Utah siblings who disappeared on Thanksgiving found in European orphanage, as Police arrest mother who left behind ‘To-Do List’

YOU NEED TO KNOW

• Four children who were allegedly kidnapped by their mother from Utah are in an orphanage in Croatia, according to their family

• 11-year-old Landon Seymour, 8-year-old Levi Parker Seymour, 7-year-old Hazel Raye Seymour and 3-year-old Jacob Kurt Brady disappeared after a Thanksgiving visit with their mother Elleshia Anne Seymour.

• Elleshia, 35, was arrested in the Croatian city of Dubrovnik, local authorities said

The four Utah children who disappeared after spending Thanksgiving with their mother are in an orphanage in Croatia, and the mother has been arrested.

Elleshia Anne Seymour, 35, was already facing charges in Utah after she allegedly kidnapped her four children and fled on a one-way flight to Europe on Nov. 29, 2025, PEOPLE previously reported.

Seymour’s ex-husband Kendall Seymour identified the children on GoFundMe as Landon Seymour, 11, Levi Parker Seymour, 8, Hazel Raye Seymour, 7, and 3-year-old Jacob Kurt Brady.

On Sunday, January 25, Kendall shared an update on the fundraiser that children are “trapped” in a state-run orphanage. Kendall is the father of three of the four children.

Elleshia was arrested in Dubrovnik, about 400 miles from the Croatian capital of Zagreb, the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed to DNENIK, a leading local news agency, on Monday, January 26.

Another local outlet, 24 Sata, also reported on the arrest, citing a statement from the ministry, although the ministry did not name the woman in its statement.

Elleshia was arrested in connection with a criminal case involving the violation of children’s rights, the outlets reported.

PEOPLE has reached out to the ministry as well as the US embassy in Croatia for confirmation.

The alleged child abduction came to light after a welfare check on Dec. 2, when the West Jordan Police Department arrived at Elleshia’s residence and found it unoccupied and unlocked, ABC4 Utah previously reported, citing court records.

Elleshia, who shares custody with the fathers of her children, reportedly feared it was “the end of time” and had concerns about “biblical events,” an ex-boyfriend previously told KSL Utah.

“I didn’t know anything about her belief in the end times until after all this happened,” Kendall’s ex-husband continued to tell the sport. “It didn’t come out in our marriage or after our divorce.”

In the GoFundMe, Kendall alleged that Elleshia “left behind a note dictating a delusional message from God who promised her she would be in Italy by Christmas, and a list of things that said ‘shred up papers, destroy photo identification, throw away the phone, buy a prepaid phone.’

It was not immediately clear if the children were removed from the orphanage.

Despite Kendall’s online pleas to return the children back to the United States, the Croatian Institute for Social Work has called for a thorough review of the case, 24 Sata, DNENIK and Teleskop reported.

“Due to the international element of the case, it is essential that the competent authorities of the United States of America review all relevant facts and circumstances before making a decision to hand over the children to the father,” said the institute in a statement.

PEOPLE has reached out to the institute for comment.

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Related: Mother Allegedly Kidnapped Her 4 Children and Fleeed Overseas As She Feared The ‘End Times’ Were Coming: Police

In Utah, Elleshia is facing four counts of custodial interference, local authorities said, according to KSL and ABC4 Utah.

While the case started with the West Jordan Police, it was transferred to the FBI. Both the FBI and West Jordan police declined to comment on the investigation.

The case is now being handed over to the Croatian police, local officials told KSL. It was not immediately clear if the FBI is still investigating.

Other entities, such as Croatia’s foreign affairs office, the US consulate in Croatia, and the Utah Department of Public Safety, did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.

Kendall is seeking more donations on GoFundMe to help him cover travel expenses while he continues to stay in Croatia while he tries to free the children.

If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in over 170 languages.

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