A Utah mother is speaking publicly about the terrifying moments she realized her two young sons had allegedly been taken to Mexico by their father, setting off a frantic multistate search, an AMBER alert, and days of fear that her children might never come home.

For Lizzie Tomich, what began as growing uneasiness quickly turned into what she later described as the most horrifying experience of her life. Her sons — 22-month-old Will Richman and 10-month-old Wesley Richman — disappeared after spending time with their father, 46-year-old Dane Stephen Richman, during a custody visit. Authorities say the situation escalated rapidly when Dane allegedly failed to return the children and stopped communicating consistently with family members.

The case immediately captured national attention because of the children’s ages, the possibility that they had crossed international borders, and concerns raised by investigators that the boys could be in serious danger.

According to Saratoga Springs Police, Lizzie officially reported the children missing on Saturday, May 23. However, the ordeal had actually begun days earlier. The boys had last been seen with their father in Shelton, Washington, approximately one week before the AMBER alert was issued.

Family members say Lizzie initially tried to remain calm, believing there may have been some misunderstanding or delay involving the custody arrangement. But as hours passed without answers, her fear intensified.

According to reports, one major warning sign occurred when Dane allegedly failed to appear for a scheduled legal deposition related to ongoing custody matters. Family members said this behavior immediately felt unusual because the situation surrounding custody had already been emotionally tense in recent months.

When Lizzie attempted calling and texting him repeatedly, she reportedly received little to no response. As panic grew, she eventually requested a welfare check through local authorities.

Police reportedly visited Dane’s residence and discovered something alarming: the home appeared abandoned.

According to investigators, many of his belongings were gone, and there were signs he may have intentionally prepared to leave. Authorities later stated that Dane had allegedly sold personal possessions and vacated his residence before disappearing with the children.

For Lizzie and her family, that discovery instantly transformed concern into terror.

“When we learned this, we knew something was wrong,” she later said.

The Utah Department of Public Safety soon issued an AMBER alert, warning that the children were believed to be in “imminent danger of serious bodily harm or death.” Dane Richman was officially named as the primary suspect in the alleged abduction.

As the search intensified, investigators worked alongside federal agencies, including the FBI, to trace Dane’s possible movements. Authorities quickly suspected he may have traveled south toward the U.S.-Mexico border.

During the ordeal, Lizzie reportedly continued sending text messages to Dane, desperately trying to determine where her sons were and whether they were safe.

At one point, according to FOX 13, Dane allegedly responded with a message claiming he had simply taken the boys camping.

To investigators and family members, the explanation immediately raised suspicions.

Police later reportedly concluded that the text may have been sent while Dane was near San Diego and may have already crossed into Mexico by that point. The realization that the children could have been taken out of the country dramatically escalated fears surrounding the case.

Family members later described those hours as emotionally unbearable.

Relatives say Lizzie barely slept, constantly checking her phone for updates while imagining countless worst-case scenarios. Every hour without information deepened the panic. Because the children were both so young — one not yet even a year old — the family feared they were especially vulnerable.

Friends and relatives reportedly gathered around Lizzie throughout the search, trying to support her emotionally while investigators worked around the clock. According to family members, she remained remarkably composed outwardly despite privately falling apart under the pressure and uncertainty.

One family member later revealed that the emotional strain became almost impossible to process.

“The thought of those two little boys never being seen again was something none of us could even fully comprehend,” a relative wrote online after the children were found safe.

As media coverage spread nationwide, social media users also began following the case closely, sharing photos of the children and helping circulate information connected to the AMBER alert. Many parents online expressed heartbreak and fear while imagining what Lizzie must have been experiencing.

Meanwhile, investigators reportedly uncovered additional concerns regarding Dane’s mental state before the disappearance.

Authorities stated that Dane had been suffering from severe depression in the weeks leading up to the incident. According to police, he had isolated himself, abandoned his home, and made decisions suggesting he may have been preparing for a dramatic departure.

While investigators have not publicly identified a clear motive, the information raised concerns that Dane may have been emotionally unstable during the alleged abduction.

The uncertainty surrounding his mental condition only intensified fears for the safety of the children.

Then, after days of anxiety and nonstop searching, authorities finally received the breakthrough everyone had been praying for.

On Tuesday, May 26, officials announced that Will and Wesley had been located safely in San Felipe, a city in northwestern Mexico.

The update was shared publicly by Saratoga Springs Police and later reposted online by the FBI.

News of the boys’ recovery triggered an overwhelming emotional reaction from family members, many of whom had spent days fearing the worst.

Relatives described collapsing into tears upon learning the children had been found alive and unharmed.

One family member, Jenny Hirsch Tomich, later posted an emotional message on Facebook expressing relief and gratitude after the terrifying ordeal.

“We will appreciate every day from this day forward,” she wrote. “I have never experienced true terror to my family before this.”

She went on to describe how emotionally devastating the situation had become for Lizzie, saying the young mother had shown incredible bravery despite feeling herself emotionally unraveling as the days passed.

“Lizzie was so incredibly brave,” she wrote, “but losing herself more and more from the heartache she was feeling.”

The family also shared how eager they were to reunite with the boys and finally celebrate their safe return home after days filled with uncertainty and fear.

Authorities later confirmed that Dane Richman had been arrested on two counts of custodial interference. Additional charges could potentially follow depending on the outcome of the ongoing investigation.

At this stage, it remains unclear whether Dane has denied the allegations or retained legal representation. Officials have not publicly commented on whether extradition proceedings or federal charges may also become part of the case.

Meanwhile, many questions remain unanswered.

Investigators are still working to determine exactly how Dane allegedly crossed into Mexico with the children, how long he had been planning the trip, and what his intentions may have been once there.

The case has also sparked wider conversations online about custody disputes, parental abductions, mental health crises, and the emotional devastation these incidents can cause families.

For many parents following the story, the most haunting aspect remains the ages of the children involved. Will and Wesley were too young to understand the danger unfolding around them while adults scrambled across borders trying to bring them home safely.

Though the boys have now been found alive, relatives say the emotional scars from the ordeal will likely remain for a long time.

What began as unanswered texts and growing suspicion became a nightmare stretching across international borders — one that nearly ended in unimaginable tragedy.

Instead, for one Utah family, it ended with the moment they had prayed desperately for: the safe return of two little boys who almost disappeared forever.