| Case Type:
Family Abduction
Missing Date: Thursday 24th April 2008 Missing From: Sydney Sydney Missing Country: Australia Sex: Male DOB: 19/Aug/2004 Age Now: 6 |
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Specific Details:
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Known Circumstances:
Andrew has been missing since April 2008 Age: 4 from Australia, we think he is somewhere in Europe and need help to spread word to find him Andrew was taken from Australia in April 2008 by Melinda Margaret THOMPSON (nee Melinda Margaret STRATTON) They flew from Sydney to Frankfurt (Germany) on a Singapore Airlines flight on 24th April 2008 and have not been seen or heard from since then. Both are Australian Citizens travelling on Australian passports. Grave concerns are held for Andrew's safety and well being by his father, Australian Police, and Australian child protection authorities. Serious concerns are also held for Melinda THOMPSON's emotional well being. Anyone with information about the whereabouts of Andrew and Melinda should contact their local police who will contact Interpol OR contact the Australian Federal Police on +61-2-6126-7777. For further information or to arrange an interview with Andrew's father, contact: Robin Bowles +61-418-102-732. or mail to urgent@foreversearching who will put you in contact with Ken Thompson
Andrew was abducted from Australia by his mother on 24th April 2008. They flew from Sydney to Singapore and then to Frankfurt with Singapore Airlines. Melinda speaks fluent English, German, and French. There is great concern for Andrew and Melinda's welfare as she is mentally ill. PLEASE DO NOT APPROACH EITHER ANDREW OR MELINDA, PLEASE CONTACT THE POLICE OR INTERPOL IMMEDIATELY. |
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If you have any information on Andrew Thompson please contact the official numbers above immediately. Alternatively, you can e-mail us here at Help Find My Child - you can do this in strictest confidence - we will make sure your information is passed on to the relevant places. |
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Ken Thompson cycles Europe in desperate search for his son
Australian Ken Thompson cycles Europe in desperate search for his son
AUSTRALIAN Ken Thompson has spent every day for three months cycling through Europe, looking for his son.
But there is no telling where, when, how or even if his remarkable journey will end.
He says, quite frankly, he doesn't care if it takes the rest of his life, just as long as he finds his little boy.
He has cycled through over half a dozen countries in his desperate search to find his missing son.
Mr Thompson's story is one of love, betrayal, physical determination and weight loss so drastic his jeans once fell down in the middle of a Luxembourg street.
But it also raises a more fundamental question: How far would any of us go to help a loved one?
It is a question the relatives of Australia's 1600 long-term missing persons ask themselves every day.
Some agonise over ways to shed new light on cases which the police have long ago failed to solve - some set up Facebook pages, distribute leaflets, travel vast distances to investigate possible sightings.
Read more: http://www.news.com.au/world/dad-cyc...#ixzz0xnQX7eS5
Source: news.com.au
*More info on Ken's journey
http://findandrewthompsoneurope2010.blogspot.com/
http://helpfindmychild.co.uk/?p=166
Thinking of Andrew Thompson on his 6th birthday
Celebrate Andrew's birthday and raise awareness of the missing
Cycling Round Europe
Ken is currently cycling round Europe gaining lots of support and news coverage in his search for Andrew. Its an amazing fete for one man and one we hope brings in the news he so longs to hear.
Not only is Ken searching for Andrew but has been kind enough to have our logo included on his cycling shirt along with other organisations to help raise awareness for all missing children and the groups who help find them.
Way to go Ken
@HelpFindMyChild <<< twitter
HFMC Dedicated to helping families find their missing children
Pingback
Pingback
EYE-ZON KEN THOMPSON - tracker - Where is he? Support?
http://www.eye-zon.com/EyezonBlack20090213/Find_Andrew.php
Help Bring Them Home
www.helpbringthemhome.org.au/
I won't rest until I find my boy - Andrew Thompson
May 23, 2010
NSW Fire Brigades deputy commissioner Ken Thompson has quit his job and begun a lone crusade across Europe to find his kidnapped son.
Andrew Thompson was three years old when he was abducted by his mother, Melinda Stratton, on April 24, 2008. They flew to Frankfurt in Germany and vanished.
Ms Stratton remains on the run and Mr Thompson is determined to do what the Australian Federal Police, Interpol and missing children's organisations have not.
Speaking from England, he told The Sun-Herald: ''I've got no idea where Andrew or Melinda are. I don't even know if they're alive to tell you the truth. All I can say is, everything now rests on me finding my son.
''I loved my job and [the brigade] have been extremely supportive but some things in life are more important and I have resigned. This decision allows them to move forward and enables me to continue my search, full-time, for Andrew.''
Ms Stratton fled Australia four months after she and Mr Thompson failed to reach a custody settlement.
Eight months later, in December 2008, he successfully lobbied the Family Court to lift a ban on identifying Andrew. The boy's face has appeared on buses in England and on billboards across Europe, and there are Interpol alerts in 187 countries for Ms Stratton, who speaks fluent German and French. There is also a website, www .findandrew.com.
In a letter to her family, Ms Stratton said she was forced to flee after losing faith in the Family Court over its handling of serious allegations she made against her estranged husband. But in granting a publication order, the court allowed Mr Thompson to reveal a psychiatric report - compiled before Ms Stratton's disappearance - that found she was suffering from a mental condition that compromised her judgment and ability as a parent. The order warned anyone recognising Ms Stratton not to approach her because she could prove a danger to herself or her son.
''People always say to me, you must hate Melinda, but, despite everything, I don't,'' Mr Thompson said.
Read More :http://www.smh.com.au/national/i-wont-rest-until-i-find-my-boy-20100522-w2x0.html
On The Road To Find Andrew
http://findandrewthompsoneurope2010.blogspot.com/
"On The Road" To Find Andrew Thompson - Dad Cycling Europe
Ken Thompson wrote,
I will be cycling through the UK and Europe from May 2010 onwards to look for my 5 year old son Andrew John Thompson as well as raise awareness about international parental child abduction, missing children and help others in a similar situation.
Click Picture
Wishing Andrew Home
2 years today without his son, message from Andrew Thompsons dad
Two Years Today Since Andrew's Abduction & Disappearance
Today has been a very difficult day emotionally. It marks two years since Andrew's abduction & disappearance.
Andrew is now approaching his sixth birthday (19th August). I haven't seen him or heard anything about him since he was three. Perhaps there are people who have heard something (such as Melinda's family or perhaps someone in a womens group) but for some reason they will not let me know about his welfare.
I have no idea where Andrew is & I have no idea whether or not he or his mother (Melinda) are still alive.
Like all little kids, Andrew wants to be with both his parents. He wants to be with his dad & learn from him, just like kids do all over the world.
Melinda knows I would never harm Andrew. She must remember the lengths I went to to make sure any insect or bug that came into our home was treated humanely. Why would someone who cares so much for any form of life intentionally harm his own child? Melinda knows this is true.
I am lighting a candle to commemorate Andrew's abduction & disappearance tonight & I will be saying a little prayer for him. I'd like others to do the same.
I would like to thank all the people from countries all over the world who have joined the Global Search for Andrew campaign.
Andrew will be found & he will be reunited with his dad & the rest of his family. The longer this takes, the more difficult it will be for Andrew.
I will not give up.
I also want to help Melinda. She must know by now that she has made a terrible mistake. All she needs to do is contact someone & this whole thing can be sorted out.
Push to criminalise parental abductions
The Family Law Reform Association of New South Wales is calling on the Federal Government to make it a crime for a parent to take a child out of Australia without the other parent's consent.
About 150 children are taken overseas without permission each year, and the association says it is a form of child abuse.
It says the number of children affected is alarming and the law reformers have written to the Federal Attorney-General, asking him to criminalise the abductions.
The abductions are so common there is now an acronym for them - International Parental Child Abduction (IPCA).
Deputy Commissioner of the New South Wales Fire Brigades, Ken Thompson, had his son abducted in April 2008, and is now spokesman for the Coalition of Parents of Abducted Children.
"In April 2008, my son Andrew was kidnapped from Australia by his mother," he said.
Continues/...
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/11/23/2751175.htm?section=australia
The clock ticks, but the hands the hands stay still
THIRTY-one days, 11 hours, 44 minutes and 13 seconds. Eight seconds. Five seconds. Two seconds.
There's a certain depressing predictability about the countdown to Christmas, which kicks into high gear at this time of year: you know, for example, that some twit will refuse to hang decorations on the basis that it might offend a religious minority and that such a stance will have the sole effect of annoying everybody equally.
The first cards will arrive, smugly written and sent, proving that someone, somewhere, has nothing better to do than punch out 500 soul-destroyingly dull words about how Aunt Mildred was shipped off to a nursing home in May and cousin Werner took up the euphonium in July.
Continues/...
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/opinion/the-clock-ticks-but-the-ha...
Desperate dad trawls web for abducted son
Ken Thompson has taken leave from his job as NSW’s deputy fire chief to devote more time to searching for Andrew, 5, who was taken overseas by his mother, Melinda Thompson (nee Stratton), in April last year.
Authorities had initially expected the search to take just three to six weeks.
Mr Thompson has produced a video, which he has posted on MySpace. The video message urges anyone who watches it to pass it on to as many of their online friends as possible. MySpace has more than 267million users.
Mr Thompson’s plea – which he produced with the help of Stephen Watkins, a Canadian who is searching for his two missing sons, taken to Europe by their mother against court orders – has also made its way on to the video-sharing website YouTube.
@HelpFindMyChild <<< twitter
HFMC Dedicated to helping families find their missing children
sighting of Andrew and Mom in Spain
http://sunnews.es/home/headlines/missing-child-could-be-in-malaga
Man claims to have seen Andrew and Mom in Malaga. Anyone who sees them should not approach them, but rather call police. See the site for phone numbers and e-mail address.
New Video for Andrew
New Video for Andrew Please Watch, Comment and Share especially with your friends and contacts in Europe to help find Andre and bring him home.
@HelpFindMyChild <<< twitter
HFMC Dedicated to helping families find their missing children
Photos of Andrew Thompson
http://dad4justice.blogspot.com/2008/12/andrew-thompson-missing-child-global.html
International hunt after mum snatches Andrew, 4
SITTING in his only child's colourful bedroom, NSW Fire Brigade Deputy Commissioner Ken Thompson yesterday issued an international plea for information leading to his son's safe return.
Australian authorities say Andrew, 4, was abducted by his mother, Mr Thompson's estranged wife Melinda, on April 24 this year.
The pair flew from Sydney to Singapore and then on to the German city of Frankfurt, where they disappeared.
In a rare move, the family court this week issued a publication order after Australian and German police exhausted their efforts to find Mrs Thompson, who may be travelling under her maiden name of Stratton.
The document warns anyone recognising her or her son not to approach them as 46-year-old Mrs Thompson may pose a danger to herself and her young son. They have been asked instead to contact police.
http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,24791815-5006009,00....
Andrew Thompson
Andrew
Many thanks for your comments and advice Susan.
It was a very difficult decision to make about going public but after more than 7 months without any word from Melinda I felt I had no choice.
Unfortunately, once the media becomes involved, they tend to sensationalise and misquote. They also seek comments from people who are not directly involved and these comments can inflame the situation. A recent article in The Australian newspaper is a good example of this. The outcome described in that article was very extreme and it is certainly not the outcome I am looking for.
An offer was made to Melinda via her family last year to commence some negotiations for the voluntary return of Andrew but there has not been any response. This is what I would like more than anything and it is the best way forward for Andrew as well as Melinda.
That offer still stands and there is a lot of scope for reducing the likelihood of anything happening to Melinda if she contacts someone shortly.
I would be very willing to talk to Melinda or anyone she might nominate to talk on her behalf. If she has concerns about contacting me she could either make contact with the authorities herself of through someone else such as afamily member, lawyer, journalist, etc.
I have never wanted to go down the adversarial path. I have done everything I can to avoid doing this and I will do whatever I can to stop doing this but I can't do so without some sign from Melinda that she is willing to talk.
If Melinda does make contact with someone with a view towards finding a way forward, I would happily stop looking for them. It is not my preferred choice to be hunting anyone down (and certainly not my child and his mother) but in the absence of any communication for more than 10 months I have no other option until Melinda makes some form of contact.
I would like Melinda to make contact as soon as possible. I am not only very concerned for Andrew but I am also very concerned for Melinda as well.
Melinda and I always had a very good relationship before December 2007. We are both intelligent people who have Andrew's best interests at heart so I am certain we can find a way forward if we can find someone to work with us who Melinda is comfortable with.
Ken Thompson.
The horrors of separation
I don't believe the above comment is actually helpful in this situation. As a mother who has been separated from my children's father for the same amount of time as in this case, I'm saddened that the two people who obviously love this little boy, cannot find it in their hearts and minds to work out the best arrangement for him. My ex-husband and I shared a common goal, that our children not be damaged anymore than was necessary for us to separate. They did not separate from us, he and I just separated from each other, and therefore, the children should have access to both of us. I'm not sure of the circumstances here, but from what I've read, there are issues between the 2 parents that need to be sorted for the sake of their little boy. I would urge both of them to think of his needs as what is happening will damage him for life. I can only imagine that his mother felt very desparate to do what she did, and that the father has the opportunity to forgive this act, and prove that he really cares for his son, by forgiving the mother, thus giving her the opportunity to return to Australia to work things out for her son's sake. There are always 2 sides to every story, no one is right, no one is wrong. In the end it is what is the best arrangement for the child that counts. Not the hurt feelings of the adults involved.
I strongly support both parents being involved with their children after separation and I urge the adults involved to work together, put aside the animosity, get psychological counselling to deal with the pain, and work towards a common good for your son. When he is older, he will thank you for the efforts you made on his behalf. I know this as a child of divorced parents, and as a separated parent myself.
The family court does not know your situation as well as you both do. There is no one better than yourselves to sort this out. I would urge both parents to start talking again and think of your child. Both of you can win, and so can Andrew by your willingness to put aside any issues of the past and start fresh from today. You both love him, and that is a great start, work together for him, and stop blaming each other. Whatever issues you both have, they can be resolved with a willingness to forgive and move on. It's not easy, I've been there and am still going through it, so totally understand both sides here. My ex-husband and I have been negotiating for over a year, and we constantly adjust the arrangements to suit our children, a boy 9, and a girl 4. It was not an amicable split, but we have tried to keep our children out of our issues, and deal with their needs as a separate issue. It has been very hard at times, but I'm pleased to say things are getting easier and our relationship as parents is not too bad at present. I am well aware of how depression/anger in these situations can make it harder to deal with reality. Get help, there is lots of good help available now, and work on trusting each other as parents. Try not to let hurt and anger cloud your judgement. You are both smart people, you can do better than this for your son. I offer any assistance to either of you and remember you're not alone, there are lots of us struggling out here, but it can be done for our children's sake.
Andrew
Dear Susan. I wholeheartedly support your comments. I am very sympathetic to Melinda's situation. I have been trying very hard to find a way to work with her ever since this ordeal began and I will continue to try doing that. However, until such time as Melinda responds to my requests to communicate or until she responds to the offers made by the Australian authorities to have her allegations and complaints revisited by someone who is independent, I have no choice other than to continue with my search for Andrew in conjunction with the many authorities, organisations, and private individuals who are now involved in the search for him that is now underway around the world. I know the Australian authorities would be willing to negotiate Andrew's return with anyone Melinda chooses to act on her behalf. Andrew's emotional and physical well-being is my number 1 priority. He is the most important person in this issue. Melinda and I need to begin communicating to find a way forward that is truly in Andrew's best interests. Regards. Ken Thompson (Andrew's Dad) Sydney, Australia.
Andrew Thompson
Dear Ken,
I can tell by your reply that you are very concerned for your son and that you felt you had to do something about the situation. However, perhaps the course you have taken has scared Melinda even more and the fact that if she is caught with Andrew by authorities, it will not be a pleasant experience for either her or Andrew. I can totally understand your frustration and worry about your son's wellbeing, but I did read in one of the newspaper articles that you believe your ex-wife would be caring for Andrew well and that itself is a good thing to know and appreciate until Melinda feels she can possibly make contact with you regarding the co- parenting of Andrew. I know as a mother who has been down this path, we get very protective and defensive when we feel threatened with loss of our children. It is almost like animal instinct kicks in and the fight or flight response kicks in.
At the end of the day though, we are talking about parenting of a child, not ownership of a possession and if the parenting of that child is being done reasonably well by one parent, then you would have to say that the child's wellbeing is being met. Of course the optimal situation is that both parents are involved in the parenting, but I believe that if the parent's relationship is so dysfunctional as to not be in the child's best interests, it is best that the child has one stable parent and one predominant home, rather than the battle of a tug-o-war for time with the child. Sadly the courts try to offer fairness to both parents and child, which I believe is ultimately unfair to the child. I believe the shared care legislation is failing most separated parents and children and I am in the process of looking at how this legislation can be changed. Share the responsibility, but that doesn't necessarily translate to shared care.
In my case, our children spend the week with me and weekends with their father. This is an arrangement that suits them best. It had nothing to do with what I or my ex-husband wanted, it had everything to do with what was best for our children. They have a stable school/preschool week with me and then spend quality time with their Dad,every weekend. They also see their Dad one night during the week to say hi, but do not stay overnight, this only happens on the weekends. To do more than this amount of time would be too disruptive to their lives. And the most important thing to consider is not the amount of contact time they have with each parent, but what actually suits their age, the relationship they have with each parent -my kids have a stronger relationship with me than their father, simply because I have been more involved in their lives from the start, but his role in their lives is crucial to their happiness, and the actual amount of time they spend with him is not the most important consideration, it's more the quality of the time that seems to have the greatest positive impact on them.
I'm giving my example because I believe my ex-husband and I have a model which would work for many families who have separated, but it requires the parents to be very intune with their children's needs and not their needs to be seen as the parent of the child. Especially when children are young, the research on developmental needs generally says they need one stable home and attachment to a primary parent and visits to the other parent are best if they are only overnights or only a couple of nights at a time away from the primary parent. This should be done regularly though, maybe once or twice a week, so that contact is regular.
I'm sharing this with you because you may not be aware of information like this, and it could perhaps help you and Melinda find a path that is acceptable to you both, and will work well for Andrew especially.
I hope that Melinda may be reading these comments and that she may consider contacting you privately to begin communicating with you. Perhaps as a gesture of goodwill on your part, you can call off the authorities and offer a moratorium period for her to contact you and begin communicating about the future for you, her and Andrew. I'm sure she is keeping track of what you are saying and she would know you best as to your sincerity in this matter. I would like to say that my ex-husband and I have so far managed to stay away from the court system because we could see that it was not going to make things better because a stranger would be deciding what happened in our situation. At times we could not agree at all, but we kept to our arrangements until we could sort out better arrangements for our children, trying at all times to think of their needs and not our needs as parents/adults however hard that might have been at times. My advice to Melinda would be not to allow the courts to have the final say, but for her to open direct communication with you and for you to drop the hunt, so that she will feel safe communicating with you.
I wish you, Melinda and Andrew the very best of good thinking, so that you may all be reunited and begin a new life, separated, but together in common goals for Andrew. I hope my thoughts may be helpful in the good thinking area.
My very best wishes,
Susan
May this boy be returned to
May this boy be returned to his father and the men hating conspiritors get their just deserts.
Andrew has not been seen
Andrew has not been seen since 24th April 2008 when he was taken from Sydney, Australia by his mother Melinda Thompson. They flew to Frankfurt, Germany although it is possible that they may now be in the UK. Andrew is described as approximately 3'3 tall with fair hair and brown eyes. He has gaps between his teeth. Anyone who recognises Andrew or his mother Melinda must not approach them, but report any information to the Missing Persons Bureau 0808-100 8777
Melinda Thompson
Melinda Margaret Thompson
Maiden name Strattan
DOB 25 April 1962
Finding Andrew Thompson
Hello, Help Find My Child participants,
My name is Bob and I have recently started to be involved with HFMC. I hope you all are doing well. I have some background in missing persons searches, so I thought I'd contribute to HFMC's efforts when I can.
Here are a few thoughts related to this search for Andrew Thompson:
My sense is that it might be helpful to consider the background of Andrew's mother, Melinda, in order to gather clues for the whereabouts of Andrew. We could consider certain aspects of Melinda's background including: her professional and career-related achievements, her religion, her hobbies and interests, and so on. If we could consult with individuals and organizations who have known Melinda through all of these aforementioned aspecs of her life, then we might get clues as to what Melinda has been up to, and where Melinda has been, since her recent disapperance to Germany with Andrew. Using our knowledge of Melinda's interests and background, we could contact organizations in Germany (or elsewhere in Europe) that she may have been in touch with, including churches, professional organizations, or any other kinds of organizations that may have served practical purposes in her life since her disappearance. Perhaps there are specific people or organizations that she has been involved with in Europe, especially in Germany, and we can potentially determine which individuals and agencies she has been in touch with by taking an inventory of what her life was all about prior to her departure.
Also, I might add that the organization International Social Service, in Baltimore, Maryland, is an excellent resource for family abduction cases: http://www.iss-usa.org/.
- Bob
E-mail: WritingBob1@yahoo.com
www.findandrew.com
Hi Bob
Thank you for your comments. I'm sure Andrew's Dad will appreciate your suggestions.
Are you aware of Andrew's website? Pls feel free to pass this link on to everyone you can - the more exposure this case gets the better the chances of Andrew being located and re-united with his Dad as soon as possible.
www.findandrew.com
L.