A U.S. couple is facing charges of international kidnapping for allegedly taking a 10-year-old child to Cuba without the consent of the child’s biological mother. The couple, Rose Inessa-Ethington, 42, and Blue Inessa-Ethington, 32, were arrested following an operation by the U.S. Justice Department to bring the child back from Havana.
According to court documents, the couple deceived the child’s mother by claiming they were going on a camping trip to Canada, but instead traveled to Cuba with the child. The prosecutors described the incident as a well-planned international kidnapping scheme that involved significant preparation and substantial cash.
Rose Inessa-Ethington, one of the child’s biological parents, was supposed to go camping in Banff, Alberta, with Blue and the children. However, they never reached their destination and switched off their phones. The group reportedly entered British Columbia from Washington State before flying to Mexico City and then on to Cuba.
Investigations revealed that the couple had made plans to empty their bank accounts, learn Spanish, and secure tourist visas before leaving. The child’s biological mother contacted the authorities when the couple failed to return as scheduled, alleging a violation of their custody agreement.
After being granted sole custody, the child was returned to the mother’s care by a Utah state court judge. Concerns were raised that the child might have been taken to Cuba for gender reassignment surgery, although such surgeries are not legal for children in Cuba.
The incident comes amidst ongoing controversies surrounding gender-affirming care for minors in the U.S. The couple made their first court appearance in Virginia and will face prosecution in Utah. The child has been reunited with the biological mother.