The person at the center of this case
Francina Dacanay Fernandez and her three children
Missing Person · Open
21 years waiting · since 2004
FRANCINA DACANAY FERNANDEZ
Justice for Francina Dacanay Fernandez and her three children — the trail went cold in 2004, but the truth hasn't.
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Key leads to think about
📍
location
Lead #1Did Francina Fernandez successfully reach the Philippines with her children, and if so, where might they be located?
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evidence
Lead #2Why were the children's passports never returned to the court despite the judge's order, and how did Fernandez obtain travel documents?
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suspect
Lead #3What connections does Fernandez have in the Philippines that would make it a likely destination for her and the children?
Francina Dacanay Fernandez allegedly fled with her three children in November 2004 after a San Diego family court ordered her not to remove them from the jurisdiction. She reportedly told the children's father about a planned two-week vacation to New Zealand, then abruptly left her job and disappeared with the kids. Federal authorities believe she may have taken them to the Philippines, where she has family ties, making this an international parental kidnapping case that remains unsolved.
Case
#1120
FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation); San Diego County, California
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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.
⏰
timeline
Lead #4What triggered Fernandez to abruptly leave her job in early November 2004, and did she have advance planning or act impulsively?
📞
contact
Lead #5Have any of the now-adult children made contact with their father or authorities since the 2004 disappearance?
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 the children's father ended their relationship, leading to a lengthy custody-visitation dispute in San Diego Family Court.
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2004-11-08
Ex-parte court hearing
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 and children disappeared
Fernandez abruptly left her job and disappeared with her three children. A relative filed a missing person's report.
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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 U.S. 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:October 29, 2026
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Case Information
Incident:June 1, 2001
Last Updated:October 29, 2026