A New South Wales man is attempting to sue the state for
negligence relating to a missing persons case in the 1980s.
Stephen Lawrence Quintano claims Kempsey police did not do enough to locate and
rescue his two children after his wife took them from the couple's home to
become members of a sect called "Traditional Catholics" on the New
South Wales mid-north coast in 1986.
He claims one of the officers from Kempsey Police rang the home where his wife
was staying which alerted the occupants to the fact that the police knew of
their location. They left shortly afterwards.
It took more than a year for Mr Quintano to locate and take custody of his two
children.
He is claiming damages, saying that during that time his children suffered
physical and emotional abuse and that he suffered psychological trauma and out
of pocket expenses.