We are delighted to announce that Melissa Hawach and her two daughters Hannah, six, and Cedar, three, are now safely out of Lebanon and back in Canada. They are resting comfortably, recovering from their ordeal.
Melissa Hawach and the girls have been in hiding in Lebanon since December 21, after Melissa took the girls back from their non custodial father, Joseph Hawach. After such an emotional and stressful ordeal, Melissa is grateful to be safely out of Lebanon and wants to thank everyone that helped her in the search and recovery of her daughters.
The situation came about following a marital separation, when Joseph Hawach asked Melissa’s permission for the girls to join him on a three week holiday to Australia last July. Melissa had agreed and they had signed the necessary paperwork. However, instead of returning the girls to Canada at the end of the holiday, Joseph took them to Lebanon, where they spent the next six months.
The Missing Children Society of Canada got involved in the case early on. Since registering the case on July 25, 2006 MCSC has provided investigational services, family support and has attempted to negotiate with Joseph Hawach’s family in Australia. MCSC is delighted to see the children safely home.
“International parental abductions are becoming a more and more common occurrence. These abductions are extremely damaging both for the parents and for the children. We hope that for the sake of the children, parents will try to resolve their differences in a less harmful way.” Rhonda Morgan, Founder and Executive Director of the Missing Children Society of Canada.