FBI Uses DOJ Aircraft to Recover 10-Year-Old Child From Cuba in International Parental Kidnapping Case

A US government aircraft made an unusual trip to Havana this week as part of a rare operation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation to recover a 10-year-old child from Utah in an international parental kidnapping case. According to reporting by The New York Times and federal court filings, agents believed the child had been taken abroad by a transgender parent and their partner, allegedly with the intention of pursuing gender transition surgery.

Authorities have charged Rose Inessa-Ethington, 42, and Blue Inessa-Ethington, 32, both from Cache County, Utah, with international parental kidnapping and aiding and abetting. Court filings identify Rose as the child's biological father who transitioned to female after the child's birth. Rose shared custody of the child with the biological mother, identified in documents only as "LB." The child, described in filings as a 10-year-old assigned male at birth who identifies as female, had been living between both parents prior to the incident.

According to an affidavit filed by an FBI special agent in Utah federal court, the two person allegedly misled the child's mother by claiming they were taking the child on a camping trip to Calgary, Canada, on March 28, 2026. Investigators say the group never reached their destination. Instead, authorities believe they crossed into Canada from Washington State, flew from British Columbia to Mexico City, travelled onward to Merida, and then flew to Cuba on April 1 using U.S. passports. The child was scheduled to be returned to the mother on April 3 but was not, in violation of a custody agreement.

A search of the suspects' residence uncovered items that investigators say point to advance planning. These included approximately $10,000 in cash, handwritten "to-do" lists referencing tasks such as learning Spanish, emptying bank accounts, and arranging travel logistics, as well as notes related to gender-affirming medical care for children. Federal agents stated in court filings that there was no indication the pair intended to return to the United States with the child.

Family members describe ongoing dispute. Family members told investigators that disagreements over potential medical treatment for the child had been ongoing. Rose Inessa-Ethington's brother, Steven Ethington, told The New York Times that his sister had strongly advocated for transition-related medical care for several years. Tess Davis, a lawyer representing the child's biological mother, said the issue had been a point of contention during the parents' divorce proceedings, adding that the mother feared she might not see the child again.

Legal experts say the government's response was highly unusual. While international parental kidnapping cases are often complex, the use of a Justice Department aircraft to retrieve a child from another country is rarely seen. "This is highly unusual," said Jay Groob, president of a firm specialising in child recovery cases, noting that such deployments are not typical in custody disputes. The aircraft, a Boeing 757 operated by the U.S. Department of Justice, travelled directly from Virginia to Cuba. Cuban authorities assisted in locating the individuals, who were arrested on April 16. They were later transported back to the United States.

On April 13, a Utah court granted the biological mother exclusive custody and ordered the immediate return of the child. Following coordination between U.S. and Cuban authorities, the child was located and returned safely to the mother. Cuba formally acceded to the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction in 2018, though cooperation between countries can vary in practice. The case also comes amid broader political tensions and ongoing U.S. policy debates around gender-related care for minors.

The two defendants remain in federal custody and face charges that could carry significant legal consequences if proven. Officials emphasised that the case remains an allegation at this stage. "Our priority in every parental kidnapping case is the safety and well-being of the child," an FBI official said, adding that the operation reflected coordination between agencies to ensure the child's safe return. As the case proceeds through the courts, it continues to draw attention for its legal, international, and political dimensions.