María Virginia Dorrejo’s relentless quest to find her son, Dorian Streit Dorrejo, culminated this past week with an emotional reunion after 13 years apart, Listin Diario reports. Dorrejo’s son was abducted by his father, Swiss national Marco Aurelio Giuseppe Streit, from the Public Prosecutor’s Office in Puerto Plata in 2011. At just eight years old, Dorian was forcibly taken from his mother’s arms, but he has now returned to meet with her as a 21-year-old adult.
The news of their reunion has resonated across the Dominican Republic and beyond, with many recalling the harrowing tale of Dorrejo’s tireless search. Listin Diario reports on how over the years, Dorrejo employed various strategies including protests, international appeals, and media campaigns, driven by her unwavering belief that her son was alive and that she would one day hold him again.
In a heartfelt message, María Dorrejo expressed her joy and gratitude: “With great happiness, I share with you that I have finally found my son Dorian. I deeply thank all the people, institutions, and media for their support and accompaniment during these more than 13 years of tireless searching. As a mother, I urge everyone to respect our privacy as we rebuild our lives with love and tranquility. God has been faithful, and I give Him all the glory and honor forever. Thank you, thank you, thank you.”
Dorrejo’s ordeal began when Streit first attempted to abduct Dorian and took him to Costa Rica without her consent. Although Streit was apprehended and held in the Dominican Republic for three months, he later managed to evade capture and kept Dorian hidden for over a decade.
María Dorrejo, a lawyer by profession, dedicated herself to an exhaustive search for her son, traversing multiple countries and relentlessly following leads. Her campaign became a symbol of maternal determination, marked by numerous protests and media appearances in both the Dominican Republic and internationally. She even engaged directly with influential figures, including then-Dominican President Leonel Fernández, who assigned special commissions to aid in the search.
Despite institutional support, Dorrejo faced ongoing uncertainty and despair. She frequently posted on social media, sharing updates and her profound sense of loss, often accompanied by age-progressed images of what Dorian might look like as he grew older.
As Dorian’s 17th birthday approached, María shared a forensic age-progression photograph, reflecting both her joy and sorrow. “Seeing this portrait, I smiled and cried,” she said in a poignant message. “It’s overwhelming to see how he might look now compared to the eight-year-old I last saw.”
Throughout the ordeal, Marco Aurelio Giuseppe Streit was listed among Interpol’s most wanted, and Dorrejo even reached out to the US Department of Justice, correcting errors in the fugitive’s details to aid in his apprehension. She speculated that Streit might have hidden Dorian in a South American jungle to avoid detection.
Now that Dorian is back with his mother, Dorrejo has requested privacy regarding the details of his recovery and the current status of his father. The family is focusing on healing and moving forward together after their long separation.
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Listin Diario
12 August 2024