Returned Home: Siblings Rescued from Croatian Orphanage

Four siblings who were reportedly taken to Europe by their ailing mother and left in a Croatian orphanage have finally returned to Utah with their father after a search that lasted two months.

On Sunday, Kendall Seymour announced the joyous news that he had picked up his three children along with their half-siblings following the arrest of his ex-wife, Elecia Ann Seymour.

“I’m taking my children home!” he expressed in a letter, filled with excitement. He noted that, after extensive efforts by numerous people, the police had finished their investigation, returned the children’s passports, and allowed them to be picked up from the group home. “We’re all thrilled to get back to (almost) normal life,” he added.

Elecia Seymour, 35, had taken their four children—Landon (11), Levi (8), Hazel (7), and Jacob (3)—on a Delta Airlines flight from Salt Lake City to Croatia on November 30, driven by a belief that the world was ending.

Kendall had raised concerns after the children were reported missing on December 2, which led to an investigation. He claimed Elecia was involved in forging passport documents and had left behind notes that included a strange message claiming she would be in Italy by Christmas.

Eventually, the children were discovered in a Croatian orphanage before Elecia was apprehended.

Celebrating the retrieval of his children, Kendall shared a photo of himself happily dining with them on the streets of Croatia prior to their return. Another image captured him embracing his eldest son tightly, while a separate photo depicted little Jacob enjoying a hamburger.

Kendall extended his gratitude to everyone who contributed to the search, emphasizing their support was instrumental in bringing the children home. He remarked, “Without you, we don’t even know where (the children) would be.”

Interestingly, a fifth American child, whose connection to Elecia and the siblings is unclear, was also found at the orphanage. Kendall mentioned they did not surrender this child but have provided them with a new phone for essential contacts. “We’re setting aside funds for any necessary legal assistance to ensure he’s in a good situation wherever he lives,” he stated.

Seymour noted that this child was concerned about how family and friends might think he was missing. “We got him a decent phone with a plan, and thankfully, he was able to reconnect with friends,” he shared.

Kendall also mentioned that he made a donation to the orphanage, addressing complaints from the children there about the facility’s conditions. “We hope they served our children with love and can also give back to improve the lives of others still there,” he added.