Five long years to the day since his son disappeared from his life, a Warwick father continues to fight to bring his boy home.

The child was spirited away from the Island by his mother, and despite having been awarded full custody of his son in 2001 by a local magistrate, Giovanni Burrows has not seen the boy since January 18, 2003.

Mr. Burrows, 33, wants badly to bring his son, Jasai Swan-Burrows, now aged ten, back into his life.

His son was taken away on a flight to Atlanta five years ago by his mother Kim Sakena Swan. Since that time Mr. Burrows has worked with both local and US Police services and an American missing child agency to try and find his boy.

Mr. Burrows believes his son is still in the US where Ms Swan has extended family.

He believes her family are robbing his son of the right to a father by refusing to reveal Ms Swan's whereabouts.

"I am very disappointed in the way that the Swan family has continued to support Kim while she is on the run," he said. "They have taken his right to grow up a normal young male and these are the things that produce ignorant young men in our society."

When The Royal Gazette contacted Ms Swan's mother — Orline Swan — she refused to comment and said there was a "story" to Mr. Burrows being awarded custody but would not comment on that either.

"Giavonni needs to leave me, my daughter and her son alone," she said. "I have had enough of him and I have no comment for the paper."

In the hopes of finding his son, Mr. Burrows uprooted himself in September, 2006 and travelled to the US for a year to search for the boy.

Once in the United States, he immediately alerted various authorities such as the British Consulate, to the specifics of his case.

He also contacted news agencies, talk shows and other media vessels to get his story on television. Many of these attempts were unsuccessful, however.

Mr. Burrows also sought the services of the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), a private, non-profit organisation established in the United States in 1984 under United States government mandate.

NCMEC acts as a clearinghouse of information and as a contact point to parents, children, law enforcement agencies, schools and communities providing assistance to help recover missing children and to raise public awareness about ways to help prevent child abduction, molestation and sexual exploitation.

According to Mr. Burrows, NCMEC has been working hard on locating Jasai.

"They are now on board and are actively searching for Jasai," he said.

"He has to live his life on the run, never knowing when it's time to move or run again. Being a child, he has no idea of the lies and deceit that are being spread to him as he continues to live his life as a lie."

Jasai is listed on the NCMEC website. The Royal Gazette contacted Liam Ford, the NCMEC investigator linked to the case, however, he said he could not make comment due to confidentiality restraints.

Mr. Burrows was eventually able to trace Ms Swan and Jasai to St. Petersburg, Florida and made contact with police in the city.

"We found out where the boy and his mom were located but when we attempted to go and get him they were not there," said a St. Petersburg police representative. He said his department then closed the case and transferred responsibility for it to the St. Petersburg Sheriff's department.

The Sheriff's department refuses to comment on the case, however.

Mr. Burrows believes Ms Swan was tipped off and thus eluded the police in St. Petersburg.

"There was evidence that she had been living at the residence as there was clothing, pictures and other paraphernalia left behind," he said. "She must have left in a hurry."

Since that time, the trail has gone cold.

Financial constraints drove Mr. Burrows back to Bermuda but he intends to continue the search for his son from the Island.

There has also been a Custody/Pick-order issued by Florida courts for immediate custody and release to Mr. Burrows.

Bermuda Police are still actively searching for little Jasai Swan-Burrows.

"I would like to thank all of the people who stop and ask if I have any luck with my son and my family who have encouraged me to stay positive as well," Mr. Burrows said.