Samantha Kibalo now missing 7 years, Suffern, New York

Here is an account of Samantha's story from the Unsolved Mysteries website (http://www.unsolved.com/0208-Kibalo.html):

WANTED
ANN KIBALO
AGE: 39
DOB: 3/25/63
HEIGHT: 5'0"
WEIGHT: 120 pounds
HAIR: Brown
EYES: Blue
ALIASES: Ann Yermak, Ann Saul, Ann Kaplan
MISSING
SAMANTHA KIBALO
AGE: 3 1/2
DOB: 1/1/99
HEIGHT: 2'9"
WEIGHT: 22 pounds
HAIR: Light Brown
EYES: Brown
Broadcast Date: June 24, 2002
SYNOPSIS: Ann and Mike Kibalo married after dating for nine months. Only
one thing was missing to make their lives complete - a child. Two and a half
years after they were married, Ann gave birth to Samantha and the couple brought
her home to Suffern, New York. But their joy was short-lived. According to Mike,
Ann began behaving erratically almost immediately. She allegedly began yelling
at Mike saying that she didn't need him anymore. The following afternoon, Mike
returned home from work to find all the furniture missing. They baby's room was
also completely cleaned out. Mike called his mother-in-law. He claims Ann
answered the phone and told him the marriage was over and that he would never
see their daughter again. According to Mike, Ann told him that she had called
the police and reported that Mike beat her up and that he was also harming
Samantha. Police later determined that there was no evidence of abuse. Mike
Kibalo sued for divorce and sole custody of Samantha. As the divorce case weaved
through the legal system Ann was ordered by the court to share custody of
Samantha with Mike.
After a weeklong visit with Ann, Mike said Samantha was
returned to him with bruises on her face. Mike immediately took Samantha to the
family pediatrician. The doctor said that the bruise was three to five days old
- which means that it most likely occurred while Samantha was with her mother. A
court-appointed psychiatrist was assigned to evaluate Mike and Ann's fitness as
parents. While no determination was made as to how Samantha got the bruises, the
psychiatrist concluded that there was something odd in the way Ann was treating
her daughter. Over a span of 11 months Ann took Samantha to 7 doctors on 33
occasions. She also reportedly hired 23 lawyers and 11 psychiatrists - according
to some, a classic behavior of a person suffering from Munchausen's Syndrome by
Proxy. The final diagnosis was that Ann had a severe personality disorder with a
mixture of traits from several disorders. Soon Mike Kibalo was awarded full
custody of Samantha.
But the ordeal was far from over. Ann had appealed the
court ruling and she still had a right to see her child. The day before the
court made it's final decision on the appeal, Mike brought Samantha to the
police station for a scheduled overnight visit with Ann. Mike returned the
following day to pick up his daughter but Ann never showed up. All efforts to
find them have failed, leaving Mike Kibalo's life in ruins. Mike fears that his
daughter is in grave danger.
Two months later, police discovered Anne's SUV
abandoned in a Brooklyn parking garage. But a search of the vehicle provided no
clues as to Ann or Samantha's whereabouts. Both have been missing since February
of 2001. Samantha Kibalo would now be three years old. She has light brown hair
and brown eyes. Ann Kibalo is wanted for kidnapping and unlawful flight to avoid
prosecution. Authorities believe she may be traveling with her red Tibetan
terrier named Vodka. She may also be in contact with medical professionals.
If you have any information on the whereabouts of Samantha or Ann Kibalo,
please contact the Rockland County Sheriff's Department, the FBI, or call the
Unsolved Mysteries hotline, 1-800-876-5353.

The numbers for the Rockland County Sheriff's Office are (845) 638-5400 or (845) 638-5440.

Samantha and her mother may be in New York City; Palm Beach County, Florida; Boynton Beach, Florida; Illinois; or New Hampshire. There were also possible sightings of them in Santa Fe, New Mexico, in 2006.

You can print a poster of Samantha of http://www.missingkids.com/missingkids/servlet/PubCaseSearchServlet?act=viewPoster&caseNum=904495&orgPrefix=NCMC&searchLang=en_US.

Photos on left from Unsolved Mysteries. Age progression of Samantha from her poster.

Samantha Kibalo: New age progression

Hopefully this will increase Samantha's chances of being found safe; she has been missing for six years and five and a half months now.

Some possible locations where Samantha and her mother might be are Santa Fe, New Mexico (possible sightings of them there); New York City (her mom's car was found in Brooklyn); Illinois; New Hampshire; Palm Beach County, Florida; or Boynton Beach, Florida.

From Samantha's poster:

Family Abduction
SAMANTHA KIBALO
DOB: Jan 1, 1999
Missing: Feb 3, 2001
Age Now: 8
Sex: Female
Race: White
Hair: Lt. Brown
Eyes: Brown
Height: 2'9" (84 cm)
Weight: 22 lbs (10 kg)
Missing From:
SUFFERN
NY
United States
Age Progressed
ANN
KIBALO
Abductor
DOB: Mar 25, 1963
Sex: Female
Race: White
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Blue
Height: 5'0" (152 cm)
Weight: 120 lbs (54 kg)
Samantha's photo is shown age-progressed
to 8 years. She was abducted by her non-custodial mother, Ann Kibalo. An FBI
warrant for Kidnapping was issued for the abductor on January 15, 2002. They may
be traveling with a 12 pound red mini Tibetan Spaniel dog. The abductor may use
eyeglasses while driving. The abductor may seek treatment for a dental condition
and may frequent medical facilities and doctor's offices with Samantha.

ANYONE HAVING INFORMATION SHOULD CONTACT
National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
1-800-843-5678 (1-800-THE-LOST)
Rockland County Sheriff's Office (New
York) - 1-845-638-5400 or Your Local FBI

You can print your own poster of Samantha here.

Samantha Kibalo now missing 6 years, Suffern, New York

There was a possible development in Samantha's case last year (see details below), so maybe this could be the magic year when she is finally found.
From the Charley Project:

Vital Statistics at Time of Disappearance
Missing Since: February 3, 2001 from Suffern, New York
Classification: Family Abduction
Date Of Birth: January 1, 1999
Age: 2 years old
Height and Weight: 2'9, 22 pounds
Distinguishing Characteristics: Caucasian female. Light brown hair,
brown eyes. Samantha may use the alias last names Yermak, Saul, and/or Kaplan.

Details of Disappearance
Samantha was last seen in Suffern, New York
on February 3, 2001. She was abducted by her non-custodial mother, Ann Yermak
Kibalo, during a court-ordered overnight vistation. Samantha's father, Michael
Kibalo, has had custody of her since she was almost a year old. He was given
custody after court testimony that Ann had hit the child and had taken her to
seven different doctors 33 times in the eleven months since her birth.
Photographs and vital statistics for Ann are posted below this case summary.
A Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) warrant for kidnapping was issued for
her on January 15, 2002. She also has warrants for her arrest on charges of
unlawful flight to avoid prosecution, custodial interference, and unauthorized
use of a motor vehicle. Her last known address was in New Hyde Park, New York.
Ann and Samantha were originally traveling in a black four-door 1996 Suzuki
Sidekick Sport with a gold-colored bumper and New York license plates. It has
was recovered in a parking garage in the New York City borough of Brooklyn two
months after the Kibalos disappeared. They may be accompanied by a 12-pound red
miniature Tibetan Spaniel or Tibetan Terrier dog named Vodka. They may frequent
doctor's offices and other medical facilities. Ann and Samantha may be with an
adult female relative. They may be in the New York City, New York area, or in
Palm Beach County or Boynton Beach, Florida; Illinois; or New Hampshire. In
2006, there were sightings of them reported in Santa Fe, New Mexico, but the
reports have not been confirmed.
Samantha is believed to be at risk; her
mother may have been abusing her prior to her disappearance. Ann may suffer from
Munchausen's Syndrome by Proxy, which would cause her to harm Samantha and/or
subject her to unnecessary medical treatment. Michael now lives in New Jersey
and is actively searching for his daughter. He believes Ann may be homeschooling
the child, as he cannot find evidence that she is enrolled in school anywhere.
Samantha's case remains unsolved.

Ann Yermak Kibalo
Left and Center: Ann Yermak Kibalo; Right: Age-progression to age 40 (circa
2003)
Date of Birth: March 25, 1963
Age: 37 years old
Height and Weight: 5'0, 115 - 120 pounds
Distinguishing Characteristics: Caucasian female. Brown hair, blue eyes.
Ann wears eyeglasses while driving. She may use the last names Yermak, Saul,
and/or Kaplan. Ann may have cut her hair short and dyed it blonde. She has an
accounting degree from Brooklyn College and has previously worked in that field.
Medical Conditions: Ann has a dental condition and may seek medical
treatment for it. She is mentally unstable; she has a severe personality
disorder and several traits from other disorders, and may suffer from
Munchausen's Syndrome by Proxy, which could cause her to harm Samantha. Ann is
classified as disabled.

Investigating Agency
If you have any information concerning this case, please contact:
Rockland County Sheriff's Office
845-638-5400
OR
845-638-5440

You can also call your local FBI office or the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678).
You can print a poster of Samantha here.

ATTENTION SANTA FE RESIDENTS: Have you seen Ann or Samantha Kibalo?

Kudos to the New Mexican for this story! It would be good for all newspapers to follow the example of writing about people who could be in their local areas.
The only thing that could have made it better would have been photos. (The ones below are from the Charley Project.)
Story from http://www.freenewmexican.com/news/53415.html:

Missing girl, mom might be in S.F.
By Anne Constable The New Mexican
December 10, 2006
Mother kidnapped daughter from father in February
2001A 7-year-old girl abducted by her mother five years ago might be living in
Santa Fe, according to six eyewitnesses.
Samantha Michelle Kibalo and her mother, Ann Yermak Kibalo, disappeared
from Suffern, N.Y., in February 2001 after failing to return from a
court-authorized overnight visit.
The child’s father, Michael Kibalo, who had sole custody of Samantha, has
been searching for her ever since.
After receiving a tip she might be here, Kevin Gallagher, a lawyer and
friend of Michael Kibalo, visited Santa Fe twice — in February and in September.
He distributed missing-child fliers and talked to six people who said they were
certain they had seen mother and daughter — at a mall, a doctor’s office and
other places.
One woman who talked to the mother and daughter several times described
Samantha as “real quiet, withdrawn.” She said the mother didn’t interact much
with the child.
Michael Kibalo, who now lives in Morris Plains,
N.J., won sole custody of his daughter when she was 11 months old after court
testimony that his former wife hit the child and might suffer from a mental
condition called Munchausen’s Syndrome by Proxy, which could cause her to harm
Samantha or seek unnecessary medical treatment. In a span of 11 months, Ann
Kibalo apparently took her daughter to seven different doctors on 33
occasions.
Two months after their disappearance, Ann Kibalo’s abandoned sport-utility
vehicle was found in a Brooklyn parking garage. Eyewitnesses reportedly later
spotted her in Florida.
Michael Kibalo said FBI profilers have told him his wife and child are
probably moving around a lot, using two or three different aliases. He suspects
his former mother-in-law is helping them because she has refinanced her house
numerous times.
Ann Kibalo has an accounting degree from Brooklyn College and might work as
a bookkeeper. Michael Kibalo and his attorney believe she is home-schooling
Samantha, in part because they have not been able to locate her at any
elementary schools in the area.
Samantha is listed with every known group in the United States that helps
find missing children. The case was featured twice on America’s Most Wanted, a
Fox Television show hosted by John Walsh, whose son was abducted and killed in
1981, as well as on an episode of Unsolved Mysteries in 2002, its final year.
Michael Kibalo said his daughter’s picture will appear in the tax
preparation books issued by the Internal Revenue Service next year.
He says people have told him Santa Fe “might be a good place for people to
hide” because “It’s artsy (and) people can blend in.”
“I actually believe that if she doesn’t turn up in Santa Fe, some day Sam
is going to find herself. If I keep active,” she’ll find me, he said.
Samantha is described as having light brown hair and brown eyes.
Ann Kibalo, now 43, is 5 feet tall, 120 pounds with brown hair and blue
eyes, although she might be wearing brown contacts.
People who have information about their whereabouts are encouraged to call
800-FINDKID.
Contact Anne Constable at 995-3845 or aconstable@sfnewmexican.com.

You can print your own poster of Samantha here.