Filipina distraught after anti-vaxxer ex-husband takes daughter away

Mariecar Jackson appeals for the return of daughter, Sarah, who was taken by her ex-husband in November. (Screen grab from CBC interview)

REGINA, Saskatchewan – A distraught mother has not seen her 7-year-old daughter two months after ex-husband took her away from their home in Regina under a court-ordered child custody arrangement.

Mariecar Jackson, a Filipino Canadian and an educational assistant in Regina is appealing for the return of her daughter, Sarah.

Sarah was taken by her estranged father, Michael Jackson, last November and has not been returned allegedly because the father does want her vaccinated for Covid-19.

“Mommy loves you so much. Every day, I pray that someday you’ll be home. I love you so much. Mommy is standing strong and some day we will be together,” Mariecar told CBC News.

Seven-year-old Sarah Jackson has not been seen since being taken by her father on visitation rights since November. (CTV photo)

Mariecar Jackson said all she wants is her daughter to be home safe. She said she “wanted to set aside the issue of vaccination for the time being and focus on the emotional and physical wellbeing” of her daughter.

Despite court documents sent by Mariecar’s lawyer to Regina police, it was only on Jan. 13 that police launched an investigation. Residents in the village of Carievale, Saskatchewan, where the father took the child, are also wondering why police did not issue an amber alert requesting public assistance during the past two months, CBC News reported.

No one has seen the pair in person since mid-November.

Michael is hiding her daughter to prevent her from receiving the Covid-19 vaccine and often talked of taking her away from her mother forever, a former friend told CBC.

He always talked about taking off, almost obsessed with the idea. It was always the plan to take the girl,” said Carievale, Saskatchewan resident Kurt Jedel.

“He was going to drive up to Alaska then take a boat over to Russia, dye his hair and they’d disappear. If that didn’t work, he said he’d go up to the bush and live off the grid.”

Tumultuous marriage

According to court documents, Mariecar Latino came to Canada in 2013 on a work visa and worked at a restaurant in Cardiff, Saskatchewan. Michael, a self-employed carpenter,  is from Alberta and moved to Carievale, Sakatchewan in 2012. The two met at the restaurant and got married in Sept. 2013. Sarah was born in April 2014.

Court documents in a child support case in June 2019  show that it was a difficult relationship and Michael was a controlling and abusive husband.

“Mariecar describes her life with Michael as difficult. She said that every day he would criticize her. She felt she was walking on egg shells so as not to provoke him. She was not allowed to have friends if he did not approve of them. He was impatient. He would describe her or refer to her in vulgar and obnoxious terms.”

Michael Jackson is hiding his daughter to prevent her from getting vaccinated. ( CBC photo)

Mariecar left Carievale and moved to Regina with Sarah. Under the terms of the court order, Michael was given some parenting time with her daughter. It was through this that he was allowed to take Sarah and brought her to Carievale.

RCMP issued a news release asking for help locating Jackson and the girl.

“Michael Gordon Jackson is described as a 52-year-old male, weighing approximately 250 pounds with blue eyes and dark brown hair. He typically wears glasses. He does not have a known vehicle. He resides in the Carievale, Sask., area and may have connections to the communities of Dilke, Oxbow, Alameda, Regina, Saskatchewan and Lamont, Alberta. However, he may be in other communities,” stated the release.

Anyone with information on the location of Jackson or the girl is asked to call Saskatchewan RCMP at 310-RCMP (7267) or (306) 780-5563. Information can also be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 1‐800‐222‐TIPS (8477) or saskcrimestoppers.com, stated the release.

CBC News confirmed Jackson is being assisted financially by at least one business associate who spoke to him by phone a few weeks ago.

Greg Schietsel said he supports Jackson and is happy to help him out.

“I believe in what Mike’s doing. He’s just protecting his child,” said the Alameda, Sask., auto parts dealer.

“Yes, he is radical, but he only does what he believes. He’s getting picked on. It’s a shame the guy has to run.”

Schietsel said it’s clear Jackson loves his daughter. He doesn’t believe he would ever harm her.

CBC News asked Schietsel if he’s concerned about helping a man in hiding with a 7-year-old girl in defiance of numerous court orders. The orders, the most recent issued Jan. 5, revoke all of Jackson’s custody rights and demand she be returned to her mother in Regina.

“The man is a friend of mine. Where I come from, you help your friends,” he said.

Schietsel said RCMP came to his house to question him about the financial assistance but did not charge him with anything. He said they accused him of spiriting Jackson and the girl to Manitoba or across the U.S. border, but Schietsel said he did not.

Jackson appeared remotely on an online talk show last week. For 45 minutes, he repeated a number of disproven and unsubstantiated theories, including the need to protect the girl from a vaccine that he said could render her sterile, according to the CBC.

Villagers told CBC Michael had a troubled relationship with people and “made enemies wherever he went”.