A U.S. government plane made an unusual flight to Havana this week as part of a rare FBI operation to recover a 10-year-old boy from Utah in an international parental kidnapping case.
According to New York Times reporting and federal court filings, agents believe the child was taken abroad by a transgender parent and their partner, with the intent of undergoing sex reassignment surgery.Authorities charged Rose Inessa Ethington, 42, and Blue Inessa Ethington, 32, both of Cache County, Utah, with international parental kidnapping and aiding and abetting. Court filings identify Rose as the biological father of the child who transitioned to female after the child was born.
Rose shared custody of the child with the biological mother, identified in documents only as “LB.”The child, described in the files as male who was 10 years old at birth and identified as female, was living with both parents before the incident.
How did the FBI track a child’s journey from the United States to Cuba?
According to an affidavit filed by an FBI special agent in Utah federal court, the two individuals 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, flew to Mérida, 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 this did not happen, in violation of the custody agreement.A search of the suspects’ home revealed items that investigators say indicate prior planning.
These included approximately $10,000 in cash, handwritten “to-do” lists indicating tasks such as learning Spanish, emptying bank accounts, and arranging travel logistics, as well as notes regarding the children’s gender-affirming medical care.Federal agents stated in court filings that there was no indication that the couple intended to return to the United States with the child.
Family members describe ongoing conflict
Family members told investigators that arguments over possible medical treatment for the child were ongoing.
Rose Inessa Ethington’s brother, Stephen Ethington, told the New York Times that his sister has strongly advocated for transition-related medical care for several years.Tess Davis, the attorney representing the child’s biological mother, said the issue had been at issue during the parents’ divorce proceedings, adding that the mother feared she might never see the child again.
Rare federal response draws attention
Legal experts say the government’s response was highly unusual.
While international parental kidnapping cases are often complex, the use of Department of Justice aircraft to retrieve a child from another country is rarely seen.“This is very unusual,” said Jay Grubb, president of a firm that specializes in child recovery cases, noting that such deployments are not typical in custody disputes.The plane, a Boeing 757 operated by the US Department of Justice, traveled directly from Virginia to Cuba.
Cuban authorities assisted in locating individuals who were arrested on April 16. They were later transferred to the United States.On April 13, a Utah court granted the biological mother exclusive custody and ordered the immediate return of the child. After coordination between the American and Cuban authorities, the child was located and returned safely to his mother.Cuba officially joined the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction in 2018, although cooperation between countries can vary in practice.
The case also comes amid broader political tensions and ongoing U.S. policy debates on sex-related care for minors.
The case is still ongoing
The two defendants remain in federal custody and face charges that could carry significant legal consequences if proven true. Officials stressed that the case remains an allegation at this point. “Our priority in every parent kidnapping case is the safety and well-being of the child,” an FBI official said, adding that the operation reflects interagency coordination to ensure the safe return of the child.While the case continues through the courts, it continues to draw attention for its legal, international and political dimensions.
