SARA SOFIA LOPES DOS SANTOS 3 - Santos, Portimão, Algarve (Portugal) - 01/01/09

Portugal: Sara Sofia is 3 years old and was abducted by her mother over one month ago

Portuguese Child Abduction Alert System starts only in March and for now the information and communication means that are used by the authorities remain the same as before the Maddie case
Although the case is being handled by the Polícia Judiciária (PJ) with the same seriousness as a disappearance, Sara Sofia Lopes dos Santos, aged three, disappeared on the first day of 2009 within the frame of a parental abduction.

According to information from the PJ’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Portimão, Sara was abducted by her mother and has been taken abroad, probably into Spain, where the investigators try to locate her with the cooperation of the Spanish authorities.

According to the same source, since the couple split in 2007, Sara’s parents have been in conflict concerning the exercise of parental rights over the child, that had been officially entrusted to her father, who accuses the mother of abandoning the child. Sara’s mother and her relatives tell a different version, accusing the father of abusing the child, a fact that was never proved.

Although Sara’s abduction took place on the 1st of January 2009, it was not until now that the information was placed on the Polícia Judiciária’s internet site (www.policiajudiciaria.pt), where a recent photograph of the child can be seen.

According to information that was now publicised by the PJ’s CID in Portimão – the same that was responsible for the investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann -, the last time that Sara Sofia was seen, she was wearing a pink Nike track suit and pink sneakers.

The little girl, of Portuguese nationality, has brown eyes and brown hair, and a red mark on her back as a distinguishing feature.

According to a PJ source in Portimão, there is no connection whatsoever between the disappearance of Sara Sofia and the Madeleine McCann case, yet the investigators fear that their work may be harmed by the intervention of English media, as the fact that both children are of the same age and disappeared from the same relatively close geographical area “will certainly be used to re-launch the media focus on the Maddie case and to concentrate attentions on the Algarve, thus diverting suspicions from the McCann couple”.

English press associates disappearance of Sara with the Maddie case
The information about Sara Sofia’s disappearance would have gone completely unnoticed in England if it hadn’t been for the intervention of a source that is close to the British authorities and to the McCann couple, who, unofficially, alerted a few journalists while stressing the fact that the investigation is under the responsibility of the PJ’s CID in Portimão, the same one that investigated the Maddie case.

The information that was forwarded to the journalists doesn’t even contain a single line about the possibility of a parental abduction, and the focus rests on the fact that Sara Sofia is of the same age as Madeleine McCann and disappeared “mysteriously” in the Algarve, the same geographical region where the British child disappeared from in May 2007.

According to the information that was offered to the English journalists, the disappearance of Sara Sofia in Portugal’s Southern region is evidence of the possible existence of a predator, a fact that the Portuguese police had excluded in Madeleine’s case.

Portugal adopts French Alert System model
From March onwards, the disappearance of children in Portugal starts counting on an “Abduction Alert” system which, through messages every 15 minutes, publicise the case and request for information through various platforms, from local radios up to public transportation terminals.

The system that is to be adopted in our country follows the French model, named “Alerte Enlèvement”, which has proved its effectiveness in practice, on several occasions.

The Portuguese version that was studied by the Justice Ministry counts on the media to join the project, and to publicise a common alert message, that can be local, regional or national, during the first three hours after the child’s disappearance.

Just like in France, the decision to launch the alert will be taken by the Attorney General in conjunction with the PJ through a “Crisis Cabinet”, in the case of an abduction or sequestration, and not yet including cases of parental abduction or simple disappearance.

In November last year, the Justice Minister, Alberto Costa, had already assured that the “Abduction Alert” system would soon be available, nevertheless stressing that in order for the system to be able to function, the cooperation between the Public Ministry (PM) and the Polícia Judiciária (PJ) would have to improve.

Duarte Levy

http://duartelevyen.wordpress.com/2009/02/20/portugal-sara-sofia-is-3-years-old-and-was-abducted-by-her-mother-over-one-month-ago/

Gosh Tezza. I hope they find her ! She looks so grown up for 3 doesn't she? Can anyone translate the description from Portuguese to English please so we have a good description of her.

Name: Sara Sofia Lopes Dos Santos
Date Of Birth: 01.12.2005
Natural Of: Portugal
Nationality: Portugal
Date If Disappearance: 01.01.2009
Hair: Chestnut
Eyes: Chestnut

http://uk.babelfish.yahoo.com/translate_url?trurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.policiajudiciaria.pt%2FPortalWeb%2Fpage%2F%7B9495E9CA-D81B-471A-8B20-168DBE641DDB%7D&lp=pt_en&.intl=uk&fr=yfp-t-501

Thanks, has she any birthmarks? I just saw on the site some info on the right side of page on Portuguese Police page and just wondered.

Anyone heading to Spain for Easter? You never know you could help find this little girl. Have a poster in your car, on your bag as we all did for Madeleine.

Any update in the news about this little girl Tezza?

Correio da manha

20 February 2009

http://www.correiomanha.pt/noticia.aspx?channelid=00000021-0000-0000-0000-000000000021&contentid=FB5609B1-B226-49CB-AB22-78E3123D690E

GOOGLE TRANSLATION

Father says' fear 'for her daughter

Manuel dos Santos, the father of Sara Sofia, is a desperate man since his daughter, three years, it was returned by his mother last January 1. "I fear for what might happen," confided to the CM.


Until yesterday, the child whose picture is already updated from the missing persons site of Judicial Police, with which the parent filed a complaint in the first week of January, still no sign, although it is suspected that the mother, Paula Lopes, has led to the south of Spain, together with three children (two twins for nine years and a girl of 13, fruit from two previous relationships).

As the CM reported first-hand, on January 7, the mother of Sara Sofia, which incurs the crime of removing smaller, held in December outside the Judiciary, for swindling a jewelery in Carvoeiro, together with two German , one F. René, his current partner, and the stepfather, Klaus E. The mother of René defendant was also formed in the process. All disappeared in early January, have failed, day 3, the weekly presentation which had been imposed as a measure of coercion by the Court of Portimão.

Sara Sofia had left the shelter Aboim Ascension, in Faro, on December 19, when the court gave the father the exclusive custody for alleged child neglect by the mother. Manuel dos Santos, resident in Portimão, handed her daughter the ex-partner, to spend the night together for New Year's Eve, on December 31, Paula Lopes but it returned the girl the next day, contrary to what was agreed.

From hair and brown eyes, the girl shows a red signal on the right side of the back. Last time I was seen by her father, wore Nike training suit, pink, and slippers of the same color.

DETAILS

BURLE

Sara's mother and two accomplices are accused of having burladouma jewelery in Carvoeiro, quel to pay cuts amounting to a false check. There are suspicions that it may be involved in most cases. Was convicted in the three years in prison.

NO and abduction

Source of the Judicial CM stressed that the case of Sara Sofia in no way resembles that of Madeleine, not going on suspicion of abduction but the removal of minor by the mother.

It is believed that Sara Sofia is in the company of her mother, Paula Lopes, pictured below!

Also noted that the mother was shown to demonstrate child neglect, hence full custody to the father. Please help find Sara Sofia folks !

Sara Sofia is still missing. If heading away on holidays to Spain, please display her poster about. Thank you very much.

pam supportfromireland wrote:Thanks, has she any birthmarks? I just saw on the site some info on the right side of page on Portuguese Police page and just wondered.

Yes Pam she does:

Private Signs:
On the right side of the back, the lumbar area, bears a red mark.

Webshots News

Feb 22, 2009

Sara Sofia Lopes dos Santos, Portimão

According to the latest information from the Judicial Police (PJ), Sara Sofia, aged three, was abducted by her mother, Paula Lopes, supposedly accompanied by two individuals of German nationality. The group includes another woman and three more children. At least three people of the group, aged 38 to 62, were previously made arguidos in a breach of trust and falsification case for an estimated amount of 57,600 euros. The three adults were to present themselves regularly at the GNR of Lagoa. Sara Sofia had left Faro's Refúgio Aboim Ascensão on 19th December, after the Court in Portimão had given exclusive custody to her father, Manuel Santos, who, on 1st January, entrusted the child to her mother with whom she was to spend the day. After 48 hours without news, Manuel Santos lodged a complaint with the Judicial Police and remains desperate, as, according to him, the child would be in danger in company of the group. On her escape, the mother of Sara also took her three other children with her: two nine year old twins and a 13 year old girl. Despite the fact that the Sara Sofia Lopes dos Santos case is a case of parental abduction, it is handled by the Judicial Police (PJ) with the same seriousness as for any other disappearance and the Spanish authorities have been informed. According to the information from the PJ's Criminal Investigation Department (DIC) in Portimão, since the couple split in 2007, Sara's parents have been in conflict concerning the exercise of parental rights over the child, who had been officially entrusted to her father in December last year. Manuel Santos accuses the mother of having abandoned the child. Sara’s mother and her relatives tell a different version, accusing the father of abusing the child, a fact that was never proven. Although Sara's abduction took place on the 1st January 2009, it was not until now that the information was placed on the Judicial Police's internet site (www.policiajudiciaria.pt), where a recent photograph of the child can be seen. According to information that has now been publicised by the PJ's CID in Portimão – the same that was responsible for the investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann – the last time that Sara Sofia was seen, she was wearing a pink Nike track suit and pink sneakers. The little girl, of Portuguese nationality, has brown eyes and brown hair, and a red mark on her back as a distinguishing feature. According to a PJ source in Portimão, there is no connection whatsoever between the disappearance of Sara Sofia and the Madeleine McCann case, yet the investigators fear that their work may be harmed by the intervention of English media, as the fact that both children are of the same age and disappeared from the same relatively close geographical area "will certainly be used to re-launch the media focus on the Maddie case and to concentrate attention on the Algarve, thus diverting suspicions from the McCann couple".

http://news.webshots.com/photo/2434526370064924833uUvXsg

sou o pai da sara sofia e ja

Submitted by manuel santos (not verified) on 8 March, 2009 - 10:25.

sou o pai da sara sofia e ja fiz de tudo para encontrar a minha bebe que so tem 3 aninhos ............ pois sinto-me revoltado com a justica portuguesa porque ate a data de hoje nem um telefonema do tribunal nem da pj de portimao ........... sinto me a endoidecer e doente so de pensar no que vai acontecer a minha bebe quando akelas pessoas que acompanham a mae da sara verem que ela comeca a ser um problema para eles dirivado a minha filha tar sempre a sair nos jornais e na tv, porque pelas informacoes que tenho os alemas que acompanham a mae da sara sao procurados quase pelo mundo inteiro por burlas ......................

Message from Sara Sofia's Father

9 March, 2009 - 18:10.
Submitted by Admin on 9 March, 2009 - 18:10.

I'm just adding an english translation of the above message from Manuel:

“I am the father of Sara Sofia and I have done all in my power to find my baby daughter that is only 3 years old... I feel very angry at the Portuguese Justice system since, until now, I have not received a single phone call from the Court or from the Portimão’s police… I feel like going crazy and getting ill only by thinking what can happen to my little baby when those people, which are with the Sara’s mother, start to see that the child can only turn out to be a problem due to the constant newspapers and television news. The information I have tells me that the Germans that are with Sara’s mother are wanted, on a international level, for many crimes…..”

http://www.helpfindmychild.net/sara-sofia-lopes-dos-santos

Thanks for that Merly. THe father needs a lot of help it sounds like. Terrible he isn't getting near enough !!

There is still no news of Sara Sofia. Her details are still listed on the PJ website.


http://www.policiajudiciaria.pt/PortalWeb/page/%7B32951178-91B8-4137-BA18-9DAF21346771%7D

Sara is still listed as missing

There are no updates available at this time.

Sara was 3 years old when she went missing.

She would be 5 Years old now.

Sara is still listed as missing on the PJ website....

I cannot find any new information on this case..

Sara was 3 years old when she went missing.

She would be 7 Years old now.