Police Seek Father Of Abducted Baby
Sydney Morning Herald
Friday July 31, 1992
Police have released the identity of one of the men believed to have snatched a three-month-old boy in Bondi on Thursday night after attacking the child's mother.
Detective Sergeant Frank Gilroy of Bondi police said yesterday that detectives were keen to question the father of the baby, Israeli-born US citizen Mr Ori Haddas , 37.
The baby, named David, was taken around 7.30 pm on Thursday outside a block of units in Penkivil Street, Bondi, where two masked men approached his 38-year-old mother as she removed a stroller from the boot of her car.
One of the men punched her in the face, knocking her to the ground, while the other man reached into the back seat of the car, taking David from a safety capsule, Sergeant Gilroy said.
Police are also investigating reports by witnesses that a third man was involved in the abduction.
A police spokesman said last night detectives were keen to question Mr Haddas, who arrived in Australia in May, adding that police did not "hold any immediate fears for the child but we are urgently seeking the child to ascertain its welfare".
David's mother, who would only be identified as Jenny, made an emotional plea last night that the abductors return the baby.
Jenny, who has a heavily bruised right eye after being punched by the abductors, told the Herald she was certain that Mr Haddas, a Los Angeles-based computer engineer, had been involved in the snatching.
"If he cares about David he will let us know David is all right," Jenny said.
It is understood the couple, who last saw each other in December, when Mr Haddas visited Australia for two weeks, had a dispute shortly after Jenny became pregnant.
The couple met about three years ago, when Jenny had been working in Los Angeles, and began a relationship. Mr Haddas visited Jenny in Sydney a number of times after her return in 1991.
Jenny's brother-in-law, who did not want to be identified, said Mr Haddas did not originally make any claim for custody of the child, and Jenny had agreed to visiting rights.
However, during the December visit Mr Haddas demanded sole custody of the child, he said.
"He said if she was going to have the baby, he wanted to bring the child up his way. He made a number of threats and said we'd be sorry if that wasn't the case," he said.
Federal police and NSW police have issued a nationwide alert and several Government departments have joined in the search. The Federal Airports Corporation has also offered its assistance.
Anyone with any information has been asked to contact local police or Bondi detectives on 30 7060.
© 1992 Sydney Morning Herald