Mother hasn’t seen her two daughters for more than two months after she left them with their father

‘Devastated’ mother pleads for return of her two young daughters after their father took them to Tobago to spend Christmas with his clairvoyant new wife… but never sent them home

  • Jana Khan left her two daughters to spend Christmas with their father  
  • He agreed to return the girls, eight and 10, at a specified date but failed to 
  • Their mother now hasn’t seen them in 72 days and believes they’re in Tobago 

A frantic mother has not seen her two daughters in 72 days after their father allegedly took them to the Caribbean for Christmas with his new wife – but hasn’t returned. 

After leaving them to spend the festive period with her ex-husband and the self-professed clairvoyant, Jana Khan said she had expected them to return a few days later as agreed.

But unbeknownst to her, on Christmas Eve 10-year-old Savannah and eight-year-old Constance were put on a plane and flown nearly 7000 km away to Tobago with her exes new partner, she said. 

Ms Khan, from Thornaby, North Yorkshire said the first she knew they were in a foreign country was when she received a text from her former partner Shahdiek Khan.

Ms Khan holding portraits of her two daughters, 10-year-old Savannah and eight-year-old Constance

Text messages assured her they were safe and well and would be returning at the end of January.

But the girls never boarded the plane to return to the UK according to their mother. 

The children’s mother said they are with their stepmother Marina Chetham, an international clairvoyant according to her Facebook page.  

A picture uploaded to the Facebook of Mr Khan's new wife Marina Chetham in mid-February 

A picture uploaded to the Facebook of Mr Khan’s new wife Marina Chetham in mid-February 

Mr Khan and his wife pictured with the two girls, 10-year-old Savannah and  Constance, eight

Mr Khan and his wife pictured with the two girls, 10-year-old Savannah and Constance, eight

Cleveland Police and the Foreign Office have both confirmed they are investigating.

A child is considered abducted if he or she is removed by one parent without the other parent’s consent.

What is Parental Child Abduction? 

Parental child abduction occurs when a person who is connected to a child takes them away from their country of habitual residence, that is the country they normally reside in, without the permission of either those with parental responsibility or the courts, according to The Family Law Co. 

Under the Child Abduction Act of 1984, it is a criminal offence for anyone connected with a child to take them out of the UK for more than 28 days without the consent of any other person who has parental responsibility for that child or a consenting order from the courts. A person is connected with the child if they are parent of the child, guardian or special guardian, anyone who has a residence order for the child or who has the child living with them.

Those required to give their consent would be the mother, the father (if he has parental responsibility), guardian, special guardian or anyone who has the child living with them or has permission from the court.

If found guilty under the above act, you could face up to seven years in prison or a fine, or both.  

A spokeswoman for Cleveland Police said they have received information that the children are safe and have not come to harm but the disgruntled mother believes they have not yet been located by the authorities.

And the Thornaby mother believes her girls would be afraid in a strange country.

‘The children have never been away from me or to a place like that,’ said the 39-year-old shopworker.

‘They must be distraught. They would be scared without me and Savannah has special needs so she will be finding it very hard.

‘I’ve had breakdowns at work and I’m not sleeping. It’s horrendous.’

The mother said she contacted police as soon as she realised the children had been taken out of the country. She believes they are with her ex partner and his new wife. 

‘They went on December 19 and then he took off on December 24,’ she said.

‘He was meant to bring them back on the 29th but he never communicated or anything.

‘They traced his car and it showed he drove to Gatwick Airport. They then flew on December 24.’

She said the news left her ‘devastated’ and concerned for the welfare of her children.

‘He told me by text they were not coming back until January 24, he said had just taken them on holiday,’ she said.

‘He said his father was not well and he emailed the school as well saying they would be back on January 24.’

Ms Khan said she has received another message stating they would be back on March 24 but has concerns they will not return.

10-year-old Savannah

Eight-year-old Constance

10-year-old Savannah and eight-year-old Constance who are believed to be in Tobago

Ms Khan said she has received another message stating her daughters would be back on March 24 but has concerns they will not return

Ms Khan said she has received another message stating her daughters would be back on March 24 but has concerns they will not return

The Hague Convention was drafted in the late 1970s to deal with a parent abducting their children across borders after losing custody, or believing they would lose custody.

Trinidad and Tobago has acceded to the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects on International Child Abduction and Interpol has been contacted.

But for the moment, the mother has no idea when she will see her children again.

‘Police said they have hit a brick wall,’ she said.

A Cleveland Police spokeswoman said: ‘Police received a report in December that two children had been taken out of the country without consent.

‘Officers have received information that the children are safe and well and enquiries are ongoing to locate them with the assistance of international law enforcement agencies.’

A spokeswoman for the Foreign Office said: ‘We are providing assistance to the mother of two children after they were taken out of the country without her consent.’

 

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