I admire people who successfully co-parent so much. It isn’t easy to put aside your personal strife and keep focus on the kids, but doing so benefits everyone. Of course, there are varying degrees of drama that co-parents in contentious relationships deal with, but few experience it on such mind-blowingly traumatic levels as Kenny Seymour. In 2025, his ex-wife, Elleshia Anne Seymour, took his three children, Landon Seymour, 11, Levi Parker Seymour, 8, Hazel Raye Seymour, 7, and her 3-year-old from a different father, Jacob Kurt Brady, to Europe after Thanksgiving, according to People.
In a GoFundMe page set up by the father, he explained that on December 2, Kenny Seymour learned his ex had fled the country with no intent to return. “She forged passport documents for the kids, left behind a note dictating a delusional message from God promising her she would be in Italy by Christmas, and a to-do list that mentioned shred paperwork, destroy identifying photos, throw away phone, purchase pre-paid phone,” he alleged.
What followed was a whirlwind manhunt that eventually led to the father uncovering that the children were in a Croatian orphanage after the mother turned herself in to authorities in January. On February 1, 2026, the father updated the fundraising page with incredible news that all four kids, including Jacob, would be released to him and they’d finally return home. Throughout the harrowing saga, however, the dad learned his ex was traveling with a fifth American child and his “mom.”
In an update posted on January 25, the dad explained he was increasing the fundraising goal to cover not only the costs of lawyers, flights, and stays, but also help for the fifth boy who was also unlawfully there.
“The fifth child’s situation is even more difficult than my own kids’ status. We would like to help him as much as possible – his situation is going to need more legal help and strategy than ours,” he explained in the udpate.
The New York Post revealed that the unnamed child was still there and that he was not released into Kenny’s custody with the other children.
“We unfortunately don’t have an official update on the fifth child, but we are reserving funds for any legal help he needs to get himself into a good situation, wherever he considers home to be,” the dad wrote.
Kenny added that the minor was concerned about his family and friends thinking they likely believe he is dead.
“We’ve purchased him a decent phone with a plan. Luckily, he was able to log back into his old apps and reconnect with the friends he hasn’t spoken to in a few weeks. We put our contacts in his phone so that he can reach out to us for help at any time,” he added.
The relieved father donated funds to the orphanage as a gesture of thanks for keeping his children safe and to help children who remain there.
“We hope to be able to find other ways to give back, not only because they served our kids with love and care, but also to try to improve the lives of those children left behind,” he wrote.
