Astrid's Missing Angels

UPDATE! I will be traveling to Washington DC on May 23rd to participate and support the Coalition to End International Parental Child Abduction. Alongside my advocates and with the support of other left behind parents we will be heard in Congress to raise awareness and bipartisan support in ending child abduction everywhere.

Hi, my name is Astrid. Last year, June 2021, just 3 months after my 2 daughters and I relocated from Australia to California, USA, the girls went on a scheduled trip to Dubai with their Australian father. Instead of bringing them back 6 weeks later as planned, he instead abducted them. I have been cut off from communicating with them and the father. I have been around the world desperately trying to bring them home. I have hired lawyers in Australia, Dubai and the US. I have begged and pleaded with the government to intervene and scoured the earth for anyone who can help.

The UAE has not signed the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction. The Hague Convention seeks to return children abducted or retained overseas by a parent to their country of habitual residence for the courts of that country to decide on matters of residence and contact.

Since the government will have very little involvement in raising my case to the UAE, bringing them back is primarily left up to me and my available resources. I have exhausted all my savings and some of my family.

I need help to continue the fight for my innocent children who never asked to be cut off from their mother and are stuck in a country that gives women and young girls minimal rights and autonomy. What the father has done is child abuse. I will never ever give up or stop fighting for them and the life they deserve.