They’ve been located overseas and brought closer to home, but the legal fight over who keeps them is far from settled. Four Utah siblings were found at a Croatian orphanage after their mother allegedly took them abroad, and their father has regained custody while criminal and custody proceedings continue.
This story will trace how authorities tracked the children, what prompted the international search, and how the arrested mother’s actions turned a family dispute into a cross-border legal case. Expect clear timelines, the key legal issues at play, and what the next steps mean for the children’s safety and long-term care.
Utah Siblings Abduction and Recovery
Four young children were reported missing after a Thanksgiving visit with their mother and were later located at a state facility in Croatia. Their father says he regained custody and arranged travel to bring them back toward the United States.
Timeline of Events
On Nov. 29, surveillance footage from Salt Lake City International Airport showed Elleshia Anne Seymour boarding a flight with heavy luggage and the four children: Landon Seymour (11), Levi Parker Seymour (8), Hazel Raye Seymour (7) and Jacob Kurt Brady (3). Utah authorities issued an arrest warrant for Elleshia for custodial interference and removing a child from the state after the family reported them missing.
In early December, Kendall Seymour, father of three of the children, launched a GoFundMe to help locate them and cover travel and legal costs. By late January 2026, Kendall posted that the children had been found in Dubrovnik and held in a Croatian state facility described in reports as an orphanage. Croatian authorities arrested Elleshia on allegations tied to the children’s removal and began formal procedures to verify custody.
Key People Involved
Elleshia Anne Seymour is the mother accused of taking the children out of the country. Reports indicate she had expressed apocalyptic beliefs to acquaintances in the past, a detail family members later mentioned. Croatian authorities confirmed the arrest of a U.S. national connected to the case.
Kendall Seymour, the children’s father and the organizer of the GoFundMe campaign, coordinated documentation and travel to retrieve the children. He is identified as the legal guardian for three of the four children. The four children—Landon, Levi, Hazel and Jacob—were the immediate victims of the cross-border custody dispute and remain central to ongoing court and passport verification steps.
Local law enforcement in Utah and Croatian officials managed the criminal and custodial procedures. Orphanage staff in Dubrovnik temporarily cared for the children while courts and consular officials processed handover paperwork.
How the Children Were Found
Family members and investigators traced the children to a state-run facility in Dubrovnik after leads emerged from international inquiries. Croatian officials confirmed custody of four U.S. children and detained a U.S. national in connection with the case. The handoff required verification of birth certificates, custody documents and travel permissions before release.
Kendall reported locating the children at the orphanage and arranging to pick them up once Croatian authorities cleared the transfer. Officials followed protocols under international custody and criminal statutes, which slowed immediate release. Media reports and the family’s online updates provided real-time public details, while investigators handled legal hurdles out of public view.
Return to the United States
Kendall announced through his GoFundMe updates that the children had been released into his custody and were “on the way home.” Travel arrangements required valid passports and exit permissions from Croatian authorities. Additional paperwork and consular coordination were necessary because Utah had active custodial-interference charges against Elleshia.
Once the father secured the children, he arranged transport back to the U.S., where local courts will address the outstanding charges and permanent custody determinations. Authorities in both countries maintained procedures to ensure the children’s safety during travel and to complete legal steps for their formal return.
Relevant reporting on the case appears in People’s coverage of the siblings found in a Croatian orphanage and released to their father’s custody.
Custody Battle and Legal Fallout
The case quickly moved beyond a missing-children search into criminal charging, international proceedings, and a fresh custody review. Authorities and child-welfare agencies coordinated across borders while the children’s immediate care and legal guardianship became central issues.
Custodial Interference and Charges
Local prosecutors in Utah evaluated whether the mother’s removal of the children met the elements of custodial interference or parental abduction under state law. Charges filed in similar cases typically allege knowingly taking, enticing, or keeping a child from the lawful custodian; prosecutors consider intent and any custody orders in place. The Salt Lake County District Attorney’s office or the relevant county prosecutor will decide whether to pursue felony counts, which can carry prison exposure and affect future custody rulings.
Defense arguments often raise mental-health claims or emergency fears, but courts focus on statutory authority and compliance with existing orders. Victims’ welfare and speedy resolution matters for both criminal and custody calendars. Families may be referred to child-protection hotlines such as the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline for immediate safety assessments and resources during investigations.
International Law and Extradition
Once the children were located in a European state, international frameworks governed the response. If the country is a Hague Convention contracting state, return proceedings can be initiated to determine whether the removal was wrongful and whether exceptions apply. The Hague process is procedural and evidence-driven; it does not resolve custody merits but can compel return when wrongful removal is proven.
Extradition of a parent depends on bilateral treaties and domestic rules in the foreign country. Local authorities may detain the alleged abductor while extradition paperwork proceeds. Criminal proceedings in the home jurisdiction and extradition hearings abroad can run concurrently, creating complex timelines for prosecutors, defense counsel, and family courts to coordinate.
Impact on the Families
The children experienced abrupt changes: separation from routine, placement in state care abroad, and then repatriation under a new legal cloud. The father’s custody rights and the mother’s criminal exposure shape next steps, including emergency custody hearings and potential long-term custody modifications. Social services and courts assess trauma, reunification needs, and whether protective orders or supervised visitation are required.
Extended legal processes strain finances and mental health for both sides. Support services, counseling referrals, and hotline resources like the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline play roles in stabilizing the children and guiding parents through reunification and court-ordered services.
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