The family of a Hamilton, Ont., man and his two-year-old daughter who vanished in Panama six months ago say they are living a nightmare — one made even harder by unanswered questions, slow-moving investigations, and little support from Canadian officials.
Ghussan Iqbal, his seven-month-old son, Musa, and his two-year-old daughter, Nousaybah — both children Canadian citizens — disappeared on May 21 from their home in Panama’s rural Bocas del Toro province. Relatives say Iqbal left suddenly at dawn with both children, carrying no phone, money, or belongings.
Just over a week later, Panamanian authorities confirmed that the body of baby Musa had been recovered from the Changuinola River. DNA testing identified the remains on May 31. The search for Iqbal and his daughter continues, though family members fear the investigation has stalled.
‘No sense of urgency’
Iqbal’s brother, Sulman, and sister-in-law, Nagham, traveled to Panama days after the disappearance and spent nearly three weeks aiding search efforts. They retained a local lawyer and say Panamanian officials and residents were cooperative, even issuing an Amber Alert.
But since returning to Canada, the couple says communication from investigators has dwindled and support from Global Affairs Canada (GAC) has been minimal.
“We can only communicate with them through email and it takes days to respond,” Nagham said, adding that the family now rarely reaches out because “it’s not useful.” Sulman said it has been “very scary” to learn how little Canada can do when a citizen goes missing overseas.
The couple says Panamanian investigators are under-resourced, and bureaucratic delays — especially with forensic testing — have slowed progress to a crawl.
Family questions early narrative
When the Iqbals arrived in Panama, they were initially told that Ghussan had “run away” with the children, potentially linked to mental health concerns. But relatives say that little about this explanation makes sense.
Ghussan, a McMaster University graduate who moved to Panama about a year ago with his Panamanian wife, had spoken to his older brother days before disappearing. Family members said he appeared stable, loving toward his children, and showed no signs of distress.
Nagham and Sulman say they have not seen surveillance footage of him leaving with the children and doubt he could have navigated the rugged jungle terrain with two young kids and no supplies. They now believe foul play is possible, pointing to troubling inconsistencies in statements from Ghussan’s wife and her family — concerns Panamanian police privately echoed when they warned the couple to “not trust” them.
“Nothing was adding up,” Sulman said. “Any theory is possible at this point. We have no idea what happened.”
A family in limbo
Their grief has been compounded by the political turmoil that erupted in Bocas del Toro shortly after they left Panama, including violent pension reform protests and a state of emergency — further disrupting the investigation.
The family continues to hope for the safe return of Ghussan and little Nousaybah but admit that the emotional toll is immense.
“It’s very hard to believe everything is okay,” Nagham said. “If they’re alive, they’re not living in a dignified way.”
Sulman added that the lack of answers has left the family unable to begin grieving.
“We can’t move forward. We’re not giving up until we hear otherwise,” he said.
Canadian government response
Global Affairs Canada confirmed it is aware of the case and is “deeply saddened” by Musa’s death. It said consular officials are engaged with Panamanian authorities and continue assisting the family but emphasized that investigations abroad fall under local jurisdiction.
Hamilton MP Lisa Hepfner, who represents the riding where the Iqbals live, previously said she has been in contact with the family and is working with GAC, though she cannot comment further for privacy reasons.
Anyone in Canada or Panama with information about the disappearance of Ghussan Iqbal or his daughter is urged to contact authorities.