A MANENBERG woman has one wish for Mother’s Day this Sunday, and that is to once again see her 14-year-old ‘snatched’ son in the flesh.
Niccaylia Arries, 31, has not seen her boy for four years after his father allegedly snatched him and took him to Burundi.
Arries told the Daily Voice that her son Maksudi Schrotz turned 14 on Wednesday, but that she is missing out on celebrating his life with him as he’s been gone since 10 April 2022.
She last saw him when he was collected by his father from their home in Gail Court.
The mom explained: “I met his father, Ramadan Maksudi, more than 10 years ago. He is from Burundi, and we later broke up, but he was always involved in my child’s life.
“He did not pay child support, but he came to visit and so on.
“On 10 April 2022, he came to me and said he is taking the child to the barber, so I said yes because his hair was dik.
“He messaged me to say the child was sleeping by him, and I told him he must come home because it is school, and he can go for the Easter Weekend, but he insisted that the child must stay.
“He messaged me back when I checked up on the child, but then all of a sudden he stopped responding.”
She opened a missing persons case; however, she was told that due to the pa not having a fixed address, the South African Police Service (SAPS) were unable to find him.
According to a statement written by the investigating officer at the time, they stated that the child might be illegally in Burundi.
The letter stated: “Mrs Arries reported that the father of Maksudi Schrotz took the child to allegedly cut his hair, but took the child [to] Burundi.
“According to the mother, she reported that the child no longer wanted to be with the father and is longing to come back to South Africa. She does not recall that the child has a passport and might be illegal in the country of Burundi.”
Arries said that she is so shattered that she could not wish her son a happy birthday.
She added: “I tried to reach him in every possible way that I could, even ask his foreigner friends, but they don’t want to give me information. I even went to home affairs to see if he got his papers legally, but he didn’t. He got out of the country on his own way.
“I don’t know why they don’t want to tell me where my son is, it is very hard. I just pray every day trying to get through the days, but on his birthday I wasn’t even myself, its hard for me to speak about my child not being able to hear his voice.
“I searched everywhere as well, my heart is so broken.”
The Daily Voice reached out to SAPS for an update on the matter, however did not receive a comment before publication.