade teacher in Hinsdale, Mass., in 2000.

"At times, he would just shut down and start crying," said Sharon Preston, of Kittredge School. "He'd say he was thinking about his mom and wanted me to call her to see if she was OK."

Miller earlier testified that he and Favreau fought while they lived together in Bennington in the 1990s, but that he never struck her or the boy.

He said he tried to damage his relationship with his son after they split in 1997, he said.

"I never felt comfortable, on the days I was supposed to have him, that I would be able to pick the kid up," said Miller, 40. "I'd be told he was too upset, don't feel good, some excuse like that."