A mother is tonight desperately searching for her missing 6-year-old daughter - who she says has been kidnapped by the child's much older American father. 25-year-old Jesenia Cook says her estranged husband, 63-year-old Richard Cook - took their daughter Zoe Cook on Friday and he hasn't been seen or heard from since. As part of an interim custody arrangement Richard cook took Zoe with him on Friday after school. He was supposed to bring her back on sunday evening but he didn't. Now, after two days of calling and searching both in Belize City, and in La Demoracia where Richard Cook lives, she turned to the media for help today. Here's what she had to say.
Jesenia Cook, Mother
"On Sunday I am trying to call from 7:30 on Sunday morning just to make sure if he is bringing my daughter to school, sorry to church, and there was no answer. I called at eight o'clock, nine o'clock, and then I said to myself that maybe between ten and twelve maybe he had it off because he was in church. So I gave him until about one o'clock and I tried to call him and there was no answer. I left several messages, I tried to call him, I called Amigos and I asked if they had seen him and they said the last time they saw him was on Saturday morning.
So I am very concerned about my daughter because I don't know where she is and I don't know if something happened to her. I am puzzling up my head right now because I don't know really what really happened. I don't know if they left the country, I don't know if they are still in Belize.
So if the public out there see or if they have seen Richard Cook, or everybody knows him as Rick, and my little daughter Zoe, I would appreciate if they come and try to cooperate. I will really appreciate it. I am very worried about her."
Jesenia Cook has visited the Family Court but they have told her to file a report with the police. She has been told that best she can do is file a complaint with the Family Court complaining about Richard Cook's breach of the custody arrangement. The Cooks were due back in Family Court on March 6th. Anyone knowing the whereabouts of Zoe Katharine Cook can contact Jesenia Cook at 620-2999 or the nearest police station.
