Aussie actress detained in Malaysia for kidnapping son

Authorities are currently trying to establish the whereabouts of the boy, says Kuala Lumpur police chief

KUALA LUMPUR: An Australian actress is being detained by Malaysian police for allegedly kidnapping her son while he was with her separated partner at a restaurant earlier this month.

Eliza Szonert was detained late Monday (Dec 21) and authorities are currently trying to establish the whereabouts of the boy, Kuala Lumpur police chief Tajuddin Md Isa told AFP on Tuesday.

"We will need her to assist in investigations to find out where the son is and we need to find out the son's safety," he said.

Szonert, who had acted in the popular Australian TV soap opera "Neighbours", is expected to be held in police detention at least until Thursday, according to police.



The Melbourne actress is alleged to have abducted her son from his father Ashley Crick, a businessman now based in Malaysia, at a restaurant in a popular mall in Kuala Lumpur on December 10.

Various media reports said she had gone to the restaurant with two men from an agency called Child Recovery Australia.

She and her son then went missing as Malaysian police started looking for her after Crick filed a police report.



Local media said she had gone to a police station on Monday to be interviewed by police.

A spokesman from Child Recovery Australia told the Sydney Morning Herald she was detained after she refused to reveal her son's whereabouts to police.