ABOUT:

HELP NEEDED URGENTLY

Local (North-west Tasmanian) mother seeks public help to return her 3-year-old daughter wrongfully removed from Tasmania to abroad. There are grave concerns for her well-being and safety due to previous exposure to domestic violence and abuse. She must be returned immediately to the safe care of her mother.

Fundraising Goal: $96,000+
Location: Tasmania/Australia / Belgium

Call for public action

A local (North-west Tasmania) mother is urgently calling for public assistance, legal support, and international attention after her three-year-old daughter was forcibly removed from Australia to Belgium. The girl hasn't had any contact with her Mum for more than 1 year now.

We need to build immediate public pressure on the Attorney-General of Australia, who has the authority to intervene in international child removal cases and facilitate the return of the stolen children to safety and home in Australia. There are hundreds of cases in Australia alone - where innocent mothers and children suffer due to the horrors of the violation of the law by authorities. 

A GoFundMe campaign and added funds from Cultivation Centre Clinic & web shop will go directly to all efforts required to bring this little girl home safely. 

About:

The little girl was taken in a traumatic way by Tasmanian police in early 2025 and transferred into the custody of Belgian authorities and the abusive paternal family, following a cross-border legal dispute under the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction. The mother states she has not seen or spoken to her daughter since the removal, now more than 1 year ago.

Serious facts of the case:

• Her daughter has shown documented signs of sexual abuse following court-ordered visitations with the father’s family in Belgium, dating back to when the child was one year old.
• Evidence of the child sexual abuse, including photos, videos and behavioral reports, was presented to authorities in both Belgium and Australia – with the abuse being confirmed by police in Tasmania and in Belgium - but no criminal investigation was pursued.
• Police and child protection agencies in Tasmania and Belgium acknowledged key-indicators of (child-) abuse but failed to act.
• After being removed from Australia, the child was placed into foster care with the father’s parents, allegedly part of the recorded abuse.

• Official reports state that since her wrongful removal the little girl has regressed developmentally and is extremely traumatized.

Systemic failure:

Multiple agencies across both countries - including police, courts, and child protection services – are ongoingly:

• Ignoring & dismissing evidence of abuse
• Preventing the mother from presenting evidence in court proceedings
• Prioritizing Hague convention predetermined- procedural outcomes over the child’s safety
• Enforcing fraudulent relocation orders despite acknowledged abuse and risks

She states that during Australian court proceedings, a judge indicated that the case was “not about the best interests of the child”, raising concerns about how international conventions are applied in domestic courts and how the principals within general family law and child protection procedures (which state the best interests of the child should always come first) are being severely violated.

Background:

The mother fled home to Australia from Europe - from a protected women’s shelter - with her daughter in 2023, from domestic violence and harm. This action was lawful under protections within the Hague Convention relating to “grave risk” and “intolerable situations” (article 13).

Despite this, Australian courts ordered the child’s relocation back to the known abuse & domestic violence in Belgium.

• Most documented key facts were purposefully misrepresented & disregarded by the Australian and Belgian courts
• Evidence of abuse was excluded & dismissed
• The little girl was removed from her only safe parent (the mother), in traumatic manner by Tasmanian police and child safety services

Call for urgent action

The mother is now seeking:

• Funding to pursue legal- and procedural action in Belgium and Australia
• Independent investigations into the handling of the case
• Public and media scrutiny of cross-border child protection processes

Funds raised will go toward:

• Legal representation in multiple jurisdictions
• International travel
• Expert assessments
• Trauma recovery support for the child - once retrieved 

Wider concerns:

The case raises broader concerns about the international application of the Hague Convention and about the general (dis-)functioning of Australian- and Belgian courts. Advocacy groups and legal scholars have previously highlighted that many such cases involve mothers fleeing domestic violence, yet courts mostly order children to be relocated regardless of known risks and abuse.

Public appeal:

“This is not just about one child,” the mother states. “There are many families facing similar situations globally. My daughter and all these vulnerable children and mothers fleeing domestic violence have the right to lawful protection which should have been provided. The system has failed us at every level.”

The mother is asking that the public:

• Share this story widely
• Provide legal, media, or professional support
• Contribute to the fundraising effort

PLEASE SEE THE ABOVE 'CALL TO ACTION' BUTTONS if you are able to help share this story and/or help to raise funds to retrieve the child. All help is greatly appreciated, Thank you. 

Media contact:
Details available upon request (identity withheld for legal and safety reasons)