A South African mother from Ivory Park has reported that her five-year-old daughter has been taken to the Democratic Republic of Congo by her father without her consent, raising serious concerns about parental abduction.
According to the mother, she and the child’s father, who is Congolese, had a mutual agreement regarding their daughter’s care. Under this arrangement, the child was to live primarily with her mother, with visits to the father limited to holiday periods. However, the agreement appears to have been disregarded when the father took the child on the 17th of December 2025, ostensibly for a temporary visit.
Since that date, the mother claims she has had no contact with her daughter. Efforts to communicate with the father were met with evasive responses. When she requested the child’s return in time for the new school term, the father allegedly informed her that they were currently in Congo and “planning on coming back.” The mother later discovered that, prior to leaving South Africa, the father had sold his apartment and vehicles, suggesting that the move might be permanent rather than temporary.
This revelation has intensified the mother’s distress, as she fears that her daughter may be in a foreign country without her consent or legal protections. She also expressed frustration with the Ivory Park Police Station, claiming that the authorities delayed registering her case of parental abduction. According to her, the formal case was only opened last Friday, nearly a month after the child was taken.
Legal experts emphasize that parental abduction is a serious offense and can have significant legal consequences. In South Africa, removing a child from their habitual residence without consent or a court order may constitute criminal behavior, and international abduction cases often involve complex legal procedures. If the child is taken across international borders, additional cooperation between countries and organizations such as Interpol may be required to secure the child’s safe return.
The mother is calling for urgent action to ensure her daughter’s safe return. “I just want my child back,” she said, highlighting the emotional toll that the situation has taken on her and her family. The case underscores the challenges faced by parents in custody disputes, particularly when one parent removes a child to another country without informing the other parent or obtaining legal approval.
Authorities have yet to issue an official statement regarding the investigation, but the mother hopes that the case will now proceed swiftly. Meanwhile, she has appealed to the public and media to raise awareness about her situation in the hope that it will help bring her daughter back home.
The ongoing case serves as a reminder of the complexities surrounding parental abduction, the importance of clear custody agreements, and the need for timely action by law enforcement to protect children and uphold parental rights.
About the Author
