A woman from Kollam in Kerala has alleged that her five-year-old son was kidnapped by her estranged husband, a British National.
Anna Mathews who stay in Thiruvananthapuram, wrote a Facebook post saying that her son Samuel Charles went missing along with his father, James Peirce aka Tom, a British citizen, on December 31 2016.
Sources in the police say, a family court granted Anna custody of the child after she filed an appeal for divorce. After petitioning the Kerala High Court, James was permitted custody of his son for six days from December 26, 2016. But on the evening of December 31, when her son was supposed to return home, James allegedly went missing with Samuel.
Police believe that James may not have left the country as his passport is with the court.
“Our enquiry team is now in Hubli in search of them. We might have to move to North India as per the information we get. Other details about James will be revealed only after his arrest,” Fort Kochi Sub Inspector Dwijesh S told The News Minute.
A source close to Anna has said that, she had objected to James’ petition in the High Court citing earlier instances when James has been given custody of Samuel, only to not send him back home.
In her FB post, Anna claims her son was deeply disturbed about going with his dad.
“I told him the next morning that he had to go with his father, and Sam started crying. ‘How many days, Amma?’ he asked. I promised him that he would be back to celebrate the New Year’s with his grandparents and myself. ‘How many days is that?’ he asked again between tears.
Like I always do to soften the blow, I lessened the number of days and told him that he was going for five, rather than six. ‘Five days?’ Again, I told him to remember that he would be back in time for the next big celebration and try to take heart in that,” she writes.
Anna has also shared a lookout notice for James and Samuel released by Kochi police.
In her post, she also expresses her concern about her son, explaining that he could not sleep without listening to bed time stories.
“Sam has to have a story, sometimes three, every night at bedtime. He can’t imagine the thought of sleeping in a room on his own at night. How peacefully is my child sleeping now? Is he eating ok? He loves going out, but barely eats restaurant food. I used to be bewildered... how can a child not eat junk food? He loves my puddings and pasta,” Anna shares in her emotional FB post.