Abducted Daughter Shelby Nicole Cannon
Age 2 Age 4
Welcome! This site is dedicated to my daughter, Shelby Nicole Cannon, who was abducted by her non-custodial mother, Catherine Collins Cannon, in October of 1998 from Woodland Hills, California after she was allowed to leave the country for an agreed upon visitation to Navan, Ireland , but failed to return.
In May of 1999, the State Department out of Washington D.C., filed a Hague Convention Act application on my behalf with the Irish Court.
In July of 1999, I was granted full physical and legal custody by the Superior Court of Los Angeles. Also in July of 1999, the Irish High Court out of Dublin, Ireland ordered Catherine Collins Cannon to return Shelby to the United States as stipulated by the Hague Convention Act which was granted in my favor.
In November of 1999, the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office issued a felony arrest warrant for KIDNAPPING against the abductor.
In September of 2001, Father Aquinas Duffy, a priest in Ireland who had written a news article about Shelby in the Irish Times, received a letter from a 15 year old girl who acknowledged that she used to watch after Shelby while she was enrolled at St. Annes National School in Navan, Ireland. Upon this notice, the abductor and child fled to parts unknown.
In February of 2002, Assembly woman Patricia Bates introduced a new bill AB2441 to the legislature in Sacremento, California. This new bill will eventually be named the "Synclair-Cannon Child Abduction Prevention Act", in honor of Shelby Nicole Cannon and Larry Synclair Jr., who was abducted to Russia by his non-custodial parent.
In May of 2002, I was recommended by Marc Klass, father of abducted and murdered daughter Polly Klass, to become a member of TEAM HOPE, an organization that assists families of missing or abducted children.
In September of 2002, California Governor Gray Davis, signed into law the "Synclair-Cannon Child Abduction Prevention Act of 2002".
In October of 2002, I traveled to Alexandria, Virginia the home of The
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, co-founded by John Walsh, father of abducted and murdered son Adam and host of America's Most Wanted, to offically become a member of TEAM HOPE.
In December of 2002, I was invited to Washington D.C. by Maura Harty, the recently confirmed Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs at the State Department, to discuss American children wrongfully taken or illegally retained abroad.
In March of 2003, Irish Senators, Feargal Quinn, Maurice Hayes and Camillus Glynn all from Dublin Ireland, joined in assisting me in the search and safe return of Shelby.
In April of 2003, Comic Book Artist, Alonzo Washington, creator of nationally known comic strip character "Omega Man," will include photos of Shelby as well as other missing children of color in the next edition of his comic book. His aim is to bring awareness of missing kids from the African-American community.
In May of 2003, Ron Laney of the "OJJDP" invited me to Washington D.C. for a ceremony commemorating "Missing Children's Day," which is celebrated May 25th throughout the country. I was also invited to the "Eight Annual Congressional Breakfast" which honors Law enforcement and families of those abducted. This will all take place on Capitol Hill May 21st, 2003.
May 25th of 2003, Private Investigator, Bill Garcia invited me to participate in a candle light vigil at Balboa Park in San Diego, for Jahi Turner and other missing kids to commemorate, "Missing Children's Day."
July 16th of 2003, Comic book artist/Activist Alonzo Washington does a press conference with Josef Cannon to discuss Shelby's enclosure into his recent edition of "Omega Man," which focuses on missing children of color.
October 12, 2003, Governor Gray Davis of California and Actor Pierce Brosnan congratulate Josef on the one year anniversary of the "Synclair-Cannon Child Abduction Act of 2002" during a bill signing for Enviromental education at the Santa Monica Pier.
My desire to not only find my daughter, Shelby, but to help others who may be in this most unfortunate situation, stems from the feelings you get as a parent when you stare at your child's empty bed and wonder if they are alive and okay.
For more information about Shelby's abduction.
Also on this site are news articles from around the world written about Shelby and her abduction.
Thank you so very much for your concern about my "Munchkin".
Shelby's Dad
