The “nannu” of the fostered seven-year-old girl, who was abducted by her mother and taken out of the country, died last week hoping the girl would soon be found, her foster mother said as she appealed for anyone with information to come forward.

“My father spent the last days of his life insisting: find that girl. She was very close to my parents, who lived with us. She called him nannu. He died with a heavy heart knowing she is still missing,” said the foster mother of the girl who had been living with the family for over six years.

The family last saw the girl on October 9. It has been over a month since the child did not return home after what was to be a weekend with her biological mother – who was granted unsupervised access to the girl who was under the protection of a care order. Europol have traced the child to a European country but her exact location is still unknown and her foster family fear she may be in danger.

The foster mother explained that her father had various health problems and died on November 15.

In order to ensure that the case of the girl is not forgotten, this evening Malta CAN — the Malta Children’s Associations Network made up of 16 NGOs — organised a vigil.

Candles were placed outside San Lawrenz Church in Vittoriosa as a symbol of awareness. The NGOs urged the public to support the authorities to persevere in their efforts to find the girl, provide support to the family so they do not lose hope, and send out a message that if any child is abducted everyone will join forces to find them.

“These things should not be happening. We hope that this does not happen to anyone else… Knowing that my father died asking us to find her is heartbreaking. If anyone has any information, please come forward,” the foster mother said.

The girl had been living with her and her family since she was six months old. There was always contact with the birth mother and the two women had a good relationship. 

Due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, the girl stopped meeting her birth mother physically for a while but they maintained regular contact via Facebook messenger.

Some months ago, there was a board meeting and it was decided that the girl would be given unsupervised access to her mother over the weekends – something the child looked forward to.

That Friday, October 9, her mother went for her as she always did. The foster mother spoke with the girl over the phone on Friday evening. But the following day she could not get through to her. When the situation continued until Sunday, she raised the alarm. 

The foster mother contacted social services who alerted the police. It later emerged that the girl was taken out of the country illegally.

The Family Ministry said social workers alerted the police after they visited the birth mother’s home and found the door locked. Later that day, the police informed the directorate that the mother had been traced to a European country. Police have contacted Europol to help with the case.
 

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