A Muldrow man is continuing his year-and-a-half-long search for his daughter who was abducted by his ex-wife last year, and recent sightings of the two in the area over the last month have prompted him to ask the public for help.

Monte Johnson, Sallisaw attorney, said his client, Tregg VanZandt of Muldrow, hasn't seen his daughter in almost two years after his ex-wife, Misty (Eatmon) VanZandt refused visitation.

The VanZandts were divorced two years ago, and in the divorce, Tregg was granted visitation every other weekend, Johnson said. But after each weekend visitation, Misty VanZandt claimed their daughter had been sexually abused by different members of the family. Johnson said Misty allegedly told Tregg that she would do everything she could so he couldn't see his daughter again.

The Department of Human Services (DHS) became involved in the case after the mother repeatedly took the child to the doctor because of alleged sexual abuse despite no evidence to substantiate the claim, Johnson said. As a result, felony child abuse charges were filed in Sequoyah County District Court in May 2003 against Misty VanZandt for "subjecting her child to unwarranted sexual abuse examinations on multiple occasions from birth to age four."

There is currently an outstanding warrant for Misty VanZandt's arrest.

Johnson said there have been recent reports that the mother and child were seen in the county in the last month, and were possibly in the Long area north of Muldrow.

The mother and daughter are listed on the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children's Web site. Misty VanZandt, 26, is listed as five feet two inches tall, 125 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. Sabrae VanZandt, who is now six years old, is listed as having blonde hair and blue eyes.

Johnson said the mother has been ordered by DHS to turn the child over to their custody. Previously, the mother had legal custody of the child, and Johnson said Tregg VanZandt is currently in the process of trying to get custody.

According to court records, Ruby James, DHS child welfare specialist, reported the mother took the child to the doctor for sexual abuse exams each time the child returned from a visit with her father.

As of May 2003, the mother had taken the child to the doctor on about 60 visits from birth until the age of four. James said in the affidavit that sexual exams have been performed on nine occasions based on the information obtained from the mother, but no physical evidence has ever confirmed the allegations of sexual abuse. James said the child has not indicated any inappropriate behavior by her biological father or grandfather has occurred.

DHS said that all the information they have received "indicates the child's mother has not been truthful about the prior medical evaluations."

On one doctor's visit, the mother tried to point out lesions on the child to the doctor, but the doctor could not see anything, according to court records. James said the mother continued to request biopsies of alleged lesions on the child despite having been told by James that putting the child through the painful procedure is unnecessary and unwarranted and would not prove a diagnosis of sexual abuse.

Court records indicate the child was taken to the justice center and had a forensic exam and interview on Oct. 8, 2002, but the mother has repeatedly told DHS they weren't doing anything to protect her child.

James said the mother refused visitation to the father, which violates court-ordered visits, and left the county with the child.

At one point, Misty VanZandt was found living in a Domestic Violence Intervention Services shelter in Tulsa, claiming that she was a victim of domestic abuse. James said in the affidavit that no allegations of domestic violence have ever been made to DHS or law enforcement. When James and law enforcement went to the shelter, they were denied access.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Misty or Sabrae VanZandt is urged to contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at (800) 843-5678, or the Sequoyah County Sheriff's Office at (918) 775-9155.