Yes, you read that right, I have two cousins who have been abducted by their mother.
It all began in 1991, I think that was the year. My granny had gone to Russia on a missionary trip through the church. She met a young woman there who wanted to come to the visit the US, her name is Natasha. Granny made her dreams come true. She bought her a plane ticket, brought her into their home and cared for her.
She met my Uncle, and married him not long after. They had a strange courtship. She was in Russia most of the time, but he visited her there. She came back and they got married. Then they had Joseph. A few years later they were pregnant again, and she had Nicole.
Natasha became a US citizen, and then a short time later they got divorced.
While in Russia she was a teacher; she taught English there. She decided to go back to school and get her teaching degree here in the states. I will never understand how she was able to teach English here. It just blows my mind that a Russian was teaching English. What is this world coming to? Anyway, she got her teaching license and she got a job in Thackerville, OK. One problem with her getting a job in Thackerville was that she wasn't supposed to move that far, it was stated in the divorce decree. Another problem was that she took the job and moved without telling anyone. She moved them to Ardmore, and she drove back and forth to Thackerville to work. The case is based out of Ardmore, OK.
You can see photos of the kids, my uncle, grandparents, and their mother on the videos I have embedded throughout this post. They were very, very close to my grandparents. They stayed with them a lot; they loved hanging out with Granny and Grandad. Nicole and I had a special connection, you see she looked a whole lot like me when I was her age. And we both liked that. They were both pretty shy when they hadn't seen you for a while, but if you gave them a few minutes they were cutting up and having a good time.
On May 19, 2008 Natasha fled the country with the kids. We believe they are in Russia. We are not sure where just yet, but the FBI are working on the case. An FBI International Parental Kidnapping Warrant was issued February 18, 2009. Things just don't happen fast enough. I am sure they are truly working on the case, but nothing seems to be happening. It is very discouraging to know that they are out there some where and we don't know where. I have told my grandparents that if I didn't have to have my job, and I had enough money that I would pack up and go to Russia to find them. If I could find them, I could then her over to the FBI and we could start working on getting the kids home.
Please watch these videos. Take note to what their names are and what they look like. Remember that Natasha could be going by Natalya Ernst, or be using the last name Sopova. She may be a teacher, or a translator. Joseph Zachary Ernst was born April 14, 1998, and Nicole Anastacia Ernst was born March 25, 2000.
We are not giving up the search.
Natasha, Natalya, or whatever you are calling yourself these days. If you are reading this, you messed with the wrong people. We want Joseph and Nicole back! I will refrain from saying what I really want to say to you until I see you face to face.
There's our story. You know you see things like this on television all the time, and you think it won't happen to our family. It happened to ours.
Joseph & Nicole,
If you are reading this then you know we are still searching for you! We love you! We miss you! And we will never give up until we find you! You are both always in our prayers!
