Twenty-seven-year-old Shaneza Sampson is a mother of three girls, ages two, five and seven and her only wish for this New Year is to get them back in her possession.
Sampson is separated from her children due to a custody battle with her husband who resides in Trinidad and Tobago. She had walked out of an abusive relationship that reportedly endangered her life.The mother of three decided to return to Guyana with her youngest child; however, on a return trip to Trinidad, despite producing the relevant documents, her toddler was also taken away from her and given to her husband.
She was also refused entry into that country.
The young mother has since tried twice to return but was turned back by the Twin Island Republic officials.
Sampson is now seeking help to re-unite with her children even if it is for a short period of time just to hold them in her arms and be able to spend some time with them while the legal matter takes its course.
She has even in a letter to President David Granger appealed for help but is yet to receive a response.

In an interview with Guyana Chronicle, Sampson said she was separated from her children on March 19, 2014 after she had a fight with her husband that led to their two-week-old infant being injured.
“We were married for two years and like every husband and wife we had our up and downs but then he had an affair and things took a turn for the worse,” she said.
The injured infant had to be taken to hospital for treatment.
“When I was at the hospital, he took my two older daughters and took them by his mother and told me they no longer want me at that house and I will have to find someplace to stay with the baby,” she claimed.
Sampson said she sought shelter by an aunt for the night and moved in with a friend the following day where she split the rent for three months before renting an apartment on her own.

During this period, she went to the police and filed for custody of their children but not for a divorce. Her two daughters remained with her mother-in-law and she was allowed to visit them.
“Whenever we went to court was something different, he was required to pay support but he did not pay it for two months and he explained to me that he was training to become a police and he could not afford it, so I felt sorry for him and I ask that the amount be reduced. But after the matter keep getting dragged on and it was difficult for me to work and take care of the baby alone, I decided that I will go back to Guyana until the matter sort out.”

Sampson explained that she applied for a passport on March 2, 2015 for her youngest daughter and booked to travel to Trinidad and Tobago on March 5, 2015.
However, when she arrived at the airport, she was not allowed to leave since she had an ongoing court matter.
“The immigration told me we can’t leave and held me and the baby for three months at a home for abused and battered women pending a special inquiry. During the three months, every two week I had to check wid the immigration until they grant me the special inquiry.”
Following the inquiry, an immigration officer explained that she could leave but could not take her daughter with her.
“In the end the immigration officer granted me voluntary departure instead of deportation since I had a pending residency file and because of my three children who are all Trinidadians,” the mother said.
Sampson has made two return trips from Trinidad to Guyana between July 2015 and January 2016 hassle-free but in May of 2016, she decided to return to Guyana with her youngest child after some time and was turned back by Trinidadian authorities on two occasions.
And to compound matters, her child was taken away from her and placed in the father’s custody.
She is pleading with the relevant agencies to assist in uniting her with her three little girls as soon as possible.