Labor Day weekend in 2014 was supposed to mean a short trip to Canada for Amina and Belel Kandil with their father, Ahmed, before the celebration of Amina’s 11th birthday on Monday, September 1 and the start of school on the following day. However, as the weekend came to a close, Amina and Belel’s mother--Rebecca Downey-- found that her phone calls were going unanswered. Her daughter’s birthday passed and school began but her ex-husband and her children didn’t return. In fact, they didn’t even go to Canada. And that was just the beginning of Ahmed’s plan.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices