Authorities in Utah are on high alert as they search for two siblings who are believed to have been kidnapped by their father, who officials have described as being in a state of severe depression. The children are feared to have been taken to Mexico, placing them in immediate peril.
The Saratoga Springs Police Department is actively looking for 46-year-old Dane Stephen Richman and his two young sons, 1-year-old Will Richman and 10-month-old Wesley Richman.
Investigators have revealed that Richman recently resigned from his job amidst financial difficulties and is embroiled in a custody dispute with his wife. Police suspect that the abduction was premeditated, with planning possibly spanning several weeks, according to a report from the Deseret News.
In response to the urgent situation, an Amber Alert was issued over the weekend, highlighting the serious risk to the children and confirming that they were taken by their father.
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Dane Stephen Richman, 46, allegedly abducted his two sons: 1-year-old Will Richman and 10-month-old Wesley Richman. He is being sought by Utah authorities. (Utah Department of Public Safety)
“THERE IS CONCERN FOR THE SAFETY AND WELL BEING OF THE CHILDREN AS THE SUSPECT HAS BEEN SERIOUSLY DEPRESSED, SELLING POSSESSIONS, FACING FINANCIAL STRESS, AND ABANDONED HIS HOME,” the alert states.
Richman was charged Sunday with two counts of custodial interference, a third-degree felony. He picked the children up from their mother in Washington state on May 16 for his scheduled visitation time, the newspaper reported, noting that authorities initially said the abduction occurred in Saratoga Springs.
On Friday, the mother called the Saratoga Springs Police Department after Richman failed to appear at a scheduled deposition hearing.
Richman had apparently emailed his attorney that morning saying he no longer needed her services and wouldn’t be attending the scheduled hearing, according to charging documents cited by the newspaper.
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Dane Stephen Richman, 46, allegedly abducted his two sons: 1-year-old Will Richman and 10-month-old Wesley Richman. He is being sought by Utah authorities, who believe he may have traveled to Mexico, via the southern border. (Utah Department of Public Safety)
Richman’s home appeared to be vacant when police visited, authorities said.
“Given Dane’s financial situation as well as the fact that he appears to have abandoned his house to foreclosure, it seems that Dane has possibly been planning this attempt to kidnap the children several days if not multiple weeks in advance,” investigators wrote in the court documents.
On May 18, Richman’s 2025 Toyota Camry had some service done in Carlsbad, California, about 50 miles from the U.S.-Mexico border, authorities said.
Images taken from surveillance cameras identified Richman in Southern California, the report states.
Richman’s 2025 Toyota Camry was in Carlsbad, Calif., May 18, which is roughly 50 miles from the southern border. (Francisco Vega/Getty Images, File)
On Sunday, a warrant was issued for Richman’s arrest.
Police said they are in the process of having the Amber Alert shared throughout Mexico.
Anyone with information on Richman’s whereabouts is urged to call the Utah County Sheriff’s Office at 801-798-5600, or dial 911.
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