A Utah mother is desperately seeking the safe return of her two young sons, who were reportedly taken by their father.
Lizzie Tomich took to social media with an emotional appeal for assistance in locating her sons, Will Richman, aged 1, and Wesley Richman, aged 10 months. This plea followed the failure of their father, Dane Richman, to appear for a scheduled custody exchange on May 23.
“I MISS MY BABIES!!! Please help me find them. They are MY WORLD!!!!” Tomich expressed in a heartfelt Facebook post on May 24. “I can’t even describe how awful this is. Please, please, please help me find them!!!!”
An Amber Alert has been issued in relation to the case, underscoring the concerns for the children’s safety. Authorities have revealed troubling details about Dane, noting that he was “seriously depressed” and had taken actions such as “selling possessions” and “abandoning his home” before vanishing with the children. He has been identified as a suspect in this child abduction case.
In a video shared online, Tomich recounted that she had dropped off her sons for their regular visit with their father on May 16. Her worries intensified after Dane failed to attend a scheduled deposition related to their ongoing custody battle on May 22.
Tomich explained in the video posted to social media that she dropped her sons off for their regular visit with their father on May 16. She grew concerned, however, after Dane missed a scheduled deposition for their ongoing custody case on May 22.
“Minutes before the deposition was to start, we learned that Dane had fired his attorney and would not be attending the deposition,” she explained. “I immediately contacted him…via calling his phone and texting. He did not respond.”
Concerned, Tomich and her attorney said they called police to conduct a welfare check at Dane’s Saratoga Springs home.
“When police arrived, we learned that the house was vacant and there were things being moved out,” Tomich explained. “There was no car and Dane and the boys were not home. When we learned this, we knew something was wrong.”
Eventually, Dane allegedly texted her back, writing that he and the boys were “all good” and were driving.
“We are camping,” he allegedly wrote in texts shared in the video. “We will see you tomorrow at noon.”
But when the scheduled custody exchange arrived May 23, Dane never showed up.
“As the time approached, I began calling and texting him asking for an ETA, he did not respond,” Tomich said before her voice broke. “At approximately 12:01 is when I began to panic and when we called police.”
Amber Alert Issued for Will Richman and Wesley Richman
Under the current custody orders in place, both parents would need permission from either the court or the other parent to leave the state with the children,Tomich’s attorney family lawyer Brittany Skinner explained in the video.
With the boys missing, authorities issued an Amber Alert.
“After further investigation with police,” Skinner explained, “we’ve learned that Dane’s quit his job, he’s sold almost all of his possessions.”
According to court records obtained by KUTV, Dane allegedly told his employer he had to quit because he was “unable to continue working due to current ongoing legal battles” with Tomich and also mentioned his home going into foreclosure.
Authorities Suspect Dane Richman Could Be in Mexico
Cell phone records show that Dane’s phone last pinged May 19 in San Diego near the Mexico border and investigators believe he may have fled to the neighboring country, according to the court documents also obtained by Fox 13.
The 46-year-old was charged May 25 with two counts of custodial interference, per KUTV.
Tomich and Skinner are asking for anyone who may have seen Dane or her two sons to come forward.
Tomich described her sons as having “infectious smiles” and said both have dimples, blue eyes, blonde hair and would “hopefully” be giggly.
Authorities believe Dane may be driving a Toyota Camry with a temporary tag or may not have obscured the license plate, which is A561HL, according to the Amber Alert.
Anyone who sees Dane or the missing children is urged to call 911 or 801-798-5600.