Father’s Desperate 84-day Search Ends with Dramatic rescue of Children from Mother’s Alleged Kidnapping Plot
A harrowing international search culminated in a Christmas Eve reunion for José María Rosa and his two young sons, after a months-long ordeal involving alleged parental kidnapping, a clandestine GPS tracker, and a last-minute intervention by Interpol. The case, unfolding across Argentina and Brazil, highlights the vulnerabilities within international child custody disputes and the lengths a father will go to protect his children.
José María Rosa,50,embarked on a frantic journey to rio de Janeiro in October after discovering his children,F., 11, and F., 6, had been taken from Argentina by their mother, Ilona Grabarczik, 51, without his consent.He hadn’t seen the boys since February 2024.After months of searching, Interpol located the children in a precarious situation on the streets of Copacabana in late September. Brazilian authorities placed them in a state shelter, prompting Rosa’s immediate travel from Buenos Aires to reunite with them and attempt a reconciliation with his ex-partner.
What followed, according to Rosa, resembled “a psychological thriller,” fraught with tension and uncertainty. A conciliation hearing in early December initially agreed upon a handover date of December 26th, allowing the children to spend Christmas Eve and Christmas with their mother, despite Rosa having de facto custody in Argentina. However, Rosa suspected his ex-partner was planning to flee with the children again. His fears were confirmed when he discovered a GPS tracking device hidden on his car, leading him to believe he was under surveillance.
Fearing the children were in imminent danger, rosa contacted Interpol, who took the threat seriously. With the threat of the children being taken again, Interpol launched a swift operation to ensure their safe return to Argentina. “An Argentine interpol agent opened the door of his house to us and gave us shelter on the night of December 23 and guarded us until the airport the next day,” Rosa recounted. The children,lacking proper documentation,were issued emergency passports at the airport by order of Immigration officials,allowing them to board a flight back to Buenos Aires on December 24th – two days ahead of schedule.
The tension remained palpable until the last moment. Rosa shared a message at 4:10 a.m. on December 24th, stating, “We are protected by Interpol, after strong evidence of a plan to kidnap them again.” He pleaded for discretion via WhatsApp, urging contacts not to comment until they had cleared airport security. By 1:45 p.m., a photo surfaced showing the boys safely aboard an Aerolíneas Argentinas flight. “They sent us to first class, we can’t believe it,” the message read.
The family landed in Argentina around 5:00 p.m. and spent christmas Eve in Rosa’s apartment in barracas. The revelation of the tracking device was reportedly made by the building’s concierge, who alerted Rosa to the mother’s suspicious inquiries about the quickest routes out of the city.
The ordeal spanned 84 days, during which Rosa endured significant hardship. He spent 65 days visiting his children at the Children’s Home in Rio de Janeiro, navigating changing visitation schedules and struggling to subsist in a foreign country with limited financial resources. He was forced to take a job washing dishes in Copacabana, earning 35,000 pesos a month, to cover basic expenses. Rosa gratefully acknowledged the support of the Morelli Foundation,which provided crucial emotional and financial assistance.
Rosa described his experience as February 23, 2024, as a solitary battle, lamenting the lack of support from Argentine authorities and media attention. He proactively utilized social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram to raise awareness about his situation, aiming to garner public attention and pressure for action. “I wanted a million eyes on the street,” he explained, believing that increased visibility would aid in locating his children. A message shared on social networks ultimately led to the tip that the boys were in rio de Janeiro.
The children were found in a vulnerable state, reportedly working and selling items on the street and not attending school. Following the intervention of the Children and Youth Judge, they were separated from their mother, who authorities say refused to cooperate.
Looking ahead, Rosa’s immediate priority is to address the significant debt incurred during his search – approximately six million pesos.Despite the trauma, he finds solace in the well-being of his children.”Despite everything they have experienced, they are fine, they are very strong and I see them happy and smiling,” he said, expressing optimism as they begin to rebuild a routine.
