A mother from Newfoundland, who had her five-year-old daughter taken to Egypt by her father, now holds legal custody of the child. However, locating the girl has proven to be challenging. Bouchra Marbouhi was awarded custody of her daughter in late December after filing a court application in Alexandria. The Egyptian court ruled on Dec. 23 that the child’s welfare is best served with the mother and ordered the immediate return of the child to Marbouhi.
Despite the court order, when the police and Marbouhi’s legal representative attempted to retrieve the girl this month, the estranged husband, Ahmed ElGammal, evaded capture. Marbouhi shared in an interview from Alexandria that ElGammal is currently in hiding, with his family claiming they do not know his whereabouts. An arrest warrant was issued for ElGammal by the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary in late October for the abduction of the child in violation of a custody order issued by the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador’s family division last spring, which prohibited the girl from being taken out of the St. John’s metro area.
Marbouhi last saw her daughter on September 27, 2025, when her husband took the child for a sleepover. The case highlighted flaws in the system that allowed ElGammal to leave Canada against a court directive. Shady Abdellatif, an Egypt-based lawyer specializing in international abduction cases, has taken on Marbouhi’s legal representation. Abdellatif suspects ElGammal received a warning before the police arrived at his family’s residence, enabling him to flee with the child.
Abdellatif mentioned that after three unsuccessful attempts to reclaim the girl, a criminal case can be initiated against ElGammal and his mother. Efforts are being made to seek assistance from Egyptian Interpol officials through a red notice from Canadian Interpol, although this has not yet occurred. The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary has confirmed that they sought a red notice with Interpol for ElGammal. A red notice is a request for law enforcement to locate and apprehend a person pending legal actions. The RNC is collaborating with relevant agencies to ensure the child’s safety but did not disclose the status of the red notice for investigative reasons.
The RCMP clarified that they are not leading the investigation and deferred specific questions to the National Centre for Missing Persons and Unidentified Remains. The Department of Justice Canada stated that it does not handle Interpol red notices. Abdellatif remains optimistic about reuniting Marbouhi with her daughter once the child’s location is determined. ElGammal has applied for a travel ban to prevent Marbouhi from leaving Egypt with their daughter, a move that Marbouhi opposes.
Marbouhi expressed gratitude for the support she has received from Canadians, including financial contributions and the assistance of two Newfoundland women who traveled to Alexandria to support her. The Hague Convention provides guidelines for returning a child wrongfully taken by a parent between countries, but Egypt is not a signatory to the convention. The focus now is on locating the girl and reuniting her with her mother through the efforts of Marbouhi’s legal team and law enforcement agencies. Marbouhi extended her appreciation to the Canadian community for their support during this challenging time.
