VIDEO LIST

YouTUBE Video Menu:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJ6ixtePgyI

ENGLISH Music Video:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUs48r0gwQQ

POLISH / POLSKI Music Video:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMMgYDFS8ZE

GERMAN / DEUTSCH Music Video:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Poqu387dG0

FRENCH / FRANCAIS Music Video:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RlirpvCbQ0

-PRESS RELEASE-

May 25, 2010                                                                    For Immediate Release

NEWS UPDATE – Canadian Children Internationally Abducted

Newmarket, ON – Canadian Father of two internationally abducted missing children is releasing 2 online PSA videos in the languages of English, Polish, German and French in hopes that someone has seen his children somewhere in Europe and will report what they know to local Police authorities in their country.

In order to achieve world-wide coverage of these online videos, Sony Music Entertainment Canada Inc. and Sony in the United States has licensed the father, Stephen Watkins, a one-hit-wonder song by Jimmy Harnen with Synch which hit the US billboard charts in the top #10 in 1989.  Mr. Harnen was contacted by Mr. Watkins directly in November 2009 asking his permission to use his song “Where Are You Now” for this special campaign and Mr. Harnen himself and associated publishing companies paved the way by providing their written consent to Sony for the tracks use in helping to find Mr. Watkins Missing Children.

To see the PSA Music video see:  http://www.WATKINS-MISSING-CHILDREN.com

Mr. Watkins sons, ALEXANDER & CHRISTOPHER WATKINS, was selected to be ONE-of-FIVE Canadian cases which was highlighted in the 2010 International Missing Children’s Day on May 25th within the 17 participating Global Missing Children’s Network (GMCN) nations, which is sharing all the Missing Children cases in each country in hopes to locate these missing children.  On behalf of all member countries, the Australian Police took the lead in this year’s effort and produced the world-wide PSA commercial, which will be shown in each country, and created the official website for all the featured missing children cases here: 

http://www.helpbringthemhome.org.au

International Missing Children's Day 2010 - Official PSA Commercial

Stephen Watkins is the father and sole custodial parent to Alexander and Christopher Watkins.  He has spent the past 15-months working with authorities to locate the abducted boys. Stephen Watkins is enduring a nightmare that no parent should have to live through.  It is believed that the abductor and the boys were driven across the U.S border on March 8, 2009 during a weekend access visit with the mother aided by the maternal grandfather, Tadeusz (Ted) Ustaszewski.  Since that time, Mr. Ustaszewski has been charged with “aiding and abetting” and his trial has been set for December 13, 2010.

In September 2009, a rare INTERPOL “Red Notice” was issued by the Canadian Government seeking the arrest of the abducting Mother. However, it wasn’t until in January of this year, Mr. Watkins was able to obtain a Court Order in Poland which allowed the Polish Police to actively search out the abducing parent and ordering a nation-wide police effort.

It is important to note, however, that even though the Polish Courts have Ordered the Polish Police to search, NO Polish investigator or officer has been assigned to this case which is making the sharing of information by enforcement authorities and searching very difficult. 

U.S. Homeland Security have confirmed that Edyta Ustaszewska - Watkins and the boys - then ages 7 and 4 – boarded a flight to Germany. They have not been heard from since and are believed to be in Poland, Austria, Germany or somewhere in Europe.

Mr. Watkins has been petitioning the Canadian Government for changes to its regulation – specifically in two areas – to prevent similar incidents in the future.  His ex-wife was able to take the boys out of the country even though the Courts had ordered:

- That her passport be canceled due to non-payment of support;

- That she surrender the boys’ passports;

- That the boys not leave Ontario; and

- That no new passports be issued

Mrs. Edyta Ustaszewska - Watkins, who claimed in Court that she had lost the boys’ passports, apparently used them – and her own ‘Canceled’ passport – to enter the U.S., board a airline and flew from there to Germany.

U.S. Homeland Security has confirmed that all three flew on Canadian passports.

In this instance, foreign custom officers failed to ask for an ‘authorization’ letter – this is required when minors travel with one parent.  In the case of Mr. Watkins’ sons, custom officers in two countries in addition to the Northwest/Delta Airlines, failed to ensure that the abducting parents’ Canadian passport was valid, as it had been cancelled by the Canadian Government and confirmed suspended 42-days prior to the abduction on January 26, 2009.

Mr. Watkins originally obtained a Joint Custody Order in 2006. In November, 2007, the courts ordered the Catholic Children’s Aid Society of Toronto (CCAS) to remove the boys from Mrs. Watkins care and her parental authority was suspended.  On Jan. 29, 2008 their father was given Custody Care by the courts and after a lengthy trial Stephen Watkins was awarded Final Sole Custody of his sons on Jan. 26, 2009.  Six weeks later, Alexander and Christopher Watkins were abducted.  Both little boys were diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder; the older son has been diagnosed with High Functioning Autistic Spectrum Disorder. 

This is the first known Canadian case of a concerned parent involving a missing children’s organization before an abduction. Mr. Watkins contacted Child Find Ontario in September, 2008, when he saw signs that his ex-wife was going to abduct his sons.  Ms. Terry Smith, case director of Child Find Ontario has been assisting in searching for the Watkins Missing Children.   

CHILD FIND ONTARIO and MISSING CHILDREN SOCIETY OF CANADA are supporting Mr. Watkins in Canada; ITAKA Centre for Missing People in Poland (ITAKA Centrum Poszukiwan Ludzi Zaginionych) is assisting in Poland.

Mr. Watkins hopes that the release of the PSA abduction story video of his sons in the languages of English, French, Polish and German, will create the media attention to his case will lead to the safe location and return of his little boys and also promote public awareness to evoke change in Canadian regulations. "My wish is through simple changes within Canadian regulations that I can help to prevent another parent going through the same trauma I feel every day since my boys have been gone."  

Mr. Watkins has documented the issues which led to the abduction and provides more information on how to help find Alexander Watkins and Christopher Watkins on his website, http://www.Watkins-Missing-Children.com . He has also created pages on Twitter, Facebook, Myspace and a blog with the assistance of two world online organizations, FOREVER SEARCHING and HELP FIND MY CHILD.

More detail and full documentation can be easily and gratefully provided.

Story Contacts:

Biological and Custodial Father, Stephen Watkins

Watkins.Missing.Children@gmail.com