Regina mother needs help after child goes missing with anti-vax father

It’s a parent’s worst nightmare — not knowing where your child is, and not being able to see them, hug them or hear their voice.

That’s what a Regina mother has been going through for the last two months, after her ex-husband, 52-year-old Michael Gordon Jackson, failed to bring their child back after a visit.

The mother’s lawyer, Jill Drennan, said Michael began “over holding” their child in November — essentially not returning her when he was supposed to. Drennan alleges he’d done so many times prior.

“In early November, he picked her up from school. It appeared as though at that time it was based on the vaccination issue that he was objecting returning her to Ms. Jackson,” Drennan said.

Since that time, two court orders have been issued. The first one, on Nov. 26, was immediately appealed by Michael, meaning it couldn’t be executed right away. It was lifted on Dec. 8.

“Since that time, police have not been able to effectively locate, apprehend, or return (the child) to (the mother),” Drennan said.

On Jan. 5, another court order terminated joint custody and parenting time under the previous agreement and made any future visits supervised. Still, the RCMP didn’t issue any information until last Saturday. That’s why Drennan said she went to the media.

“There’s been some ongoing debate, I suppose, between our legal camp and police as to what steps should have been taken and should be taken going forward. One of the issues that came up is it’s not an appropriate case for an Amber Alert,” Drennan said.

“The police have their perspective and we have ours. Ultimately what’s occurred now … is the RCMP have done a media release. Not an Amber Alert, but a media release … asking for public assistance in locating Mr. Jackson. But that was the outcry, so to speak, publicly from the police.”

On Jan. 7, Michael appeared on a right-wing podcast wearing a dark toque and dark glasses. The blank wall with green trim behind him gave no details as to his potential location.

He admitted at that time that his ex-wife had final say on medical issues with their daughter, including whether the child got the COVID-19 vaccine.

“(Lawyers) were kind of stalling, hoping it would get lost in the legal battle and she could just do it, and I wouldn’t have a say in it,” Jackson told the host. “So I had my daughter for Remembrance Day for access. I brought her to our house. We’re from Carievale, Saskatchewan … So I brought her home to our house there for (what was) supposed to be a long weekend, and then I ended up over holding her. ”

He and the host then exchanged a series of unsubstantiated and disproven information about COVID-19.

“Even if there was a one-in-a-million chance that your daughter could — not even die — but maybe there’s a one-in-a-million chance she couldn’t have a baby, wouldn’t that be enough?” he asked.

He also brought his daughter into camera view briefly to ask her what she thought of the vaccine.

“It can change your DNA, and I don’t believe God wants me to, and it can make you sick and kill you,” she said.

Drennan said even though some tips have so far come in, they just don’t know if Michael and (the child) are in Saskatchewan, another province or even outside of Canada, and her client is extremely worried.

“It’s important to know this isn’t the first time that Mr. Jackson has done something contrary to a court order in terms of over holding Sarah. So certainly, (the mother) is concerned about Sarah being involved in this matter psychologically, but she does fear for her physical safety as well,” she said.

According to the RCMP, Michael Gordon Jackson is described as 250 pounds with blue eyes and dark brown hair. He typically wears glasses. He does not have a known vehicle.

Police say Jackson lives in the Carievale area and may have connections to the communities of Dilke, Oxbow, Alameda, Regina and Lamont, Alta.

Editor’s Note: This article has been updated to remove information that could identify the child.