In the late summer of 1998, a heart-wrenching story began to unfold in the community of Niles, Illinois, involving a young child named Emily Maria Izykowski. At just two years old, Emily was a little girl with light brown hair, blue eyes, and a small scar under her chin. Her life took an abrupt and unexpected turn on August 3, 1998, the last day she was officially seen in her hometown. In the days and weeks that followed, what initially may have been a local concern soon escalated into a complex international case.
The circumstances surrounding Emily's disappearance point not to an unknown stranger, but to a parental abduction. Authorities allege that Emily was taken by her mother, Eva Sloboda. This belief led to legal action, and approximately a month after Emily was last seen, a warrant was issued for Eva Sloboda on September 2, 1998. The investigation revealed that the two were likely no longer in the United States. Law enforcement officials believe that Eva took her daughter to Bratislava, Slovakia. It is also noted that Eva, who speaks both Slovak and English, might be using the alias surname of Izykowski.
Over the years, the search for Emily Izykowski has continued, crossing international borders and spanning decades. Her case is registered with the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System, and law enforcement agencies, including the Park Ridge Police Department and the FBI, have been involved in the investigation. To keep the search active and reflect the passage of time, age-progression photos have been created and circulated, showing what Emily might look like as she grew from a toddler into a young woman. This case is a painful reminder of the complexities of international parental child abduction. The core of this long-standing investigation remains the search for a young girl who was taken from her home and the hope that she can one day be safely located.
Last Seen: Aug 3, 1998
