Father and seven-year-old daughter go missing from Vancouver Island home

Police on Vancouver Island are seeking public assistance finding a father and daughter who were reported missing from their home on Sunday.

Jesse Bennet and his seven-year-old daughter could not be reached by family members and reside in the North Cowichan and Duncan area.

According to local RCMP, Bennet had been ordered to return her to her mother on Jan. 20, as per a joint custody agreement set out in the Victoria Family Law Court.

“To date, police and family have not been able to make contact with Jesse or (the girl),” said Sgt. Trevor Busch in a Monday news release.

“We believe that Jesse Bennet is actively evading police and is in breach of the custody order, requiring him to return (her) to her mother.”

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Bennet is described as a 36-year-old Caucasian man, about five-feet-10-inches tall and 160 pounds. He has blue eyes, brown hair and a beard, and may have shaved his head or be wearing a hat.

The girl is described as a Caucasian girl, approximately four feet tall, weighing between 50 and 60 pounds. She has big blue eyes and naturally curly hair.

Anyone with information on their whereabouts is asked to contact North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP 250-748-5522, or the police detachment in their local district.