Fears for Queensland mother in Mexico after her daughter was found wandering alone at a church

The family of a north Queensland mother missing in Mexico, whose two-year-old daughter, Adelynn, was found alone at a Cancún church, are pleading with authorities to help swiftly bring the child to Australia.

Her brother Ben and mother, Leanne, will travel to Mexico on Friday to try to take custody of her child and bring her to Australia.

The family say Adelynn is being cared for by a family services organisation.

Tahnee Shanks, who grew up in Conway Beach on the Whitsundays, is a Mexican citizen and has been living in the North American country for several years.

Her family say she had been trying to return home, but those plans had been derailed by Covid-19 and other complications.

In a post on her Facebook account last May, Tahnee Shanks expressed her frustration that border closures would not allow her to come back to Australia until mid-2022.

He said police had found what they believed to be the vehicle the family had been travelling in.

He said he had also spoken with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on Thursday and was urging Australian authorities to help ensure the family received an emergency passport to bring Adelynn to Queensland.