Testimonials

Hanson / Sykes Case
Domestic Recovery - 2004

February 2000 I asked my husband of 4 years to move out. I told him it wasn't working and I couldn't deal with his verbal and emotional abuse anymore. I had not been happy for a long time, but when he was arrested for a felony drug charge that was it for me. We had a little girl Shannon Nicole, who was the light of my life! She was born March 27, 1997. Shannon was all I cared about in my life and I wanted her to have the very best life I could give her. That is why it took me so long to leave her father. I thought I would be hurting her to take her father from her. But I realized that she was getting older and could pick up on the negative vibes, so I got the courage and left him Feb. 12, 2000. I guess he thought we would eventually get back together because we got along so much better apart than we ever had together. But when I asked for a divorce in June he lost it. I guess it took him a while to get his plan together because August 12, 2000 was the day he asked if Shannon could go to North Carolina to visit his parents for a week or so. I was hesitant because she wasn't even 3 1/2 years old and was a big Mommy's girl.

I reluctantly let her go, but called to check on her everyday and would cry when I hung up the phone because I missed her so much. One night when I was at work Shannon's father called me. I thought the worst right away thinking she was hurt or something. But he was speaking really monotone and said...."I'm in North Carolina." I got sort of excited because I was scheduled to drive there to pick up Shannon the next day... I thought he meant he was there to see his parents and would just bring Shannon home with him instead of me having to go pick her up. Still in a very monotone voice he said "No, you don't understand! I have moved to North Carolina with my parents and you will never see your daughter again!" My personality would normally be to laugh and say he was full of it, but there was something in his voice that told me he was serious. Tears filled my eyes immediately and I let out a scream...WHAT? Talking with him on the phone got me nowhere! I had to leave work and went to see my Mom. We came up with the plan that we would leave right away and catch them off guard. It took almost 4 hours to drive to North Carolina...felt like 4 days. I went to the house and banged on the door...no one would answer. I knew Shannon was in there because I heard her call out for me.

I could tell that someone put their hand over her mouth. My heart fell to my feet. I was hysterical and crying! I continued to bang on the door. NO ANSWER!! After going around the house trying to look in windows and banging on them, I ran to the car and told my Mother what I had heard. We went to the police station and I told them what was going on. They said since we weren't legally separated and didn't have a custody agreement there was nothing they could do other than go with me to the house and knock on the door for me. They said it wasn't right what he was doing, but legally he had just as much right to her as I did. I took the police with me but when we arrived at the house the cars were moved in the driveway and the car that was parked on the street was gone. We knocked and knocked, no answer. The police told me my best bet was to head back to Georgia and get my attorney to get a court date. It killed me to leave, not knowing where she had gone, or where she would be taken. My husband had a horrible temper and was very vengeful.

The next several weeks were filled with letters from my attorney to his parents residence as well as my attorney filing for an emergency hearing. They had to send Shannon's father letters to appear. We went to court and Shannon's father didn't show up. So they held him in contempt. They sent him several other letters to appear in court. Never showed up. Finally my lawyer filed for divorce and I wanted full custody of Shannon, since no one was there to fight it I got what I wanted. Now since I had custody, he didn't have just as much right to her as I did. I had all rights to her and he had none. Now the FBI took the case and listed Shannon as a missing person and her father as a wanted man. I asked the FBI if I should hire a private detective or what I could do to help. They told me I could do what ever I wanted but truthfully private detectives usually just get in their way. I didn't want anything getting in the way of them finding my little girl.

I was devastated and felt like my life was over. I got calls from the FBI getting me up to speed on their investigation. They told me it shouldn't be long..."We are hot on his trail" they would always tell me. I took weekend trips to different states, stopping at rest stops and gas stations handing out fliers and talking to people. I couldn't do it through the week because I needed to work to get the money to take the weekend trips. My attitude was every flier I put up was at least one more person that knew what Shannon looked like and one more person looking for her. I emailed talk shows, and wrote countless letters. I would even get on chat lines and tell people to visit the National Center for missing and exploited children's website to look at Shannon's picture. I felt like ending my life on numerous occasions. I didn't think I could make it another day without the only reason I had for living in the first place. Then...I turned to GOD for help. Sure I had been praying the whole time. And I would get mad and scream, "What have I ever done to deserve this?" But when I really found God and asked him for help. I realized what people had been saying the whole time "Everything happens for a reason" was true. God wasn't punishing me... When Shannon's father was found, he was the one who was to be punished and my strength was being tested.

Ending my life wasn't the answer, that wasn't strong and when they found Shannon me being dead wasn't going to do her any good. So I changed my way of thinking and I knew I would see my daughter again before I died. I didn't care if I was an old woman, I was going to see my daughter again. I knew since 9/11 the FBI had more on their plates than they use to. So I started saving my money to hire a bounty hunter or a private detective. In August of 2003 I had just had the 3 year anniversary of my daughter's abduction and was starting to think I was going to have to wait for her to get older and come look for me. I was at work and a representative from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children called to talk to me. She said that there was a Non profit organization that was interested in my case. Could they give them my phone number.

I had gotten my hopes up so many times in the past that I tried not to this time. Then it happened, my prayers were about to be answered. I was introduced to ARC. Baz called me and he didn't just say he was going to help me, he said it was their mission to find my daughter. Then Baz flew to Atlanta and met with me at my house. In 3 years I had never met anyone from the FBI. Baz had the most caring eyes, and when I told him my story he teared up and held my hand and said he was going to find Shannon. Over the next few months I was in contact alot with several people with ARC asking me every question known to man to get insight into the kind of person my ex-husband was and any habits that he may have had. Then on December 4, 2003 at about 10:00 in the morning (3 years, 3 months, and 22 days after she was taken from me!) ARC called me and told me to pack a bag and head up to North Carolina, they had found Shannon and had her father in custody! For a split second I thought is it really her...am I going to get my hopes up once again and it not be her. But my excitement won over. I could hardly stand up.

This is the day I had been waiting and dreaming for, yet at the same time I was scared to death. What had Shannon been through all these years, what was she told about me? Was I dead? Did they tell her I didn't want or love her anymore? Would she embrace me? Or would she run away screaming for her Daddy? I had the 4 hour drive to think of every possible sinario. I wanted to hold her so badly, I had decided to let her come to me so I wouldn't scare her. Finally the long ride was over and my 3 year night mare was about to be over. There was alot of paperwork I had to fill out for children's services and I had to prove who I was. Funny my dreams had never had that step in them. I got to meet with Baz again as well as several other ARC members then finally Baz led my now 6 1/2 year old daughter in the room. I studied her face for a second and so I wouldn't scare her I asked her if she knew who I was and if I could hug her. She said I could hug her and that she had forgotten what I looked like (that broke my heart) Baz and ARC did what they told me they were going to do, they reunited my with my daughter, this was the happiest day of my life.

Shannon and I returned home, I took her to be examined at the doctor. And we had to go shopping, because all she has was the clothes on her back and the shoes on her feet. She didn't have pajama's or even a toothbrush. I learned that for the entire time she was gone she hadn't gotten to see the doctor or go to school. I took her to the school in my district and they gave her a placement test. She was suppose to be in the middle of first grade, but she scored very low Kindergarten. She could barely write her name, the same little girl who I was having full conversations with at 2 years old and could tie her shoes by the time she was 3 was now way below average. That made me even more mad at her father for not only doing what he did to hurt me, but in the end he hurt Shannon.

I knew there was alot of work to be done and only a short time to do it in, but I was determined Shannon was going to pass Kindergarten. I didn't want her to get even farther behind. So her step-father and I worked with her every night. We discovered even though she couldn't write, she was good at sounding out words and reading.

Shannon is now 10 years old has been home almost exactly the same amount of time as she was gone. Shannon not only passed Kindergarten on the first try, but she was chosen to be in the gifted program by the end of First grade. Shannon is now in the Third grade and is at the top of her class in every subject as well as having alot of friends. Shannon has a normal life and has adjusted better than could have ever been expected! Looking back, I don't know how I ever lived through that ordeal. But I do know something, with out ARC I might still be having to rely on the FBI and waisting my money on Private detectives. I 100% believe that without ARC I would still not have my Shannon back. ARC gave me my life back, and my reason for living.

-Mandalyn Hanson