A Utah father says his missing kids have been found in a Croatian orphanage—and their mother is now under arrest hundreds of miles away. Croatian officials confirmed that a woman was detained in Dubrovnik in a case involving violation of children's rights, local outlets report. US media identify the suspect as 35-year-old Elleshia Anne Seymour, who allegedly left Utah with her four children on a one-way flight to Europe on Nov. 29. The children—Landon, 11, Levi, 8, Hazel, 7, and 3-year-old Jacob—were later located in a state-run orphanage, according to a GoFundMe page started by Elleshia's ex-husband, Kendall Seymour, who is father to three of the four children and shared custody.
During a Dec. 2 welfare check at Elleshia Seymour's West Jordan home, police found the residence unlocked and empty, People reports. She allegedly left amid escalating fears about "end times" and "biblical events," a former boyfriend told police, per KSL. Kendall Seymour, unaware Elleshia had such beliefs, says she left a note claiming God promised she'd be "in Italy by Christmas," plus a list including "shred paperwork," "destroy identifying photos," and "throw away phone."
Police were tipped off by the teenage son of a woman who'd been in contact with Elleshia Seymour and likewise fled the US, apparently believing it was "going to be destroyed," Kendall Seymour's partner, Heather Shelly, tells KSTU. The Croatian Institute for Social Work says authorities must fully review the case before deciding whether to return the kids to their father, so the children remain at the orphanage for now. Shelly, who's visited the children, says they are comfortable but struggling to understand why they can't go home. Amid the uncertainty, Kendall Seymour is seeking help with legal and travel expenses, with roughly $48,000 raised so far. Elleshia Seymour, meanwhile, faces four counts of custodial interference.