Bring Jacob Le Home: Canadian Child Abducted in Vietnam

On February 1, 2024, my 3 year old son, Jacob, left my care to travel to Vietnam with his father. I can still see him glancing back and waving at me saying: "Bye Mom, I'll call you." That was the last time I was allowed to speak to my child.

He left Canada, supposedly for a Lunar New Year celebration with family, but never returned as promised. On February 15 my son's father stated they would not be returning to Canada, and then, my 3 year old child and his father vanished in Vietnam. It has now been over 9 months. The emotional impact has been absolutely devastating for me, Jacob's extended family and community. Jacob I am so sorry you have had to experience this at such a young, formative age.

Before the trip, all the signs indicating a potential abduction were evident. The convergence of a mother's intuition, evidence of child abuse, and substantial payments exceeding $13,000 to his loyal legal counsel at Normandin Chris LLP aimed to expedite the child's departure and make them untraceable while traveling, utilizing "emergency" motions with false information to obtain unbelievable orders concerning a child, raised profound concerns that the abuse me and my son were experiencing was escalating. I can still see Cara Sivry's smirk as the judge confirmed that if my child was not handed over, police and/or the RCMP would enforce the Order and take my child. My right hand instinctively rose to rest over my heart. Individuals who aid abusers endeavour to cultivate doubt around you, seeking its insidious growth within. Yet within the depths of my being, I sensed something very amiss.

Feeling desperate, I promptly hired a private investigator, hoping to ease my worries about what was happening. Unfortunately, the investigation revealed that their claimed whereabouts were inaccurate. Adding to the distress, I discovered my son in Ho Chi Minh City, accompanied by unidentified individuals, and he was without basic necessities like a shirt, shoes, and a helmet while riding on a scooter. Due to financial constraints, I couldn't afford to continue paying the private investigator, leading to the loss of their trail.

Over the past month, I've been tirelessly searching Ho Chi Minh City for any sign of my son and his father, visiting places they're known to have been. When I show strangers a photo of my son alongside my face, their reactions are often one of shock. Some have even told me they've encountered my son, but he's no longer there. I've exhausted all leads in Vietnam. Unfortunately, Vietnam isn't a signatory to the Hague Convention on child abductions. My only chance to reunite with my child is through legal action in the courts of Vietnam, which would then be enforceable by the police, but financial constraints stand in my way.

I am deeply concerned for my son's well-being and am reaching out to you in the hopes of reuniting with my child and bringing him back home.

If you're unable to contribute financially, please think about keeping Jacob's narrative alive by talking about it, sharing it with friends, urging authorities in Canada to provide international support, and holding him in your thoughts and prayers. Envision him coming back to Canada each day as I work to reunite with my child.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you to everyone who has stood by us during years of abuse and legal harassment, believed our experience, and continue to lift us up. I am overwhelmed with your kindness, generosity and support.

"It takes a village" is a philosophy embraced and embodied by anyone involved in caring for children. Too often, our institutions, such as the legal system, not only fall short of embracing this philosophy but also perpetuate chaos, threatening the stability of all of us, especially our little ones, who depend on us and will be the ones to create a better world.

I want to recognize the incredible individuals, both the little and big, at Taddle Creek Montessori in Toronto, Canada, which has been a safe haven for Jacob and me, offering kindness, support, and allowing my son to thrive amidst so much chaos over the years. The ripple effect of each of your actions and interactions has carried us through and made me believe, once again, that love is greater than hate. Your community's support and compassion guided me through the darkest of days.

And, a special thank you goes out to everyone in Norfolk County. Witnessing your names appear as donors served as a beautiful reminder of the camaraderie I experienced growing up in a small town. When you move to a big city, you can forget that there are still communities like that, which value people over profit in relationships. Who won't exploit you when you're down, but offer compassion. Your support for me and my son has been deeply touching, reminding me of the enduring value of such communities in our world.

Lastly, to the Vietnamese people in Canada and Vietnam: Cảm ơn. Canada and Vietnam have maintained diplomatic relations since 1973. Both countries have expressed commitment to deepening their ties and cooperating in areas of mutual interest. Witnessing your support on my page and experiencing the compassion and efforts of everyday people in Vietnam and Canada, willing to help a stranger, is a testament to the character of your people, the strength of your community, and the embodiment of what we should all be embracing: that we are all one.