Utah Mother Arrested in Croatia After Alleged International Kidnapping
A Utah woman who expressed fears about apocalyptic 'end times' has been arrested in Croatia after allegedly taking her four young children abroad in defiance of a custody order, according to authorities. The dramatic international case has left the children placed in foster care while their father works urgently to bring them back to the United States.
Custodial Interference Charges and International Arrest
Elleshia Seymour, a 35-year-old from Utah, was charged in Salt Lake County in December with four counts of custodial interference for removing the children from the state despite lacking legal custody. Croatia's foreign ministry confirmed via email that she was arrested earlier this month and is currently being held on suspicion of violating children's rights.
The children, aged 11, 8, 7, and 3, have been placed in foster care in Croatia as their father, Kendall Seymour, works through complex legal channels to secure their return. He told The Associated Press that he is currently in Croatia, visiting the children while completing necessary legal paperwork. Kendall Seymour is the biological father of the three oldest children and holds power of attorney for the youngest.
Apocalyptic Beliefs and International Manhunt
According to her ex-husband and court documents, Elleshia Seymour had posted videos on TikTok last year describing apocalyptic dreams and urging people to prepare for what she believed were approaching 'end times.' In one particularly vivid video, she described dreaming about an electromagnetic pulse attack that caused aircraft to crash, computers to stop working, and people to lose access to food, water, and heating.
'The Lord is trying to tell people that it's going to be a cold winter,' she reportedly said in the video. The 'end times' is a Christian concept with various interpretations of apocalyptic biblical passages, often involving beliefs about cataclysmic events preceding Jesus's return to Earth.
Discovery and Arrest Details
The family was last seen in the United States in late November. According to Kendall Seymour, they were staying with an American family in Croatia who apparently didn't initially know that Elleshia Seymour and her children were being sought by authorities.
The breakthrough came when one of the children tipped off a son of the hosting family. 'One of my kids told him, 'Hey, search my name, Google my name, you'll find it,'' Kendall Seymour said by phone from Croatia. This led to her arrest on January 16, with the host family either turning her in or convincing her to surrender to authorities.
Investigation and Evidence
The FBI had been receiving tips that Elleshia Seymour and the children were in Croatia after they allegedly left their home in a Salt Lake City suburb in late November. A former boyfriend told police that Seymour had 'recently discussed obtaining passports and leaving the country, expressing concerns about biblical events and the 'end of times,'' according to Utah court documents.
Police went to Seymour's West Jordan home on December 2 after friends and co-workers reported being unable to reach her. Officers found the apartment unlocked with nobody home, along with a notebook listing plans to shred documents, discard phones, and take passports abroad.
Further investigation revealed her car parked at Salt Lake City International Airport. Security video review showed the family entering the airport on November 29 and boarding a one-way flight to Europe, according to court documents.
Legal Proceedings and Family Background
Salt Lake County District Attorney Sam Gill said his office is coordinating with federal authorities to explore extradition options for Elleshia Seymour. She was not available for comment while in custody, and Utah court records do not list an attorney who could speak on her behalf.
Court documents reveal that Elleshia Seymour divorced the father of her youngest child in 2024 and Kendall Seymour in 2021. The international custody case continues to develop as legal authorities in both countries work through the complex jurisdictional issues involved.
