From: Norm.Woodward@fquest.FidoNet.Org (Norm Woodward)
Newsgroups: alt.missing-kids
Subject: Erler
Date: 9 Jan 93 05:20:26 GMT

In May, 1979 a man named Ray Erler was killed in a car accident near Kelowna,
British Columbia, Canada.  His wife and he were separated at the time.  His
wife had custody of their two daughters, and Mr. Erler had visiting rights.
Unfortunately, they were visiting Mr. Erler at the time of his death.  When
his wife tried to retrieve her children, Mr. Erler's brother abducted the
children and took them across the border into Washington State, leaving them
with their aunt living on Mercer Island near Seattle.  Her name was Ida Erler,
a spinster sister of Mr. Erler.  She refused to return the children to the
mother, and filed for custody of the children in Washington State.  A court
there awarded her custody after the childrens' mother was unable to raise the
money needed for a court battle.  It ended up that the mother had a legal court
order for custody in Canada, but the aunt had a legal court order for custody
in the United States, and since the children were in the US, the mother ran out
of options and lost her daughters.  This was in the days prior to the Hague
Convention, so she had no recourse.
    Right after Christmas, 1981, the mother received a letter from her
daughters thanking her for the Christmas presents she had sent.  The mother
wrote letters trying to keep in touch with her daughters, but they went
unanswered until suddenly in 1986, when she received a picture of each girl
with a very brief note from each in the mail.  She wrote letters back, but they
were returned by the Post Office.  She never heard from her daughters again.
    The mother travelled to the United States to try to establish contact with
her daughters in 1986, but the P.O. where she had been sending her letters in
Mount Vernon, Washington said that the Erlers had not picked up their mail in
three months.  Discouraged, the mother returned to Canada and has been unable
to find any trace of the daughters she has not seen since 1981 during the
court
battle.
    This lady realizes that her daughters have a life and that they may be very
happy where they are.  She does not want to try to take them away back to
Canada, upset them, or cause them any pain, but she is heart broken and wants
desperately to find out where they are so that she knows they are still alive.
They are grown up now, and it is important that they understand that she has
been fighting for the last 12 years.  She fought battles all the way to the
Prime Minister's office to get her daughters returned to her, but without the
money for lawyers in the US, she was beaten before she started.  She did
not abandon them, she loves them, and needs desperately for them to contact
her....
    If you know the following persons, PLEASE show them this letter and ask
them to contact their mother, or if they are unwilling or unable, ask them to
contact me.  They are:

Tatiana (Tanya) Barbara Erler - Age 18 - Slim build - Brown Hair - Blue Eyes
Jessica Jaqueline Erler - Age 16 - Slim build - Brown Hair - Brown Eyes

Possibly in the company of:
Ida Erler - single woman approx. age late 50's - no physical description and/or
Miriam Erler - believed single woman approx. age late 30's-early 40's.
Last seen in the area of Mount Vernon, WA.  Possibly still living in the
Seattle area.

I am a licensed Private Investigator donating my time and expenses for this
worthy cause.  Anyone with helpful information may contact me at the
following:

Fidonet 1:153/935.201

N.J. Woodward
#411-7231 120 Street
Delta, BC    V4C 6P5
(604) 599-1692