Helpless in Iran, family of missing Windsor woman searching for answers

It has been more than a month since Windsor, Ont., woman Shilan Shahbazian went missing. Her family members in Iran, grappling with the pain and helplessness, remain desperate for answers.

"What has happened to her? Is she alive or not? We just want to find her," Shahbazian's mother, Layla Tanhaie, told CBC through a translator.

Shahbazian was last seen on Jan. 4, according to Windsor police. The investigation is ongoing. 

"Our investigators remain dedicated to following any leads regarding her disappearance," the police service said in a statement. "We continue to encourage anyone with information to come forward and assist in this investigation."

The 26-year-old fled Iran and came to Canada less than two years ago as an asylum seeker. For almost a year, she's been working at Kim's Nails and Spa on Tecumseh Road W. in Windsor.

CBC spoke with her family with help from Shahbazian's cousin Midya Morai, who translated from Kurdish.

Her father, Parviz Shahbazian, who lives in the northwestern Iranian city of Qorveh, said Shahbazian came to Canada  for a better life.

"The reason why she immigrated to Canada was safety. She was chasing safety and a new beginning," he said.

His daughter's disappearance has left him critical of security in Canada and how the country treats immigrants.

While the investigation is ongoing and there are no answers yet, the family fears the possibility she was the victim of a crime. 

Parviz last spoke with his daughter on the night of Jan. 2, and said she seemed "peaceful without any stress."

"She was making jokes, and we were laughing. She talked about the future. She said, 'I'm working here not just for me. I want to build a new life for myself and then to help you,'" he said. "We believed that before, but not anymore, to be honest."

Morai, who is located in the United Kingdom, said he too spoke with Shahbazian around New Year's and the conversation revolved around Shahbazian's steps to improve her career and plans for the future, eventually to open up a business for herself. 

In her at least 10 calls since being in Canada, Morai said they only talked about her career plans and ways to improve her English.

Her maternal uncle, Helal Tanhaie in Tehran last spoke to Shahbazian over WhatsApp around the same time. 

"Only hope, I saw. She had a beautiful smile on her lips every time," Tanhaie said.

Shahbazian's mother Layla Tanhaie, who is already coping with illnesses, said her daughter's disappearance has impacted her health. At this point, she said any information about Shahbazian will soothe her. 

Helal, the woman's uncle, says he wants authorities "to take this matter seriously" and find her alive.

"We have no one in Canada. It's not possible for us to travel there. Since Iran has no diplomatic relations with Canada, we can't even pursue this matter through the Iranian government," he said.

While appreciative of the police investigation so far, Parviz says he wants more done to find his daughter.