Brit Mother on Run with Sons after ‘Abducting’ Them from Ex-Husband

A British mother who allegedly abducted her two sons from their American father has been on the run in the UK with them for over three months, prompting him to take High Court action.

Nishika Samaratunga and her sons, five-year-old Blaine Baier and three-year-old Nathaniel Baier, known as Nate, have not been seen since March.

The boys were born in the US and lived with their father, Ben Baier, near Denver, Colorado.

They travelled to the UK to visit their mother as part of a court-ordered arrangement following their parents’ divorce.

However, Ms Samaratunga did not return the children to her ex-husband at a UK airport on March 29, as required by the court.

Mr Baier has since launched High Court proceedings in an attempt to have his sons returned to him.

His legal team raised concerns that Blaine and Nate may not be attending school or nursery and are not receiving medical care.

Mr Baier said: “The collapse of my marriage has been an incredibly trying time, but I never believed that Nishika would abduct Blaine and Nathaniel and then conceal their whereabouts in an effort to keep them from me, uprooting them from their home in Colorado.

“Both our children have autism, and such abrupt changes to their routine are incredibly damaging to their development and health.

“I’m calling for her to do the right thing and return them to me so they can return to their life as normal, and for anyone who knows where they are to help return them to their home.

“I can only pray for their safe return.”

The High Court has permitted details of the case to be published in an effort to help locate the children.

Mr Baier and Ms Samaratunga married in 2020, after which she moved to the US. Their relationship later broke down in 2024.

Ms Samaratunga applied to a Colorado court in August 2025 to relocate the children to London, but the request was refused.

She later returned to the UK and made further applications to move the children. However, in October, a Colorado court ruled that Mr Baier should become their sons’ primary custodial parent.

Although the court ordered that the children should remain in Colorado, it also directed Mr Baier to bring them to England to spend time with their mother.

The first visit took place between December and January, followed by a second visit in March.

However, after the second visit, Ms Samaratunga failed to return Blaine and Nate to their father at the airport, despite the court order.

The High Court in London has since issued orders to several organisations, including JPMorgan Chase, HSBC, NHS and Thames Water, to help trace Ms Samaratunga.

However, these searches have not revealed any information about her whereabouts.

A judge in Colorado authorised American law enforcement to take custody of the children in April, citing a “credible risk that the children are in imminent danger”.

The judge said Ms Samaratunga had “engaged in activities indicating a planned abduction” and “unilaterally prevented the children’s court-ordered return”.

The ruling added that the children were “presently physically and emotionally endangered”.

Amy Rowe, partner at Hunters Law LLP, which is representing Mr Baier, said:

“The court has rightly recognised the deeply harmful impact of abduction on Blaine and Nathaniel.

“These are two very young, vulnerable children, and every day that they remain missing increases the concern for their welfare.

“It is imperative that they are found and returned home safely as soon as possible.”