Hidden True Crime - Utah Father Goes on the Run With 2 Babies After Alleged Escape Plan | Dane Richman

Episode Date: May 27, 2026

Today on Hidden True Crime, Lauren Matthias covers the urgent and actively unfolding disappearance of two young brothers — Will Richman and Wesley Richman — who authorities believe were abducted b...y their father, Dane Richman, during a bitter custody dispute. Investigators say the case involves alarming warning signs including financial collapse, emotional instability, an abandoned home, possible off-grid planning, and evidence suggesting Dane may have crossed into Mexico with the boys. Lauren breaks down the timeline, the disturbing details from court documents, the legal custody battle, and the growing fears from family members on both sides who say the children could be in danger. The episode also explores the larger reality of parental abductions in America, why these cases are more common than many realize, and how situations like this can escalate quickly during emotionally volatile custody disputes. Sponsors: Wayfair: Get prepped for patio season for way less at https://wayfair.com. Jones Road Beauty: Use code HIDDEN at https://jonesroadbeauty.com to get a Free Gift with your first purchase! #JonesRoadBeauty #ad About Hidden True Crime What started as a simple conversation at their dinner table became a captivating podcast. Join the dynamic duo of Dr. John Matthias, a criminal psychologist, and Lauren Matthias, an investigative journalist, as they delve into the psychological facets of unthinkable crimes every week. Their unique perspectives and in-depth analysis offer a fresh take on true crime storytelling. Thank you for your support through sponsorships, subscribing, listening, and becoming a Patreon member at⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon.com/HiddenTrueCrime⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript
Discussion (0)
Starting point is 00:00:00 Summers always make me rethink what I'm reaching for every day to wear. I want clothes that feel effortless, lightweight, comfortable, timeless. That's a word I love, especially during busy filming days or running around with family. And that is why I keep going back to quince. I have especially been loving their dresses lately as the weather gets warmer. I have this beautiful yellow V-neck middy dress from them that I recently wore with their Italian leather sandals. and it has become one of those outfits I keep reaching for because it feels polished without trying too hard. The quality honestly surprised me. Quince uses really beautiful materials like European linen and organic cotton,
Starting point is 00:00:42 but without the huge luxury markup, they're made so well these clothes. I also love that they've expanded beyond clothing and they are now into home, betting and other elevated everyday essentials too. Elevate your summer wardrobe. Head to Quince's dot com slash hidden true crime for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns. They're now available in Canada too because we know that mini jams have been asking. Yes, Canada too. That's Quince, Q-U-I-N-Ce dot com slash hidden true crime for free shipping and 365 day returns. Quince.com slash hidden true crime. This show is supported by Odu. When you buy business software from lots of vendors, the costs add up, and it gets complicated and confusing. O-DU solves this.
Starting point is 00:01:33 It's a single company that sells a suite of enterprise apps that handles everything from accounting to inventory to sales. O-D-O-D-O-O-O-O-O-D-O-O-O-D-O-com. You can save money without missing out on features you need. Check out O-D-O-O-O-O-com. That's O-D-O-D-O-O-O-com. This episode is urgent, and we have everything you need to know about a case that is actively unfolding and has to be every parent's worst nightmare. I cannot imagine. Two little boys, Will and
Starting point is 00:02:10 Wesley Richmond, have disappeared. Authorities believe they were abducted by their own father, Dane Richmond, during an ongoing custody dispute. One of these boys is just 10 months old. The other isn't even two years old yet. And when you hear the details, you're going to understand why their loved ones are so afraid for their safety. Right now, investigators believe Dane may have crossed into Mexico with the boys after what police are describing as weeks of warning signs, financial collapse, emotional instability, and what may have been a carefully planned disappearance. So we're going to go through all of the details we know so far and talk about the bigger picture here too, because sometimes even if people do notice warning signs,
Starting point is 00:02:57 beforehand they may not realize how serious things are until it's too late. But I think the courts are beginning to understand just how serious this is. Because we have court docs that say they're concerned now about the children's survival. There's now a warrant for an arrest. And while I realize that parental abductions
Starting point is 00:03:15 are the most common type of child abduction in the U.S., often happening right in the middle of these custody disputes or emotionally intense separations, and they don't always get as much attention as the less common stranger abductions do, they can still be very dangerous, as we have unfortunately learned, despite the children likely being with their father. It does not mean these children are safe. In fact, family from both sides are very, very worried, as are we here at Hidden True Crime. And they should be worried. I'm going to explain. So let's start from, the very beginning. Forty-six-year-old Dane Stephan Richmond is from Saratoga Springs, Utah.
Starting point is 00:03:59 Authorities say Dane was involved in an ongoing custody dispute with the mother of his children. The couple shares two boys together, Will Richmond, who is 22 months old and Wesley Richmond, who again is only 10 months old, literally a baby and the other boy barely a toddler. Two children completely dependent on care and nurture to just survive. who can't even take care of each other. And according to the family in court documents, the parents had a temporary custody agreement in place where the boys alternated weeks between each parent.
Starting point is 00:04:33 And we'll get a little more into this custody agreement in just a bit. But on May 16th, Dane picked up the boys from their mother in Shelton, Washington for his scheduled parenting time. According to the family, the agreement was that Lizzie would pick the boys back up on May 23rd at Dane's home in Saratoga Springs, Utah. Now, this is where things start becoming concerning. Lizzie explains that she had flown in Thursday night ahead of the scheduled deposition related to their custody case. This deposition was apparently supposed to happen on Friday morning. But just minutes before the deposition in Utah was set to begin, she and her family
Starting point is 00:05:15 learned something shocking. Dane had actually fired his attorney. According to investigators, he allegedly emailed his attorney Friday morning saying that he no longer needed her services and would not be attending the deposition at all. Yeah, very concerning. Court documents say there was no further contact with his attorney from that point on. That was it. So immediately, of course, alarm bells start going off because think about this from Lizzie's perspective. They're already in a contentious custody situation. These are two very young little boys. There are hearings happening, legal obligations. And then suddenly, the other parent just abruptly cuts ties with their attorney and disappears before a major hearing, something you just can't miss.
Starting point is 00:06:10 That had to be terrifying. One of these, I just 10 months old, 22 months old. Lizzie explains that she immediately started calling and texting Dane, but she got no response. And that's when she contacted the police and requested a welfare check at Dane's home. And what police reportedly found sent Lizzie into even more confusion. So according to court documents that we have read here at Hidden 2 crime during the first welfare check, no one was home. But officers did not initially see any sign of trouble. Okay. But by the next day, that's when things changed dramatically. When police arrived again, Dane's house appeared vacant.
Starting point is 00:06:56 Even from the outside, things were actively being moved out. But there was no sign of Dane, no sign of the children. There was no vehicle there either. The boy's aunt, Katie Walters, later described what police encountered when they arrived. She said, he had completely moved out of his house that the children were supposed to be living in. and the moving truck was just actually pulling out of the driveway. And quote, Katie said that the movers apparently told police they never even saw Dane in person while they were there. They communicated only through text.
Starting point is 00:07:32 That alone is incredibly strange and concerning. But then you add in all of the other details that investigators would later uncover. Authorities say Dane had recently quit his job and was reportedly facing serious financial problems as well. In fact, police described his financial situation in the documents as dire, dire financial situations. Investigators allege that he was upside down on his mortgage and had taken out additional home equity debt. So court records are now saying that he had apparently abandoned the house to foreclosure. Detectives also learned that Dane had reportedly given his motorcycle and his pickup truck to a friend as collateral. in exchange for help paying legal expenses connected to the custody dispute.
Starting point is 00:08:22 His employer, Fibertel, which is a construction company that installs things like fiber optic networks, reportedly told investigators that Dane unexpectedly quit on May 11th, just out of the blue. And according to his boss, Dane blamed the ongoing legal issues with his ex-girlfriend over custody. So court documents also say that Dane allegedly told his boss that he needed to move because he was, losing his home to foreclosure. But there was another detail in that statement that really stood out to me. His boss said that Dane used to be a quality, hardworking, and productive employee. Yeah, quality, hardworking, and productive. But over the previous six months,
Starting point is 00:09:08 he had become less reliable and more erratic. Yeah, that word, erratic. It keeps showing up in this case in different ways again and again in the court docs erratic. Friends and family reportedly noticed behavioral changes as well. The family say he had been giving away belongings. Police say he was selling things, even items he had recently just bought for the boys. And investigators also learned he had reportedly purchased a satellite phone, a Garvin satellite phone just before disappearing. Neighbors later told police they had not seen Dane for several days before the boys were officially reported missing. And according to the Amber alert itself, authorities describe him as seriously depressed. So dire financial situations now not just depressed, but seriously depressed.
Starting point is 00:09:56 So now it's important to say that most people dealing with depression are not violent. They would never abduct children. That is true. But in this case, investigators clearly believe that Dane's emotional instability combined with the other warning signs created an immediate safety concern, which is also why they escalated this case so quickly and why we are talking about this right now. Please share this case. Investigators now believe that this wasn't simply about a missing custody exchange. They literally wrote in the court docs, quote, it seems that Dane has possibly been planning to attempt to kidnap the children several days, if not multiple weeks in advance. Another chilling detail from the affidavit is that investigators believe
Starting point is 00:10:43 Dane may have planned ways to avoid being tracked electronically as well. Detectives wrote that because of the apparent planning involved, they believe it was possible that Dane had purchased additional phones, computers, or electronics that weren't previously associated with him. And then there's also this added on top of everything else. According to family members, Dane was reportedly comfortable living off the grid. We've been trying to spend more time outside lately, but for the longest time, our outdoor space just wasn't it.
Starting point is 00:11:22 The yard needed some work, admittedly, and there was random, mismatched furniture everywhere. And, hey, it worked for a time and all we had was a little toddler running around. But honestly, the vibe was no longer working for us. So this year, we decided to start fresh before summer, and we started using Wayfair. And it honestly changed the whole feel of the space. We found outdoor pieces that actually fit our style. And now it's somewhere we genuinely want to relax after long days. It feels like, honestly, that we've added an extra room to our house now that our patio is so welcoming. What I love is that everything's in one place. Outdoor seating, lighting, rugs, decor. And it's really easy to filter by style and budget so you're not endlessly scrolling. We've even been using Wayfair while professors. some of our filming spaces in Dr. John's office, too. Get prepped for patio season for way less. Head to Wayfair.com right now to shop all things home. That's W-A-Y-F-A-I-R.com. Wayfair, every style, every home.
Starting point is 00:12:31 Investigators learned he had bought that new satellite phone, which could make a search like this even more difficult, because if someone has prepared to disappear, understands survival situations like living off the grid and potentially planned routes ahead of time, law enforcement is suddenly dealing with a much more complicated situation than a spontaneous custody violation. That's another thing experts talk about in parental abduction cases. A lot of these situations are not random or impulsive. Research has shown that many parents who abduct their children during custody disputes spend days or even weeks planning how they're going to disappear beforehand. And during a deposition back in April, so recent deposition, but before the children had disappeared, Lizzie actually told Dane's attorney named Leslie Corbly that he could just take the children and just disappear.
Starting point is 00:13:24 And in a recent interview, Lizzie said, I was explaining to his lawyer that Dane could take the kids and go anywhere. And she did not believe me. And she's like, where would he go? He's got a house and he's got a job. Why would he leave? and quote. Well, looking back now, she pointed out just how quickly things escalated from there. Lizzie said, here he is a month later, quit his job, left his home, and took my kids. I told her he could take them literally anywhere. He has lived out of his car. He's lived in a storage
Starting point is 00:13:55 unit before. He has lived off the grid. He's been homeless. He's lived on a beach. He's also been to prison for several years. This man can live anywhere, and quote. And this apparently isn't the first time Lizzie seemed to fear Dane. After I read her statement where she talked about Dane being in prison before, like what? I wanted to look a little more into that, but it doesn't seem like any of his past convictions pertain to violent crimes. There's burglary of a vehicle, theft, falsifying government records. None of this is good, but not necessarily violent. And all of that was in the early 2000s. However, I did find this document that shows also. that Lizzie try to file an order of protection last year, but it was denied. It says the court,
Starting point is 00:14:46 having considered the pleadings, testimony, and arguments, and being fully informed orders, that the protective order is denied. Denied. Because there is not sufficient evidence of domestic violence or abuse or of a substantial likelihood of immediate danger to the petitioner's safety. The matter is dismissed without prejudice. The parties agreed at that point to enter mutual restraining orders in the domestic case. Counsel for the respondent will prepare the order in the domestic matter, end quote. And look, I don't know about the evidence in this particular case when it comes to this protective order, the protection order that was dismissed last year by Lizzie requesting one. At the same time, I do want to note that this happened in Utah County.
Starting point is 00:15:40 And there is a brand new documentary out on Hulu called The Nightmare Upstairs. That is it is about two kids alleging that they were being abused by their dad in that same county. And despite CPS having findings of abuse, the Utah County courts were trying to force the children to go with their father. Dr. John, my co-host, is currently working on an episode about that case and that documentary, which will be coming later this week in an episode. And then you also might remember Adam Paul Steed, a victim of Jody Hildebrand, who went through a very difficult custody battle for years in Utah County as well where no one believed him. I just simply want to note that Utah County seems to have continuous problems when it comes to not acting soon enough, not believing allegations of abuse, or pushing kids into unsafe situations and allowing risk
Starting point is 00:16:29 over intervention and protection. At the same time, yes, I realize that custody battles are complex and confusing. But there is certainly an unsavory pattern in this particular county to be noted. Anyway, back to the current situation. While all of this was happening, Lizzie did eventually receive some messages from Dane. She shared some of those details publicly in a TikTok video along her family law attorney Brittany Skinner. According to Lizzie, the day after the first welfare check, Dane finally responded and told her that he and the boys were camping and that the children were okay. He allegedly reassured her that he would still meet for their scheduled exchange. When the police arrived, we learned that the house was vacant and there were things being moved out.
Starting point is 00:17:18 There was no car and Dane and the boys were not home. When we learned this, we knew something was wrong. While we were talking to the police, I did get some messages from Dane. They will be posted here. He did confirm that he was camping, the boys were okay, and that he would be meeting me at our agreed upon time and location to exchange the boys. According to the current temporary order of that are in place by the court, each party has a leak of parenting time. So Dane picked up the boys on May 16th from Lizzie. On May 23rd, they had agreed that he would drop them off to her at noon.
Starting point is 00:17:59 That is the current court order in place. part is especially heartbreaking because you can imagine how desperately Lizzie probably wanted to believe him, right? Her two little boys, completely dependent little boys, but unfortunately, this did not happen. Lizzie explained that on Saturday, she arrived at their designated exchange location about 15 minutes early. I can just imagine her anxiety over the situation just building and building. She already knows that Dane skipped the deposition. right. Fired his attorney had been doing some very strange things. And now she's just sitting there waiting, hoping for her babies to arrive. But Lizzie said that as the exchange time approach,
Starting point is 00:18:47 she started calling and texting day and asking for an ETA. She got nothing. No response. In the TikTok video, she said that's when she really started to panic. Her concern was turning into terror. So she called the police again. And that, is when she realized that Dane's house was actually completely empty, banked, abandoned. On Saturday, I showed up to our designated location at the, I showed up about 15 minutes early prior to the designated time. As at the time approach, I began calling and texting him asking for an ETA. He did not respond. In approximately 12.01 is when I began to panic.
Starting point is 00:19:29 And when we called police. After further investigation with the police, we've learned that Dane has quit his job. He's sold almost all of his possessions. He has left with almost everything he has with the clear intention of not returning with these children. And thankfully, investigators moved extremely fast, talking with neighbors, friends, family members, and trying to track Dane's movements. And what investigators uncovered, painted an even more alarming picture. Court documents revealed that surveillance video from a car wash in Carlsbad, California,
Starting point is 00:20:06 captured Danes Black 2025 Toyota Camry on May 18th and reportedly showed a clearly identical image of his face. Authorities also say ATM surveillance footage captured him that same day. Investigators specifically noted in the affidavit that detectives compared the surveillance images from the carwash and ATM to photos provided by Lizzie and said, they felt confident identifying the man in those images as Dane, Richmond. And it's important to note that Carlsbad is only about 50 miles from the Mexico border. Investigators later obtained T-Mobile records that showed that Dane's cell phone was last detected near San Diego on May 19th,
Starting point is 00:20:53 around 4 p.m., close to the Mexico border. And according to federal law enforcement, information included in the court documents the black Toyota Camry later crossed the border traveling south into Mexico the same day. So now the situation has become international, right? Late on Saturday, authorities issued an amber alert across Utah highway signs. And then on Sunday morning, cell phone alerts went out statewide. Police warned the public that the children were believed to be in danger. The Amber Alert also stated that investigators believe Dane could pose what they described as a survival threat to the boys. Yeah, terrifying words to hear survival threat to the two little boys. According to court documents, they say both boys were officially entered into the NCIC as missing and endangered children.
Starting point is 00:21:47 And investigators also began trying to distribute the Amber Alert, information throughout Mexico as well. family members started doing interviews and pleading for help on social media their aunt katie said you'll be able to see them those little boys are so stinking cute they have the brightest blonde hair and the biggest smiles that you will ever see and then talking about baby wesley she said oh my gosh wes is the giggliest little baby and in lizzie's video the mother's video she also described the boys as having infectious smiles dimples and blue eyes and you you can hear how desperate she is trying to get people to remember their faces, to see their faces,
Starting point is 00:22:32 to look for her little boys, to bring them home. Now, another major detail in this case involves the custody order itself. According to attorney, Brittany Skinner, there was reportedly a domestic relations injunction in place connected to the custody proceedings. She said that neither parent was allowed to leave the state without
Starting point is 00:22:54 court permission or permission from the other parent. Court documents reinforced that point as well, stating the children were not allowed to be taken out of the state unless both parents formally agreed. This means that if investigators are correct that Dane crossed into Mexico with the children, that would be in direct violation of those court restrictions. And really quickly, I want to go through this court document for the temporary orders, which were filed in March of this year, because it says the court, having consistent, the docket, the pleadings, the declarations, and the arguments of the council and respondent
Starting point is 00:23:29 made the following recommendations based on the following preliminary findings. Number one, parent time. The parties will exercise parent time on a week on week off basis. Maternal grandmother may not be a caretaker for the minor children, nor be left unsupervised with the minor children. Number two, exchanges will occur on Saturdays and will occur at the party's respective residences. The parent picking up the minor children is responsible for all travel costs. Exchange times will be as the parties agree in writing. If the parties cannot agree, exchange times will occur no later than 5 p.m.
Starting point is 00:24:07 3. Virtual parent time. Each parent will have parent time virtually at least three times weekly during one another's parent time. Four, the parties may not consume alcohol, illegal drugs, or abuse prescription drugs during their parent time. Five, child care. The parties will utilize child care while working from the home. Six, child support. Father will pay mother child support monthly in the amount of $603 beginning February 1,
Starting point is 00:24:40 2026. So clearly, Dane was not following that order. And due to all of this, he has now been officially charged with two counts of custodial interference, which are third-degree felonies. But one thing that keeps coming up is how many warning signs people have now pointed out in hindsight. And according to family members, there were a lot, a lot of warning signs. Lizzie reportedly raised concerns weeks earlier that Dane was spiraling emotionally. All of the people around him noticed instability and his loved ones describe him as severely depressed. And then with him giving away his belongings,
Starting point is 00:25:19 quitting his job, abandoning his home, and reportedly struggling financially, dire financial situation. Family court battles can become even more emotional when someone is already under other types of stress. And it sounds like authorities believe Dane was under enormous pressure. Another statistic that really stuck with me while researching this is that children under six years old are considered one of the highest risk age groups in parental abduction cases, the highest risk under six. And obviously, in this situation, both are under six. Both of these boys are babies. And while most of our minds go to the worst possible scenarios, especially after cases like Travis Decker, who took his children and murdered them in the woods before himself, or there's also
Starting point is 00:26:08 Matthew Coleman that comes to mind, the beloved surf teacher from California who took his young children close to the same ages across the Mexico border. Those kids never came home. Not everyone thinks that Dane would necessarily hurt his children. The boys, Aunt Katie, said he loves those boys so much. That's the only thing I could think of that led to this, an adult temper tantrum, according to Katie. He loves his boys. This must be an adult temper tantrum. She even directly addresses him, in interviews saying to Dane, please just be safe. We love you. We love those kids. We just want you guys to come home safe. So now let's talk a little bit more about the actual investigation and search efforts. Because once authorities suspected that Dane crossed into Mexico, the case
Starting point is 00:27:06 obviously became much more complicated, jurisdictionally, right? Utah authorities reportedly began working to share the Amber Alert throughout Mexico as well, but international child deduction cases are incredibly difficult. Cross-border investigations, they require cooperation between agencies and governments. Tracking vehicles becomes harder. Cell phone data becomes more limited. And if someone intentionally wants to avoid detection, they can move around frequently, which becomes even more daunting when you consider that Dana said to be comfortable living off the grid. Many of you have asked about my makeup.
Starting point is 00:27:48 And here's the truth. I do not have a lot of time. I often have to be ready really fast when breaking news happens, like suddenly jumping on camera with almost no time to get ready. And so I have become really picky about makeup that's quick and still looks natural on video. And that is why I take my Jones Road beauty everywhere with me. I am obsessed with their miracle balm because it gives that. your skin but better glow in just seconds, I just use my finger. I throw it on and instantly
Starting point is 00:28:19 look more awake and put together without feeling heavy or overdone. And they just launched a new foundation stick, which is perfect when I want a little more coverage while still keeping everything natural and lightweight. So if you want makeup, that brings out your natural glow instead of hiding it, Jones Road is the way to go. And for a limited time, our listeners, our gems, are getting a free gift on their first purchase when they use code hidden at checkout. Just head to jones roadbeautcom and use code hidden at checkout. Authorities also warned that Dane's vehicle may not even have the original Utah plates attached anymore.
Starting point is 00:29:00 So that black Toyota Camry reportedly had Utah plate A561HL. But police believe temporary tags might have been placed on the vehicle instead. makes sense, which again suggests planning and does not seem to be an impulsive decision at all. So according to the timeline investigators provided, Dane's last confirmed movements appear to trace from Utah into Southern California and then toward the Mexico border. Police say the vehicle was captured on surveillance in Carlsbad and then cell phone data allegedly placed him in San Diego. And then federal authorities reportedly confirmed the car crossed into Mexico. One thing that keeps sticking with me is the image of the empty house that feels symbolic, almost, like someone intentionally severing ties with their old life, wanting to start over somewhere new with his sons, but based on Dane's mental state and the circumstances, it's likely that these little boys could be in danger. Absolutely. So at this point, the focus is on locating them.
Starting point is 00:30:12 safely. Hence the urgency of this episode. In Lizzie's plea, she asked for the story to be shared everywhere with friends, family, anybody that you know, please share this story because they could be anywhere. And that line, that line, they could be anywhere. That is terrifying if it's, because it's true, especially when's entering another country. they could be anywhere becomes an absolute possibility. At this point, we don't know every detail yet. This investigation is still unfolding, but we wanted to talk about it now
Starting point is 00:30:54 because two little boys need our attention. Authorities clearly believe this was more than a temporary disappearance. And as this case has spread online, naturally, some people immediately fear the worst. But others argue that Dane may simply be panicking and trying to avoid losing custody, or maybe even paying mortgage on his house, a foreclosure, that doesn't make what he's doing the right thing. And we can only hope, though, that it means that he isn't intending on hurting the boys or
Starting point is 00:31:22 hurting himself. Will, again, only 22 months old. Wesley is 10 months old. These are children who need constant care, diapers, food, routines. And while the public speculates, their family is just waiting for answers, waiting for a phone call, a siding, confirmation that the boys are safe. Now, legally speaking, if Dane remains outside the United States with the children, this case could potentially become even more complex involving international custody laws and extradition issues. If Dane is located in Mexico, that does not automatically mean authorities can just immediately bring him right back across the border. The United States in Mexico, luckily, they do have a longstanding extradition treaty, and they regularly work together on cross-border investigations as well as parental abduct. cases, but situations like this can still become legally complicated and time-consuming. So from what I've gathered, cases involving custody disputes and international borders
Starting point is 00:32:24 can still take months and sometimes even years to fully resolve. Court documents even stated that investigators were told Mexican authorities could not fully assist in locating or apprehending Dane without an active arrest warrant in place, which is part of why detectives move so quickly to secure those charges. So authorities are doing everything they can to find Dane Richmond and his toddlers, as you know, an Amber alert went out over the weekend, and now police believe they may have crossed into Mexico. Desperate search for two toddlers now taking place across the southern border. Authorities believe their father, Dane Richmond, took them to Mexico.
Starting point is 00:33:03 Roman Garcia, a former special agent with the FBI, says that may create some major issues for law enforcement. Historically, there's very few cases of success where people recover kidnapped children from parents that have taken their child to Mexico. Richmond reportedly sold his possessions, was in severe financial turmoil and in a deep depression before the abduction. He was supposed to return his one-year-old and 10-month-old toddler boys to their mother over the weekend, but was nowhere to be found when she went to pick them up from Richmond's home in Saratoga Springs. She called police, and shortly after, an Amber alert was issued. It notifies the public that gets supposed to. The media is getting the notification.
Starting point is 00:33:45 They're supposed to highway signs alert pages, things like that are going up. Some Utahans reported receiving alerts through social media before seeing one on their phone. DPS says a blackout period was established in 2021, which restricted cell phone alerts between the 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. periods. That's why the weird, the wireless alert for your phones didn't go. thought, though, because it was outside of what is allowed for that to be used. However, DPS did activate all other alerts, including billboards and social media pushes. According to DPS data, since 2021, the state has issued 21 Amber alerts and all children were found safe.
Starting point is 00:34:25 2003, 2006, and 2008 are the only years a child reported in an Amber Alert in Utah were found dead or unrecovered. Now, two kidnapped children. and an allegedly unstable father still on the run. So it would take some prompting by the U.S. government and some kind of diplomatic resolve to get the interest of the Mexican government to participate in this case. Obviously, there are a lot of federal partners that are working the case.
Starting point is 00:34:53 They're going to have their own set of challenges, as you guys heard. But everybody wants to find these kids safely, hoping the father doesn't do anything too crazy. But, you know, if they're in Mexico right now, It's just going to get a lot more complicated for the investigation. Detectives from both Saratoga Springs Police Department and the FBI reportedly said they were seriously concerned for the safety and well-being of Dane and the two boys. They are urging anyone with information to contact law enforcement immediately. Police specifically asked the public to report even small details because one tip could make the difference.
Starting point is 00:35:33 and talking about the boys, their aunt Katie said, quote, there is no world without them. And honestly, every parent, every grandparent, every aunt or uncle listening understands exactly what she means. There is no world without these boys for their family. For this family, everything right now revolves around finding Will and Wesley, and that's the only thing that matters. authorities say 46-year-old Dane Richmond is approximately six-foot two inches tall and weighs around 195 pounds. He has brown hair, green eyes, and braces. 22-month-old Will Thomas Richmond weighs about 31 pounds, and he has blue eyes. His younger brother, 10-month-old, Wesley Dane, Richmond, weighs about 23 pounds, and also, again, blue eyes. If you see Dane or the boys,
Starting point is 00:36:29 or if you have any information at all that could help investigators, you are urged to call 801-798-5600 or simply dial 911 immediately. And as always, we will continue following this case and updating as more information comes out. Right now, time is of the essence. Most importantly, Let's pray that these little boys are found safe or send your energy, whatever it is that you do. Or share this story, share about the boy, share their pictures. Hope that these little boys are found safe and reunited with their family as soon as possible.

There aren't comments yet for this episode. Click on any sentence in the transcript to leave a comment.