Missing
Gabrielle Nicole Dahm
Gabrielle, approximately 2010; Age when reported missing: 10 (approximately 2018); Leslie Sheila Delbecq; Jeanine De Riddere; Philippe Delbecq
Date and time person was reported missing : 08/02/2010
Missing location (approx) :
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Missing classification : Family Abduction
Gender : Female
Ethnicity :
White
DOB : 10/27/2008 (12)
Age at the time of disappearance: 1 year old
Height / Weight : 2'1, 24 pounds
Distinguishing characteristics, birthmarks, tattoos
: Caucasian female. Light brown hair, blue eyes. Gabrielle's nickname is Gabby.
Information on the case from local sources, may or may not be correct : Gabrielle disappeared from Fort Lauderdale, Florida on August 2, 2010. She was abducted by her non-custodial mother, Leslie Sheila Delbecq.
Leslie and Gabrielle's father, Christopher Dahm, finalized their divorce in June 2010, after a marriAge at the time of disappearance: of less than two years. They had joint custody of Gabrielle and neither of them was supposed to take the child out of the country without permission.
Leslie failed to return Gabrielle after a visitation, and Christopher learned his ex-wife had purchased three one-way tickets to the United Arab Emirates, via Brussels, Belgium: one for herself, one for her mother and one for Gabrielle. Gabrielle does not have a United States passport; apparently Leslie got a Belgian passport for her without Christopher's knowledge.
Leslie, who was born in Michigan, has dual citizenship in Belgium and the United States. Her parents, who are both French-speaking Belgian citizens, moved to the United Arab Emirates in 2005, after her father got a job with Etihad Airways. They live in the nation's capital of Abu Dhabi. The State Department confirmed that Gabrielle was there as well.
In August 2011, a full year after Gabrielle's disappearance, Leslie and her mother, Jeanine De Riddere, and father, Philippe Delbecq, were indicted for international parental kidnapping.
Federal warrants were issued for Leslie and Jeanine on June 21, 2011. If any of them attempt to travel internationally, they will be arrested. Photographs of Leslie, Jeanine and Philippe are posted with this case summary.
Leslie's DOB : is April 27, 1980, making her 29 years old at the time of Gabrielle's abduction. She's described as Caucasian, 5'8 and 130 pounds, with brown hair and green eyes. Jeanine's DOB : is April 24, 1955, making her 55 years old when Gabrielle was abducted. She's described as Caucasian, 5'4 and 135 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. Philippe's DOB : is April 12, 1951, making him 59 years old at the time. He's described as Caucasian, 6'0 and 200 pounds, with gray hair and hazel eyes.
Christopher has gotten full custody of Gabrielle in the United States and is working to bring her home. Her case remains unsolved.
Other information and links : ncy
Fort Lauderdale Police Department
954-828-5700
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Miami, Florida Office
305-944-9101
September 2021 updates and sources
Interactive Missing Person Search Map
