A 29-year-old Turkish national has been arrested in Turkish-occupied Northern Cyprus after allegedly abducting his two-year-old son from the child's British mother, Chloe Martin, 35. The toddler was snatched on Wednesday in the village of Apaisia, with a 53-year-old accomplice also taken into custody for allegedly helping to grab the child.
Mother's Ordeal
Chloe Martin, who grew up in the West Midlands and moved to Cyprus as a teenager, met the suspect online in 2022 and relocated to Northern Cyprus, where she became pregnant. She alleges he was abusive, prompting her to flee to the Republic of Cyprus last October and file a domestic violence complaint. The suspect was already wanted for domestic violence from that complaint.
On Wednesday, the suspect allegedly arrived unannounced at Ms. Martin's home in Mandria, pushed her into a swimming pool, and fled with their child along with an accomplice. Ms. Martin was treated in hospital for head and ankle injuries and shared an image of facial wounds.
Search and Arrest
Detectives feared the suspect had crossed through an uncontrolled area of Dhekelia Cantonment, a UK military base and British Overseas Territory where Cypriot authorities lack jurisdiction. An abandoned rental car was found in Pergamos, a village within the UK Sovereign Base Area of Dhekelia near the green line. It is suspected the suspect did not use an official crossing point.
Shortly after the abduction, the father posted a video on social media showing him with the child, writing: 'My lion, your father would give his life for you, my child. If there is anyone brave enough to take you from me, let him come and we will see.' He later posted further footage, adding: 'He misses his dad so much. I will protect you until the end of my life, my son.'
Legal Challenges
Parental child abduction to Northern Cyprus is a significant issue because the self-declared state, recognized only by Turkey, is not a signatory to the Hague Convention on child abduction. The UK Foreign Office has warned that dual British nationality is not recognized, limiting recourse to retrieve abducted children.
Ms. Martin's lawyer, Ioannis Michalaki, stated: 'We trust the Republic of Cyprus, which from the very first moment, with full cooperation with us, took all the necessary steps. At the same time, we expect the support of the Turkish Cypriots, which is expressed on social media, to translate into action from the Turkish Cypriot administration and move to take all necessary steps for the immediate return of the two-year-old child to his mother.'
An FCDO spokesman said: 'We are providing support to a British national and are in contact with the local authorities.'
Ms. Martin, too distressed to speak at length earlier, said: 'My main concern is to get my child back. Both me and my son are British citizens. We expect the full support of the UK government towards its citizens, something we have yet to see.'
