Mother's Coffee Shop Appeal Over Missing Boy Mani Dad

Mother's Coffee Shop Appeal Over Missing Boy Mani Dad

A woman whose seven-year-old son has vanished with her estranged husband wants Costa Coffee customers and staff to be on the alert.

Mani Dad was living with his Polish mother Leyla Dad, 33, in Kielce, Poland, when he disappeared early this year.

He is thought to be in the UK with his British father, Ms Dad's estranged husband, property dealer Zayn Dean, 47, who is also known as Dholtana Dad.

Ms Dad, who says she has spoken to Mani on the telephone several times, has launched family court proceedings in a bid to find her son and says Costa Coffee shops are one of Mani's favourite haunts.

She says Mani told her during a telephone conversation that he has visited Costa while with his father.

"He loves Costa - we often used to take him when we lived in England," said Ms Dad.

"He says he's been to Costa with his dad and that wouldn't surprise me.

"I would urge Costa staff and customers to look carefully at the pictures and let police know if you think you've seen them.

"People would probably notice them. Zayn is a big guy. He'd be talking on the phone. Mani would probably be playing on a computer."

Ms Dad says she thinks Mr Dean and Mani could be living in a village.

"Zayn's got friends who could find them somewhere quiet," she said. My guess is they'll be out of the way somewhere isolated."

The family lived in Kettering , Northamptonshire, and Bedford before moving to Poland.

Ms Dad said Mr Dean, whose family is from Pakistan, grew up in Bolton, Greater Manchester and Bradford. She said he also had links with Birmingham, Luton, Bedfordshire, Essex and London.

She says she cannot find the words to describe her pain.

"I know Mani's with his dad but I'm sure he's not going to school and he's missing me," she said.

"I have to find him. I just don't know what to do."

Ms Dad - who uses her middle name, Paulina - has already made a direct appeal to Mr Dean and written an open letter to Mani, saying: ''I promise we will be together again soon, my baby.''

Lawyers say she has begun legal proceedings under the terms of the 1980 Hague Convention on Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction.

Solicitor Katherine Res Pritchard, who represents Ms Dad and works for law firm Dawson Cornwell, has urged people to think whether they have seen Mani and his father.

''Please look carefully at the pictures of Mani and his father on the internet,'' she said.

''Have you seen them? Have you perhaps seen them in a playground, in a park, at a theme park, in a swimming pool, at a zoo, in a cafe? Have they been to your school, have they seen a doctor or a dentist?

''Someone, somewhere must have seen Mani. We need to find him and make sure he is safe. He needs to be reunited with his mother.

''This is a very serious matter, so I urge anyone out there who may know something about Mani's whereabouts to please come forward and share that information with us.''

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