What should be a simple walk past a school playground has become heartbreakingly difficult for Ranem Elkhalidi.
The sound of children laughing and playing – something that once brought her joy – now cuts deep.
That playground was the last place she saw her little boy, Ibrahim.
Ranem, a 27-year-old chef from Wirral, hasn’t seen or heard from her son since November 2022.
Back then, she dropped him off at school as usual, unaware it would be the last moment they shared.
Just hours later, her worst fears came true: her ex-husband, Hamzah Faraj, abducted six-year-old Ibrahim and took him to Saudi Arabia.
She Warned Authorities—But No One Believed It Could Happen
Before that terrible day, Ranem had raised red flags over and over again.
She warned the family court, social services, and even the embassy that her ex might try to take their son out of the country.
But every time, she was told not to worry—she had Ibrahim’s passport, so he couldn’t possibly leave the UK.
“I knew Hamzah might try to take him,” she said.
“But they all reassured me he couldn’t. They were wrong.”
Ibrahim, now eight, is a British citizen. Born in the UK, he speaks only English and was thriving in a familiar environment with friends, school, and a life he loved.
Ranem is now desperately pleading with authorities to bring her child home before more time is lost.
The Last Morning Together—A Moment She Can’t Forget
Friday, November 11, 2022, started like any other school morning.
Ranem dropped Ibrahim off, distracted by needing to tell his teacher that his father would be picking him up later that day.
That small detail felt routine—but it changed everything.
“I didn’t get to hug him properly or tell him I love him,” she recalled.
“He just ran off happily with his friends. I had no idea that would be our final goodbye.”
Ibrahim was supposed to spend the weekend with his dad.
But on Monday, he didn’t show up at school. That absence sparked immediate panic.
The Call That Changed Everything
Ranem had been working overtime shifts that weekend, excited to see her son again Monday afternoon.
But when the school called to report he hadn’t shown up, dread hit instantly.
“I just knew,” she said. “I was hysterical.
I tried calling Hamzah but his phone was off and he’d blocked me on everything.
I raced to his flat—he was gone. Everything cleared out.”
Though authorities initially told her it would be impossible for them to have left the country, the truth came out: Hamzah had obtained a Saudi passport for Ibrahim and flown out of Manchester Airport that weekend.
A Relationship Marked by Fear and Warnings
Ranem met Hamzah through family in Saudi Arabia when she was just 16.
They married and later moved to the UK, where Hamzah studied computer science.
At 18, Ranem gave birth to Ibrahim.
She loved motherhood and described her son as a bright, energetic little boy who loved animals, cars, and his British life.
But their marriage fell apart by 2020. They legally agreed to shared custody—with clear court restrictions preventing Ibrahim from being taken abroad.
Still, Ranem never felt truly safe.
“I told everyone he might try something. No one listened,” she said.
The System That Let Her Down
As soon as she realized Ibrahim was missing, Ranem contacted the police, the embassy, and her MP.
But because Ibrahim was with his father, the initial response was worryingly calm.
By the time police confirmed they had left the country, it was too late.
She launched a campaign called Missing Son, using social media to spread awareness and beg for help.
She wrote letters to the British and Saudi governments, but kept hitting walls.
In 2023, she found a clue—a social media post from a university in Saudi Arabia, showing Hamzah receiving a teaching qualification.
When she commented that he had abducted their child, the post was quickly deleted and she was blocked.
A Mother’s Desperate Plea for Help
Today, Ranem still doesn’t know where her son is.
As an asylum seeker, she can’t legally travel to Saudi Arabia to find him.
And even if she could, she doesn’t know where to start.
“I don’t know if he’s with his father or someone else.
He doesn’t speak the language, he doesn’t know the culture. He’s lost. I can’t imagine how scared he must be.”
She describes waking up sobbing, crying out for her son in the middle of the night.
“He loves monster trucks and Hot Wheels.
He had swimming lessons. He had friends. He’s a British boy.
And he’s been taken away from everything he knows—including his mother.”
Fighting Not Just for Ibrahim—But for All Mothers
Ranem says this battle is no longer just about Ibrahim—it’s about standing up for all mothers and women who feel powerless in the face of legal systems that fail to protect them.
“I want Saudi Arabia to stand with me and with all women.
I will never give up on my son.”
She’s now receiving support from her MP, Matthew Patrick, and her story has even been raised in Parliament.
A High Court has issued a publicity order allowing her to speak out in hopes of bringing Ibrahim home.
Police Confirm Ongoing Investigation and Issue Abduction Alert
Cheshire Police confirmed they received reports on November 14, 2022, that a child had been taken out of the country without the mother’s permission—despite a court order made just days earlier in Liverpool Family Court.
A spokesperson said, “Despite our best efforts, the child has not yet been returned.
The father is now listed as wanted for child abduction on the national police database.
We continue to work closely with the relevant authorities to bring the child home.”
Ranem’s Fight Continues
Ranem’s heartbreak is ongoing, but so is her determination.
She’s asking for international cooperation to return her son—not just for herself, but to set a precedent that children belong with the parent who will protect them.
Her support campaign can be followed online through her Missing Son page, where she continues to advocate not just for Ibrahim, but for justice.