Mother, abducted daughter reunited after three years
Last Updated: Thursday, February 7, 2002 | 10:16 AM ET
CBC News
Brin flew from Montreal after learning police in Nova Scotia had the child's father in custody. Marc Habib Eghbal fled France with three-year-old Sara after slashing Brin's face.
"Things went well," said a glowing Brin, holding up a Polaroid taken shortly after the reunion, which was held in private. "She recognized me. She doesn't speak French any more, I will learn English."
Brin said she was apprehensive about the meeting, but was "pleasantly surprised" at how well things went. She said Sara told her she wants to return to France to see her younger sister.
Fabienne Brin
Brin expects to take her daughter home within days.
Father stopped near Truro, N.S.
The little girl was with Eghbal when RCMP pulled over the car, and have turned her over to family services.
Marc Eghbal
Police were suspicious of the speeding car when they spotted a girl in the back obviously not wearing a seatbelt.
RCMP Sgt. Wayne Noonan said the patrol officers called in the licence plate and learned of the warrant.
Brin was in Toronto earlier this week acting on a tip that they had been living in the city. After two years in Toronto, Eghbal and Sara fled the city just ahead of Brin's arrival.
Toronto police fugitive squad officer Phil Glavin said a warrant for Eghbal's arrest was issued last week. The warrant accuses him of filing a refugee claim under a false name.
- FROM FEB. 5, 2002: Father, abducted daughter believed to be in Maritimes
Glavin said the warrant was issued under the Immigration Act because that would be the most efficient way to return him to France.
"Immigration is a much faster process," he said.
Three years ago in France, he attacked Brin and fled with a screaming Sara.
Eghbal has been convicted and sentenced in absentia to three years in jail by a French court for assault and child abduction.
Brin says she hopes Sara's father will go to jail. "I hope he's going to be arrest and to stay a long long time in prison, he must understand he doesn't have the right to do something like that."
