Surveillance footage has revealed the chilling final moments before a mother from Utah allegedly abducted her four young children, spiriting them out of the United States on a one-way flight to Europe in violation of joint custody agreements.
A Calm Departure, A Planned Disappearance
The video, obtained by authorities, shows Elleshia Anne Seymour, 35, walking calmly through Salt Lake City International Airport with her four children in tow on November 30. With luggage in hand, she guided them to board a one-way international flight, marking what investigators describe as the final step in a carefully orchestrated plan.
Police believe Seymour, who shares partial custody of the children with two fathers, made travel arrangements without their knowledge or consent. She left her vehicle at the airport before departing the country, and detectives later found a notebook in her West Jordan apartment outlining plans to shred documents and discard phones.
Voicemail from France and 'End Times' Fears
Days after the flight, on December 2, Seymour left a voicemail for one of the fathers claiming she was already in France with the children. In the message, she stated she planned to seek permanent residence and had taken the children because she believed the 'end times' were coming.
While her voicemail claimed they were in France, airport surveillance indicates the family boarded a flight bound for Amsterdam, with a final destination in Croatia. For Kendall Seymour, the father of three of the children, the footage and his ex-wife's stated motives are devastating.
"I didn't know about any of these ideas of hers until a couple of weeks ago," Kendall told reporters. "She thinks Salt Lake is going to be destroyed and she is trying to get the kids to safety. My only hope is that she is motivated to protect them." He last saw his children between November 24 and 25.
Legal Ramifications and an International Search
On December 10, police issued an endangered missing advisory for the four children, listing Seymour as the abductor. Charges for four counts of custodial interference were filed six days later. Authorities have expressed concern about Seymour's mental state, with charging documents noting witnesses reported previous emotional breakdowns and hallucinations.
A no-bail arrest warrant was requested, and the search has now gone international. "We're hoping to get a state warrant turned into a federal warrant, turned into an INTERPOL warrant out there," Kendall Seymour said. The family's current whereabouts remain unknown.
Legal experts suggest the consequences upon her location could be severe. "She's facing four felony counts," said family law attorney Marco Brown. If arrested internationally, the United States would seek her extradition. The primary goal, however, remains the safe return of the four children to their home country.
