Elleshia Anne Seymour, 35, was arrested in Dubrovnik, Croatia, on Jan. 16 after U.S. authorities say she removed four children from Utah without permission and left them in a state-run orphanage. She faces four third-degree felony counts of custodial interference in Utah, and prosecutors are coordinating with federal partners about possible extradition. The children were located in Croatia; a fifth American child is also at the orphanage. The children's father has traveled to Europe, filed Hague Convention requests and launched a GoFundMe to cover legal and travel expenses.
Utah Mother Arrested in Croatia After Allegedly Abandoning Four Children in Orphanage; Extradition and Hague Filings Under Way
Utah doomsday mom arrested abroad after allegedly abducting four kids, dumping them in European orphanage
Elleshia Anne Seymour, 35, was detained in Dubrovnik, Croatia, on Jan. 16 after U.S. authorities say she took four young children out of Utah without the fathers' consent and left them in a state-run orphanage, touching off an international effort to secure their return.
Arrest and Charges
The Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office confirmed Seymour's arrest and said prosecutors are coordinating with federal partners to explore extradition options. Seymour faces four counts of custodial interference — removing a child from the state — each charged as a third-degree felony in Utah. No extradition timeline has been announced.
Seymour's children are shown in a family photo with her ex-husband, Kendall Seymour. Authorities said the children were later found in a Croatian orphanage after being taken abroad by their mother.(Fox News)
Allegations and Evidence
According to charging documents, Seymour bought a one-way ticket from Salt Lake City to Amsterdam on Nov. 29 before continuing to Croatia with the children. Prosecutors allege she removed the children without the fathers' permission and failed to return them for court-ordered visitation. Investigators say a no-bail arrest warrant was issued in December after prosecutors described her as a flight risk and a danger to the children.
Officers reportedly found Seymour's Salt Lake City apartment unlocked and abandoned, her vehicle parked at Salt Lake City International Airport, and a notebook with plans to discard phones and documents. Authorities allege she forged passport paperwork for the children and left a handwritten note describing a message from God promising she would be in Italy by Christmas. A separate handwritten list allegedly instructed to "shred paperwork," "destroy identifying photos," "throw away phone," and "purchase pre-paid phone."
Photos show the missing Seymour children alongside a separate image of their mother. Authorities said the children were allegedly taken abroad by their mother and later found at an orphanage in Croatia.
Voicemail and Motivations
In a voicemail to one of the fathers, Kendall Seymour, Elleshia Seymour allegedly said she was in France and that she needed to get the children out because the "end times" were coming, according to police statements. The details in charging documents describe actions investigators say were intended to conceal travel and identity documents.
Children Located in Croatia
Local authorities located the four children in Croatia and placed them in a state-run orphanage while their legal status was processed. A fifth American child who had been traveling with Seymour is also being cared for at the same facility; that child has not been publicly identified and presents an additional legal complication, according to the family.
Kendall Seymour is shown with his children in an undated family photo taken prior to their alleged abduction.
Family Response and Legal Efforts
Kendall Seymour, father of three of the children, said the family did not immediately realize the children were missing and learned of the situation days after Seymour left. He has traveled to Europe to press for their return and said the family has retained Croatian attorneys who specialize in international child abduction cases. They have filed applications under the Hague Convention, arranged court-approved translators and extended their stay abroad while pursuing legal remedies.
The family has launched a GoFundMe to help cover mounting travel and legal costs; Kendall Seymour said initial travel expenses have already been spent and future needs — including therapy — remain uncertain.
"We are in the country, trying to get the kids out of the custody of the local government," Kendall Seymour wrote in a Jan. 25 GoFundMe update.
What Comes Next
Prosecutors in Utah continue to pursue criminal charges and are working with federal authorities and international partners on next steps. The case involves both criminal custody allegations in the U.S. and ongoing civil and consular procedures in Croatia to determine the children’s return to the United States.
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