Isaac and Rebecca were abducted from Franklin, Tennessee by their non-custodial mother, Noriko Esaki Savoie. Their father, Christopher J. Savoie, is an American citizewho married Noriko (a Japanese citizen)and lived in Japan with the children until their separation in 2007. Christopher also has Japanese Citizenship but both he and Noriko moved to the US though living apart. They divorced and Christopher remarried, despite the fact that Christopher and Noriko were still legally married under Japanese Law. The agreement was that both would remain in Tennessee to raise the children; in return, Noriko was paid $800,000 in the divorce settlement as well as alimony an dchild support. They had shared custody and Noriko was allowed to take the children to Japan for a six-week period annually. Norkio soon began to express her intention to return to Japan and to take the children with her. The judge allowed Noriko to take the children to Japan for their agreed-upon six week holiday based on her promise to bring the children back. Although Noriko and the children did return, she had already made permanent arrangements to relocate the children to Japan including enrolling them in school. She then packed up their home and relocated everything (including her money) back to Japan. In 2009, Christopher learned that the children had not started school in Tennessee and found that Noriko and the children had fled the US. Christopher has since been granted full custody of the children. While the children's whereabouts are known, the Anerican court order cannot be inforced in Japan who has contined to protect Noriko.
Noriko was born on June 4, 1972 and was 37 when the children disappeared. She is Asia, black hair, black eyes, Japanese by birth, 5'8, 112 pounds.
