Mother begs for the return of kidnapped boy who was snatched by his father and taken to Saudi Arabia
Mother begs for the return of her kidnapped boy who was snatched by his father and taken to Saudi Arabia after dropping the seven-year-old off at the school gates
- Ranem Elkhalid fears she will never see Ibrahim Faraj again after he is taken
- Mum last saw son, 7, when she drove him to school in Cheshire last November
A devastated mother has begged for the safe return of her seven-year-old son after he was kidnapped by his father and taken to Saudi Arabia.
Ranem Elkhalid fears she may never see Ibrahim Faraj again after he was kidnapped by his father Hamzah Faraj last November during a custody battle between the two.
The mother said she is experiencing “every parent’s worst nightmare” and that she has “tried everything” to get her son home.
Ranem last saw Ibrahim, who was born in the UK and speaks only English, when she dropped him off at the school gates in Warrington, Cheshire, on November 11.
Hamzah was supposed to pick up their son after school, as arranged, but a few days later, Ranem discovered that Ibrahim had been taken to Saudi Arabia by her estranged husband.
Ranem Elkhalid fears she will never see Ibrahim Faraj again after he was kidnapped by his father Hamzah Faraj last November
He is now being hunted by British police for child abduction after breaking a court order to take Ibrahim outside the UK.
Distraught Ranem wrote on Facebook about her son’s disappearance, saying she couldn’t hug her son and tell him she “loved him” before he was taken away.
“Since then I’ve tried everything and I’m still trying to get him back because there’s no life for him,” she said.
“I didn’t even have a chance to hug him and let him know how much I love him.
“I really need all of your help to not just bring my son back * It’s every parent’s worst nightmare.”
Court documents show how Ranem, a Palestinian national, had married Hamzah, a Saudi national, when she was 16 and he was 24.
In 2014 they moved to England, where Ibrahim was born, but his parents’ relationship then deteriorated and broke down completely in June 2021.
They began custody proceedings in 2022, and fearing kidnapping, Ranem persuaded a judge to issue an order barring Hamzah from removing Ibrahim from the UK.
But nine days later, on November 11, Hamzah broke the order when he took Ibrahim from his school and took him to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia.
Ranem found out he was missing on November 14 after his school informed her that he had not attended classes.
She then called the police before later learning that his father took him all the way out of the country.
Ranem last saw Ibrahim, who was born in the UK and speaks only English, when she dropped him off at the school gates in Warrington, Cheshire, on November 11.
Court documents show that Hamzah is aware of the ongoing case but has not followed his orders and has not sent his son back to the UK.
He has also not allowed Ibrahim any contact with his mother and has not informed her of his well-being or his specific whereabouts.
A spokesman for Cheshire Police confirmed that Hamzah is now wanted for child abduction for breaching court orders.
They said: ‘On Monday 14 November 2022, the police received reports that a child had been taken out of the country by their father without their mother’s consent.
It was reported that seven-year-old Ibrahim Faraj had been taken to Saudi Arabia by his father in violation of the custody order issued by the Liverpool Family Court on November 3, 2022.
“Following the reports, officers have been in close contact with both parents, but despite their best efforts, he has not yet been returned to the UK.
‘That is why the father of the child is now wanted for child abduction in the national police file.
“All appropriate authorities have been informed and officers continue to do everything possible to return the child to the UK.”