A Utah woman accused of taking her four children overseas in violation of a custody order has been arrested in Croatia, authorities said Tuesday. Elleshia Seymour, 35, was charged in December in Salt Lake County with four counts of custodial interference for removing the children from the state despite not being entitled to custody.
Croatia’s foreign ministry confirmed via email that she was arrested earlier this month and is being held on suspicion of violating children’s rights.
Children placed in foster custody as father works to bring them home
The children are in foster custody in Croatia while her ex-husband, Kendall Seymour, works to return them to the United States. He told The Associated Press he is in Croatia and has been visiting the children while completing paperwork.
Kendall Seymour said he is the father of the three oldest children and has power of attorney for the child who is not his.
Utah prosecutors exploring extradition options
Salt Lake County District Attorney Sam Gill said his office is exploring options with federal partners to extradite Elleshia Seymour. She was not available for comment while in Croatian custody, and Utah court records did not list an attorney who could speak on her behalf.
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“End times” videos cited in the case
Kendall Seymour said Elleshia Seymour posted videos on TikTok last year describing apocalyptic dreams and urging people to prepare. The “end times” is a Christian view with various interpretations of apocalyptic biblical passages, but many believe it involves catastrophic events before Jesus returns to Earth.
In one video described by her ex-husband, she said she dreamed about an electromagnetic pulse attack that caused aircraft to crash, computers to stop working, and people to lose access to food, water, and heating.
How investigators traced the family’s departure
Elleshia Seymour and the children were last seen in the United States in late November, according to the account provided by Kendall Seymour and court documents. Police went to her home in West Jordan on Dec. 2 after friends and co-workers reported being unable to reach her, court documents said.
Officers found the apartment unlocked and empty, along with a notebook that listed plans to shred documents, discard phones, and take passports. Police later found her car parked at Salt Lake City International Airport and reviewed video showing the family entering the airport Nov. 29 and boarding a one-way flight to Europe, according to court documents.
Tip from a child led to arrest, father says
Kendall Seymour said the family was staying with an American family in Croatia that initially did not know authorities were looking for them. He said Elleshia Seymour was arrested Jan. 16 after one of the children suggested the host family search the family name online, leading to authorities being alerted.
Family background outlined in court records
Court documents said Elleshia Seymour divorced the father of her youngest child in 2024 and divorced Kendall Seymour in 2021.
