Found Safe Canada - O’Driscoll-Zak sisters, 2 & 5, abduction by aunt & grandmother, Cochrane, 12 Mar 2021

[MistyWaters]

Highly unusual, a suspected abduction of these two children by the aunt and grandmother. Going by the hyphenated last name it would appear the grandmother and aunt are the mom and sister of the children’s mother. Best hopes the four are all found safe very soon.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/cochrane-rcmp-abduction-police-request-public-1.5949645

“Cochrane RCMP say they are seeking tips from the public to locate two missing children and two missing adults.

RCMP said five-year-old Leonine O'Driscoll-Zak and two-year-old Wyatt O'Driscoll-Zak are believed to be in the company of their grandmother, 68-year-old Therese O'Driscoll and their aunt, 38-year-old Alison O'Driscoll, all from the Cochrane area.

All four were last seen at approximately 9:30 a.m. on March 12 at the children's home, which is a rural residence in Cochrane.

RCMP said the disappearance of the children is currently being investigated as an abduction involving the grandmother and the aunt....”

 

[iQuill]

Cochrane, Alberta ... small town about 23 miles (20 minutes) west of Calgary. Situation sounds scary...I tried to find FB links but can’t be sure so won’t post, neither have recent posts anyway. Moo

 

[iQuill]

Missing posters for all four at this link.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Alberta

 

[MistyWaters]

Cochrane, Alberta ... small town about 23 miles (20 minutes) west of Calgary. Situation sounds scary...I tried to find FB links but can’t be sure so won’t post, neither have recent posts anyway. Moo

Other family members must be absolutely crazy with worry, the girls last seen two days ago. It appears the media announcement wasn’t posted until late today, I’d assume because the RCMP exhausted all other attempts so far at locating them.

I agree, the situation does sound very alarming. I noticed an Amber Alert hasn’t been issued, not sure why not.

Posted on the RCMP twitter link as well -
https://twitter.com/RCMPAlberta/status/1371239067191549956

 

[MistyWaters]

So awful, putting the children in the centre of this tug-a-war. Still hoping the mother’s relatives will do the right thing....

Cochrane RCMP look for tips after 2 children related to ‘volatile court battle’ taken from home

“Const. Shelley Nasheim said this incident did not meet the threshold for an Amber Alert.

“At this point in time, it is believed that the children are not at risk, that they’re with people who care for them, and [officers are] at this point, trying to locate them and confirm everyone’s welfare and safety, and make sure that this isn’t something more than families that are concerned about the custody of the children,” she said.

The alleged abduction stems from custody issues, according to Nasheim.

“From what I was advised, the father was granted full custody,” she said....”

 

[Dre]

So, more likely mom handed them off to aunt and grandma to keep them away from dad. Yikes!

 

[MistyWaters]

So, more likely mom handed them off to aunt and grandma to keep them away from dad. Yikes!

No mention of the mother’s involvement at all but it appears the aunt and grandmother were at the dad’s/girl’s home. In this province it’s rare for sole custody is given to only one parent so I’m curious if the mother is in the picture at all. Maybe the custody battle is between these two parties? Perhaps an arranged visitation with the aunt and grandmother, then the two took off with the girls? Speculation only...

No update so far today

“The group was last seen on Saturday around 9:30 a.m. at the children’s home; they were reported missing the same day.”
RCMP searching for two girls believe to be abducted by aunt, grandmother - 660 NEWS

 

[MistyWaters]

RCMP continue search for two children abducted by their grandmother and aunt
“......Tips have been coming into the Cochrane RCMP. The RCMP appreciates the public assistance and will actively monitor and follow up on tips,” said Scott in a Monday release.....

......Interviews will not be conducted with the media as the RCMP continue to focus their resources on investigating this incident.”

The girls’ father, Colin Zak, said he was given custody of the children after a court hearing Friday but they were not returned to him that day.

“I’m just so very worried about my children,” Zak told CTV News on Sunday.

“I don’t know where my girls are. I don’t know if they’re close to here, I don’t know if they’re far, we don’t know if they fled the country. I never thought this would happen to me”

I just want to tell the public, my daughters, they’re the most beautiful girls in the world.

“If you see them, please call the police.”....

 

[iQuill]

New today CTV News

'Please bring them home': Father gives tearful plea for help to find daughters missing since Friday

Their father says the court ordered full custody of the kids to him on Friday but the girls were not returned.

“We thought we were finally going to get my children out of there,” said Zak.

“To find that they’re nowhere to be found, it’s devastating.”
________

...this is heartbreaking... dad was given full custody which is unusual, and his comment ‘we thought we were finally going to get my children out of there’ is very disturbing... hoping and praying the girls are found and returned to their dad real soon...moo

 

[MistyWaters]

New today CTV News

'Please bring them home': Father gives tearful plea for help to find daughters missing since Friday

Their father says the court ordered full custody of the kids to him on Friday but the girls were not returned.

“We thought we were finally going to get my children out of there,” said Zak.

“To find that they’re nowhere to be found, it’s devastating.”
________

...this is heartbreaking... dad was given full custody which is unusual, and his comment ‘we thought we were finally going to get my children out of there’ is very disturbing... hoping and praying the girls are found and returned to their dad real soon...moo

Heartbreaking, totally.

I don’t quite understand the involvement of the aunt and grandmother. From the video on your link, the dad says he got a call from the RCMP, says they’d interviewed the mother of the children and she claims she doesn’t know where they are. If so, I’d ask why’s the mother not also pleading publicly for her mother and sister to come forward.

 

[goinganywhere]

At some point mom is probably going to try to meet up with grandma and the girls. I'll bet she's being watched like a hawk.

What scares me is "if I can't have them, you can't either" is a thing that happens...

 

[ttcRider]

How does the grandmother and aunt think this is a good idea? This makes things even worse. How do they think this will help the childrens mother? I just dont understand it. And where are they???!! I can't believe they havent been found yet. Its all over the news here.

 

[Dre]

How does the grandmother and aunt think this is a good idea? This makes things even worse. How do they think this will help the childrens mother? I just dont understand it. And where are they???!! I can't believe they havent been found yet. Its all over the news here.

Well, if they believed him to be a manipulative abuser, then the court order would feel so unjust.
Not saying that it’s right by any means, or actually even helpful if that’s the case, but they must have their own perception as to why they can’t let him have the kids.
Hope that the kids are safe and brought home to daddy ASAP!

 

[MistyWaters]

How does the grandmother and aunt think this is a good idea? This makes things even worse. How do they think this will help the childrens mother? I just dont understand it. And where are they???!! I can't believe they havent been found yet. Its all over the news here.

I don’t get the point either because assuming the two eventually surface with the girls safe and sound, given this abduction - even if they don’t spend time in prison - they will have no access to the children in the future or it’d be strictly limited and supervised. So if they really do care about these children, regular ongoing access and maintaining contact is far better than none at all, especially if the motivation for the abduction involves the children’s welfare.

If the two have no intention of surfacing with the girls safe and sound - none of the various possibilities can be good.

I really do abhor the idea of child abductions in general. I leaves me feeling people who steal or hide children consider them to be nothing more than possessions....as in “It’s mine, you can’t have it.”

JMO

 

[ttcRider]

The mother lost full custody which is usually for a very serious reason. Doesnt happen often (enough) as we all know. Who knows what she told her mother and sister to convince them go to this extreme. No one wins when this carp goes on. This act just proves to me that she is unfit or unstable. IMO She has no idea where they are? Then whats the point in this?? Waiting for some suggestions that the father was abusive to the girls so that the Grandmother and Aunt are seen as martyrs and saving them from more harm. Just my thoughts. They need to be found, they must be terrified regardless.

 

[iQuill]

We don’t really know the circumstances of the parents ... but it is true that for one parent to gain full custody here in Canada ... it is safe to say that the Judge had good and clear reasons. Why the grandma and aunt abducted the girls is not yet clear ... but they are both adults and should know without a doubt that their actions are harmful and hurtful to the children, their dad ... and many others. Please, bring the girls home ... and reasonably and kindly work out the issues. Moo

 

[MistyWaters]

From Cochrane local media, below. Not a wonder he’s concerned about the girls safety.

Just my thoughts, so if the girls were already missing when the court granted full custody to the dad, I suppose it’s possible the aunt and grandmother could’ve taken the girls somewhere hours or even days prior to that, depending who is the source for “last seen” ie the mother?

Because the RCMP seeeminly appear rather nonchalant about it all, I wonder if they’ve made contact and are hoping to encourage the two to end this on their own accord, for example if they fled over the border to the US. That’s the only reason I can think of, otherwise what’s the hold up in issuing arrest warrants for the aunt and grandmother? Since when has it become police protocol when children are abducted to view the non-custodial abductors as nothing more than missing persons? That sets a very bad precedence for other future custody battles by other feuding parties IMO.

Father of missing girls concerned for their safety
“Their father, Colin Zak says it's been an arduous time.

"It's been a really difficult past couple of days, it's been a difficult number of months. We've been working through the courts, taking all the right steps to get these girls into a safer situation and then this happens at the last minute."

Zak was ordered full custody of the girls but when he went to go pick them up they were gone.....”

 

[rkendmar]

Heartbreaking, totally.

I don’t quite understand the involvement of the aunt and grandmother. From the video on your link, the dad says he got a call from the RCMP, says they’d interviewed the mother of the children and she claims she doesn’t know where they are. If so, I’d ask why’s the mother not also pleading publicly for her mother and sister to come forward.

"The lawyers representing the children’s mother, Jacqui O’Driscoll, said Tuesday that because there is an open RCMP investigation underway, they would not comment on the matter in an effort to make sure that it would not compromise the case."
Search continues Tuesday for 2 girls missing from Cochrane, Alta.

 

[MistyWaters]

No news today, yet another day goes by...

Cochrane RCMP still searching for missing girls in possible abduction | Calgary Herald

......Despite having received tips from the public, the location of the girls is still unknown.

Cochrane RCMP continues to encourage anyone with information about the whereabouts of girls, their grandmother or aunt to come forward....”

 

[iQuill]

Nothing new here but still getting coverage Calgary Herald March 18

It’s just so strange, I wonder about so many things ... did Grandma and Aunt just up and walk away from their home(s) ... just shut the door and leave everything behind? Is there a Grandpa? What about bank accounts? They have to eat, and sleep and keep the kids entertained ... and hidden! They must have had a plan... it takes connections, and money to disappear...where could they possibly be? And all for what reason ... just to keep two little girls from their dad? Why? Every passing day the whole situation just gets more and more concerning. Stay strong Dad ... praying they are home soon. Moo