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TWO MOTHERS ISSUE PLEA FOR RETURN OF SONS
By Larry Altman
Daily Breeze
http://www.dailybreeze.com/ci_10124220
Aug 7 2008
CA
Two mothers whose former husbands from Westchester abducted their
sons a month ago tearfully reached out to their children Wednesday,
urging them to pray and stay strong, and telling them they will come
home soon.
Speaking in front of reporters and television cameras outside the
Pacific Division police station in Los Angeles, Zanni Meguerian
pleaded for the men to return their boys.
"George, for once in your life, do the right thing," Meguerian
said. "Please do not keep the kids in harm's way. Please return them
back to me where they'll be safe.
"You can hide. You can run. You can do whatever you want. Let the
children go. Drop them off at a fire station, at a police department,
at a hospital, at a church. Somewhere where they'd be safely able to
come back home to me. Please just do the right thing."
Meguerian's former husband, George Silah, 46, failed to return her
sons, Alex, 12, and Zaven, 8, from a summer visitation that ended
July 6. Silah's brother, John Silah, 47, who formerly was married to
Christine Jeanbart, is presumed to be with them and her son, Greg, 10.
"John, you know how much my son is attached to me, how much he loves
me. Please do the right thing," Jeanbart said.
"That poor kid is probably asking for his mother. Do the right
thing. Drop him off at a church, at a police station. Let him call me."
Prosecutors have filed arrest warrants for both men, charging each
with three counts of child abduction. A judge also has awarded full
custody to the women in the men's absence.
During an emotional news conference, each woman talked directly
through the cameras to their sons, holding back tears as they spoke.
"Alex, Zaven, I miss you guys so much," Meguerian said. "I love you
honey. We are all looking for you and we are going to find you. Please
take care of each other."
Meguerian urged her sons to call 911 or ask someone for help.
"Please, please just pray and stay strong," she said."
The women fear their children are in danger because the men skipped
town, abandoning their Westchester house and allegedly embezzling as
much as $6 million from angry investors.
The men, American citizens who are natives of Syria, could be trying to
return to the Middle East, but do not have passports for the children.
The women at first did not believe their sons' lives were endangered,
but found 44 threatening messages on their former husbands' telephones
from angry members of the Armenian community who lost money to the men.
Messages include threats to torture and kill them.
"Their background is somewhat scurrilous," said private investigator
John Nazarian, whom the women hired to assist the search. "They scammed
literally over 100 people in what I estimate is over $6 million."
Los Angeles police Lt. Richard Mossler said detectives are working
to find the Silahs, but so far have had no luck.
"We are actively looking anyplace we get hints where they may be,"
Mossler said. "We don't know where they are right now."
Police believe the men are driving a silver 2008 Infiniti G5.
"Please help these mothers be reunited with their children,"
Mossler said.
Meguerian and Jeanbart have pushed hard for news coverage in the
last few weeks to get their message out. Stories have run locally
and nationally.
"We are getting some great tips in," Nazarian said. "It started as a
snowball fight, and it's slowly turning into an avalanche, and John
and George better get some boots on."
By Larry Altman
Daily Breeze
http://www.dailybreeze.com/ci_10124220
Aug 7 2008
CA
Two mothers whose former husbands from Westchester abducted their
sons a month ago tearfully reached out to their children Wednesday,
urging them to pray and stay strong, and telling them they will come
home soon.
Speaking in front of reporters and television cameras outside the
Pacific Division police station in Los Angeles, Zanni Meguerian
pleaded for the men to return their boys.
"George, for once in your life, do the right thing," Meguerian
said. "Please do not keep the kids in harm's way. Please return them
back to me where they'll be safe.
"You can hide. You can run. You can do whatever you want. Let the
children go. Drop them off at a fire station, at a police department,
at a hospital, at a church. Somewhere where they'd be safely able to
come back home to me. Please just do the right thing."
Meguerian's former husband, George Silah, 46, failed to return her
sons, Alex, 12, and Zaven, 8, from a summer visitation that ended
July 6. Silah's brother, John Silah, 47, who formerly was married to
Christine Jeanbart, is presumed to be with them and her son, Greg, 10.
"John, you know how much my son is attached to me, how much he loves
me. Please do the right thing," Jeanbart said.
"That poor kid is probably asking for his mother. Do the right
thing. Drop him off at a church, at a police station. Let him call me."
Prosecutors have filed arrest warrants for both men, charging each
with three counts of child abduction. A judge also has awarded full
custody to the women in the men's absence.
During an emotional news conference, each woman talked directly
through the cameras to their sons, holding back tears as they spoke.
"Alex, Zaven, I miss you guys so much," Meguerian said. "I love you
honey. We are all looking for you and we are going to find you. Please
take care of each other."
Meguerian urged her sons to call 911 or ask someone for help.
"Please, please just pray and stay strong," she said."
The women fear their children are in danger because the men skipped
town, abandoning their Westchester house and allegedly embezzling as
much as $6 million from angry investors.
The men, American citizens who are natives of Syria, could be trying to
return to the Middle East, but do not have passports for the children.
The women at first did not believe their sons' lives were endangered,
but found 44 threatening messages on their former husbands' telephones
from angry members of the Armenian community who lost money to the men.
Messages include threats to torture and kill them.
"Their background is somewhat scurrilous," said private investigator
John Nazarian, whom the women hired to assist the search. "They scammed
literally over 100 people in what I estimate is over $6 million."
Los Angeles police Lt. Richard Mossler said detectives are working
to find the Silahs, but so far have had no luck.
"We are actively looking anyplace we get hints where they may be,"
Mossler said. "We don't know where they are right now."
Police believe the men are driving a silver 2008 Infiniti G5.
"Please help these mothers be reunited with their children,"
Mossler said.
Meguerian and Jeanbart have pushed hard for news coverage in the
last few weeks to get their message out. Stories have run locally
and nationally.
"We are getting some great tips in," Nazarian said. "It started as a
snowball fight, and it's slowly turning into an avalanche, and John
and George better get some boots on."