A Utah mother has been arrested after her four missing children were discovered in a European orphanage, ending a weeks-long international search that began after the kids vanished following a Thanksgiving visit.
Authorities say the children, all American citizens, were found in Croatia after their mother, 35-year-old Elleshia Anne Seymour, allegedly removed them from the country in violation of a custody order.
The case has since escalated from a local missing-children investigation into an international legal battle involving the FBI, Croatian police, and US prosecutors.
A mother-of-four was arrested after abducting her children to Croatia and placing them in an Orphanage
According to their father, Kendall “Kenny” Seymour, who has been separated from Elleisha since 2021, she flew the four children out of the country on November 30, after spending Thanksgiving with them.
Authorities later obtained surveillance footage from Salt Lake City International Airport showing Elleshia and the children entering the terminal on November 29 and boarding a one-way flight to Amsterdam.
Investigators believe the group later traveled onward to Croatia.
Worry about Elleshia’s intentions had already surfaced, particularly about her belief that the end of the world was nigh.
Speaking to police, a former boyfriend told police in December that she had “recently discussed obtaining passports and leaving the country, expressing concerns about biblical events and the ‘end of times,’” according to Utah court documents.
Those concerns became a reality on December 2, after friends and co-workers reported they could not reach Elleshia anymore.
When officers went to her apartment, they found the door unlocked and no one home. Inside, they discovered a notebook listing her plans to disappear without a trace, including shredding documents, discarding phones, and taking passports.
Elleisha’s car was later discovered at the airport, abandoned.
One of the children asked a Croatian family to Google their names, triggering her mother’s arrest
According to Seymour, Croatian police were contacted after an American citizen living in Croatia reported concerns about Elleshia and the children.
He said his ex-wife had been attempting to reach a remote location and had told the man she brought the children into the country legally.
“They contacted me and told me my kids were in an orphanage,” Seymour told local media.
He said one of the children ultimately helped trigger the arrest while staying with an American family in Croatia.
“One of my kids told [them], ‘Hey, search my name, Google my name, you’ll find it.’” Seymour said.
Elleshia was arrested on January 16 and is being held in Croatian custody on suspicion of violating children’s rights, according to Croatia’s foreign ministry. Her specific charges in Croatia have not been disclosed.
Utah prosecutors confirmed they are now exploring extradition options. Salt Lake County District Attorney Sam Gill said his office is working with federal partners to determine next steps.
According to her ex-husband, Elleshia had posted TikTok videos last year describing apocalyptic dreams and urging people to prepare for catastrophic events.
In one video, she claimed she dreamed of an electromagnetic pulse attack that would cause aircraft to crash, computers to fail, and people to lose access to food, water, and heat.
“The Lord is trying to tell people that it’s going to be a cold winter,” she said in the clip..
The father is currently in Croatia, visiting the children at the Orphanage while paperwork is verified
The children, ages 11, 8, 7, and 3, are currently being held in foster care at a children’s home in Croatia while paperwork from the United States is verified.
Seymour, who is the biological father of the three oldest children and holds power of attorney for the youngest, has been in Croatia for more than a week attempting to bring them home.
“It’s a beautiful place to be,” he told local media. “The scenery is gorgeous. But we’re stuck in mental hell at the same time, trying to figure out how we get these kids out of here and back to their home.”
Seymour said the children are warm and well fed, but lamented that visitation rules allow him to see them only once a day.
“They’re already stretching the rules on visitation for us,” he said.
He admitted he initially believed the situation would be resolved within a few days. More than eight days later, he said he still does not know when the children will be released.
“You have to remind yourself this is our reality,” Seymour said. “This isn’t some Netflix documentary you watched. It happened to us.”
“A hero.” Netizens congratulated the father for his resolve
