
Mother of missing Duncan, B.C. girl links dispute with father to mask mandate in schools
CTV
The mother of a missing Duncan, B.C., girl says she fears for her daughter’s safety while the RCMP reiterate the girl is not in danger.
Roget Hall identifies herself as the mother of Violet Bennet, 7, who was reported missing to North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP on Sunday. The RCMP believe she’s with her father, Jesse Bennet, 36.
“Due to mask mandates, her father wishes to pull her out of school, something I have refused to do,” Hall said in a statement to CTV News.
“Me and Jesse have never gotten along," she added. "We have different views and opinions on many subjects, but we both agree on one thing and that’s our love for Violet.”
Hall said she’s only seen her daughter a handful of times since October, despite sharing custody with her father.
“Unfortunately, our previous court order was not police-enforceable. I knew she was safe in Duncan with him, and so I went through the right court channels to get her back,” she said.
The RCMP said a joint custody agreement in the Victoria Family Law Court on Jan. 20 determined Jesse had to return Violet to her mother immediately. Police have been unable to contact him since.
“I have no idea where she is, if she’s OK, if she’s even with him,” Hall wrote. “As a mother, I don’t know how to handle this situation. I feel shattered, broken, numb to everything.”
RCMP have spoken with people who know Jesse and do not believe Violet is in danger based on those conversations.