Pictured after 19 YEARS: Kidnapped South Carolina girl is found in Australia after going missing as a baby following international manhunt for the mother who abducted her

Savanna Harris Todd was allegedly kidnapped by her mom, Dorothy Lee Barnett, in 1994 when she was 11-months-old



Now mother and daughter have been located in Queensland, Australia, after almost two decades of living under several aliases in South Africa and New Zealand

Barnett is facing a string of federal charges and is expected to be extradited to the U.S.

Authorities were able to track Barnett down using information received by Savanna's father, Benjamin Harris Todd, who continued searching for his daughter

An American girl who was abducted by her non-custodial mother as a baby almost two decades ago has been found 'safe and healthy' living with her mom in Australia.

Savanna Harris Todd has been listed as a missing person for the last 19 years after disappearing from South Carolina in 1994 when she was 11-months-old.

Her mother, Dorothy Lee Barnett, has remained the prime suspect after losing custody of her daughter to ex-husband Benjamin Harris Todd, after a court determined Barnett suffered from bi-polar disorder.

Barnett, who split with her husband before the birth of her daughter, had picked up Savanna from her former mother-in-law's house in Isle of Palms on April 22, 1994, and the two vanished the next day.

First time she has been seen in 20 years: Savanna Harris Todd (right) pictured for the first time since disappearing as a baby in 1994. Now living under the name Samantha Geldenhuys in Queensland, Australia, she is seen here in a Facebook photo A long way from South Carolina: Savanna Harris Todd and her mother Dorothy Lee Burnett have been living on the Sunshine Coast, in the Australian state of Queensland, for at least the last four years under fake names. They had been officially listed as missing persons since 1994 until Barnett was arrest on November 4

Then and now: Savanna Harris Todd has remained a missing person for 19 years after being kidnapped by her mother in April 1994. Pictures of her as a baby (left) were used to create impressions of what she might look like today (right). On November 4, Savanna was located in Queensland, Australia, living under the name Samantha with her mother, Dorothy Lee Barnett, who has been charged with three federal offenses



Now, Barnett, 53, has been arrested by Australian Federal Police on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland after living under several aliases.

Savanna, now 20, who has been living under the name Samantha, was by her mothers side during a court appearance on Wednesday, where Barnett was denied bailed.

According to The Australian, Savanna - who has been studying nursing at a Queensland university - held up a sign during the hearing saying 'We love you Mom'.

Barnett, who 'winked' back at her daughter, was supported by over two dozen people, some of whom had sworn affidavits attesting to her good character.

Barnett's barrister, Jeff Hunter QC, said his client was not a flight risk and had a close and special relationship with the Sunshine Coast community.



She has maintained a job while in Australia and managed to get a mortgage on her home.



Barnett was charged with international parental kidnapping and two counts of false statement in a passport application after being captured on November 4.

Barnett will be extradited back to the United States to face her charges.

She is thought to have fled the United States using a fake passport with the help of a secretive organization called Children of the Underground, who help women stuck in abusive relationships.



According to Queensland news reports, Barnett initially fled to South Africa, where she married a man, Juan Geldenhuys, in 1995 and later gave birth to a son, now 17, before moving to New Zealand and becoming a citizen.

Five years ago she settled in Australia after splitting with Mr Geldenhuys, who recently died of bone cancer.

During her alleged time on the run, Barnett used aliases such as Alexandria Maria Canton, federal authorities said, to evade detection.

Dorothy Lee Barnett (pictured left in the early 1990s and right in an artists impression of her today) lost custody of her daughter Savanna to her ex-husband Benjamin Harris Todd because tests showed her to be bi-polar. Barnett and Savanna disappeared from South Carolina in 1994 but have now been found in Australia following almost 20 years on the run. Barnett has been charged and faces extradition to the U.S.



Once in March 2003 and again in March 2004, Barnett used her new name, Alexandria Maria Geldenhuys, to attempt to get a U.S. passport, according to the indictment against her.

Court papers say Savanna's father was the one who lead authorities to find his ex-wife.

An Australian friend of Mr Geldenhuys , Barnett's second husband, had grown suspicious of her.

He heard Barnett call her daughter Savanna and she had previously spoken about escaping an abusive relationship.

A simple internet search provided old photos of Barnett as wanted in relation to the disappearance of Savanna, and the Australian man was able to contact Benjamin Harris Todd.

Outside court this week, Savanna- Samantha - would not comment when approached by reporters.

But in an affidavit tendered to the court, Savanna described Barnett as 'an amazing woman, having raised both myself and my brother and always giving us the support we needed to become the people that we are'.

an amazing woman, having raised both myself and my brother and always giving us the support we needed to become the people that we are - See more at: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/law-catches-up-with-mum-20-years-after-she-fled-with-baby-savanna/story-e6frg6nf-1226759338165#sthash.gCK6J3ob.dpuf

Barnett, a flight attendant, and Todd got married in December 1991 in Beaufort.

She filed for divorce in February 1993, alleging in court documents that Todd had left her because he was angry about her being pregnant, reports The Post and Courier.

Todd countered, saying Barnett physically and emotionally abused him.

That month, Todd was given temporary custody of his unborn daughter after psychiatric tests showed Barnett to be bi-polar.

Savanna was born May 6, 1993.

During a court-supervised visit in April 1994, the two left for a birthday party without an escort and never returned, the police reported at the time.

Barnett’s disappearance prompted a probe by the FBI, which obtained a warrant for her arrest in April 1994.

Artists created images depicting what Savanna and Barnett would look like as the years went on.

If convicted of the charges she is facing, Barnett could spend three years in prison on the kidnapping charge and 10 years on each of the two passport counts.