The person at the center of this case
Francina Dacanay Fernandez and her three sons
Missing Person · Open
21 years waiting · since 2004
FRANCINA DACANAY FERNANDEZ
Justice for Francina Dacanay Fernandez and her three sons — the trail went cold in 2004, but the truth hasn't.
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Key leads to think about
🎯
suspect
Lead #1Why did Francina Fernandez defy the court order immediately after the November 8 hearing, and what resources enabled her to flee internationally?
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location
Lead #2What evidence supports the Philippines as her destination, and does she have family or contacts there?
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evidence
Lead #3How did she obtain travel documents for herself and her three children if their passports were supposed to be surrendered?
Francina Dacanay Fernandez disappeared in November 2004 after a San Diego family court ordered her not to remove her three sons from California jurisdiction. She had mentioned planning a two-week vacation to New Zealand, defied the court order, abandoned her job, and is believed to have fled internationally with her children, possibly to the Philippines. Federal authorities seek her return to face charges of international parental kidnapping and child abduction.
Case
#1120
FBI; United States District Court, Southern District of California; San Diego County
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More leads to consider
Beyond the top three above — each detail below could be the thread that pulls this case open.
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contact
Lead #4What relatives or associates assisted her disappearance, and do they maintain contact with her or the children?
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person
Lead #5Where are the three adult sons now, and are they in contact with their father or authorities?
Have information about any of these leads?
Even the smallest detail could be the key to solving this case.
Official wording
Source Narrative
International Parental Kidnapping - Detainment or Consealment of a Child From Legal Custodian During the course of their relationship, Francina Fernandez and her boyfriend had three boys, who are now adults. The couple never married and in June of 2001 the relationship ended.
The two became embroiled in a very lengthy and aggressive custody-visitation dispute in the San Diego Family Court. In early November of 2004, the mother reportedly mentioned to the father that she and the children were planning a 2-week vacation in New Zealand.
He told her that the trip would violate the court orders, and Fernandez's attorney was served with a notice of an ex-parte hearing scheduled for November 8, 2004. At the hearing, a judge ordered that neither parent could take the children out of the jurisdiction of the court and that the children's passports were to be relinquished.
The passports were never returned. Also, in November it was reported that Fernandez abruptly left her job and a relative filed a missing person's report for her.
Fernandez may have fled with her children to the Philippines. On December 9, 2004, a state warrant was issued in the state of California, San Diego County, charging Francina Dacanay Fernandez with three counts of child abduction.
A federal arrest warrant was subsequently issued on February 4, 2005, in the United States District Court, Southern District of California, charging Fernandez with international parental kidnapping. Remarks: Francina Fernandez has ties to California and the Philippines.
Timeline of Events
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2001-06
Relationship ended and custody dispute began
Francina Fernandez and her boyfriend ended their relationship, leading to a lengthy custody-visitation dispute in San Diego Family Court.
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2004-11-08
Ex-parte hearing and court order
Judge ordered neither parent could take children out of court jurisdiction and passports were to be relinquished. Passports were never returned.
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2004-11
Francina Fernandez disappears
Fernandez abruptly left her job and a relative filed a missing person's report. She is believed to have fled with her three children.
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2004-12-09
State warrant issued
California state warrant issued in San Diego County charging Francina Dacanay Fernandez with three counts of child abduction.
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2005-02-04
Federal arrest warrant issued
Federal arrest warrant issued in United States District Court, Southern District of California, charging Fernandez with international parental kidnapping.
Key Locations
Interactive map showing important locations related to this case
Case Information
Incident:June 1, 2001
Last Updated:June 14, 2026
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Case Information
Incident:June 1, 2001
Last Updated:June 14, 2026