Updated October 30

A girl in foster care in Malta who has been reported missing has been traced to a European country, although she has yet to be found. 

The girl is believed to have travelled there illegally together with her biological mother, who had unsupervised access to her for a number of hours on Saturdays and Sundays, at the girl's request as part of a reintegration plan.

In a statement on Thursday, the Family Ministry said that the girl's foster mother had contacted the Directorate for Alternative Care on October 12 after the mother had failed to return the girl home.

Social workers immediately visited the mother’s home and found the door locked. They then filed a police report. 

Later that same day, the police informed the directorate that the mother had been traced to a European country. 

The Children’s Directorate spoke to immigration officials at the airport and it resulted that the girl had travelled illegally. Meanwhile, the police contacted Europol to help with the case.
  
The Children’s Directorate is in continuous contact with the police and other authorities and is giving all possible assistance to the foster family, the ministry said.