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U.S. Authorities Arrest Couple for Taking Child to Cuba in Custody Dispute
U.S. authorities arrested Rose Inessa-Ethington and Blue Inessa-Ethington on charges of international parental kidnapping after they took a 10-year-old child to Cuba without permission from the biological mother. The case involves a custody dispute related to the child's gender identity. A government plane was used to return the child to Utah.
Apr 23, 11:00 AM·2m read1 source
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U.S. authorities charged Rose Inessa-Ethington and her partner, Blue Inessa-Ethington, with international parental kidnapping after they took a 10-year-old child from Utah to Cuba without the biological mother's permission. The incident occurred amid a custody dispute between Rose Inessa-Ethington and the child's biological mother.
The child was returned to the mother using a Department of Justice plane. The couple traveled with the 10-year-old and Blue Inessa-Ethington's 3-year-old child, initially telling the mother they were going on a camping trip to Canada in late March. According to a criminal complaint filed in federal court in Utah, they turned off their phones after arriving in Canada, then flew to Mexico and on to Cuba on April 1.
The biological mother filed a missing person report on April 3 when the child was not returned as scheduled. A Utah state judge ordered the child's return to the mother on April 13. Three days later, a federal magistrate judge issued arrest warrants for the couple.
Cuban law enforcement located the group on April 16, and they were deported to the U.S. aboard the government plane on April 22. The couple was arraigned in federal court in Richmond, Virginia. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak in Utah stated that the 10-year-old was returned to the biological mother.
Case The charges stem from concerns raised by a family member about potential gender transition surgery for the child in Cuba. However, the complaint notes that such surgery is not legal for children in Cuba. FBI Special Agent Jennifer Waterfield's affidavit mentioned family members' statements about the child's gender identity.
