THE distraught mother of two missing toddlers says she repeatedly warned attorneys and relatives about the children’s father months before police alleged he abducted the boys and disappeared across state lines, leaving behind an empty home, abandoned belongings and a desperate family searching for answers.

Elizabeth Tomich is now pleading publicly for the safe return of her sons, Wesley and Will, after authorities in Utah issued an Amber Alert for the two young children following their disappearance with their father, Dane Richman.

The alarming case has sparked growing concern across multiple states as investigators try to determine where Richman may have gone with the boys and whether they are currently living off the grid in remote areas of the western United States.

Tomich, 36, said the situation unfolding now is exactly what she feared would happen during an ongoing custody battle that began earlier this year.

According to the devastated mother, she raised concerns during legal proceedings in April about Richman’s increasingly erratic behavior and warned that he had the ability to vanish with the children for long periods of time.

“He could take the kids and go anywhere,” Tomich recalled telling attorneys during a deposition tied to their custody case.

The two parents had reportedly been co-parenting 22-month-old Will and 10-month-old Wesley since March while navigating a custody arrangement through the Utah court system. Under the agreement, the children alternated between parents weekly, with Tomich regularly flying from Washington state to Utah to retrieve her sons.

Tomich said the exchange process had followed a predictable routine for weeks.

“We would either meet in the parking lot of Thanksgiving Point or at the Maverick station,” she said. “That’s where we were supposed to meet. And he did not show.”

When Richman allegedly failed to appear at the scheduled pickup location, Tomich immediately contacted authorities. Saratoga Springs Police later issued an Amber Alert as concerns intensified over the children’s safety.

Investigators have since described Richman as someone potentially dealing with severe depression and financial stress prior to vanishing with the boys.

Tomich said she became even more alarmed after learning officers arrived at Richman’s home only to find signs suggesting he may have intentionally prepared to disappear.

According to the mother, neighbors told investigators that Richman had been giving away furniture and emptying the property in the days before he vanished.

“He gave away all of his furniture for free,” Tomich said emotionally. “One neighbor even offered to pay him, but he said not to worry because the bank was just going to take everything anyway.”

She also claimed Richman had allegedly told neighbors that he was losing the home because of financial problems and lawsuits, though Tomich questioned whether those claims were true.

Police have not publicly confirmed the details surrounding the condition of the home, but Tomich said the property appeared deserted when authorities arrived.

“They were hauling off a motorcycle and a truck,” she said.

The mother believes the disappearance may have been carefully planned over several weeks.

According to Tomich, Richman had gradually isolated himself from relatives, friends and coworkers before allegedly taking the children. She said he quit his job on May 11 and stopped communicating with many of the people closest to him.

“He has cut off ties with all of his family,” she said. “He’s not speaking to any of them. He’s not speaking to friends either.”

Tomich described Richman as someone capable of surviving in remote conditions and living outside traditional systems for extended periods of time.

“He’s very outdoorsy,” she explained. “He has lived out of his car before. He’s lived in a storage unit. He’s lived off the grid. He’s been homeless. He’s lived on a beach.”

She said that history made her especially fearful that authorities could face a difficult search stretching across several western states.

“This man can live anywhere,” she said.

Investigators believe Richman may currently be traveling in a black 2025 Toyota Camry bearing Utah license plate A561HL. Authorities noted the vehicle may now display temporary tags instead of the original plate.

Tomich added that the vehicle also carries a Carvana license plate frame that may help witnesses identify it.

Police say the children were last seen on May 16 when Richman picked them up from Tomich’s residence in Shelton, Washington, located southwest of Seattle.

The timeline after that point remains unclear.

Authorities have not publicly stated where Richman may have traveled after leaving Washington, but law enforcement agencies across several regions have reportedly been alerted to the case.

Tomich said one of the most painful parts of the ordeal has been realizing that many of the warning signs were visible months before the children vanished.

“He doesn’t know how to make clear and sound decisions,” she said. “He gets obsessive about really strange things and doesn’t see the bigger picture about what is safe for the children.”

The mother also alleged that Richman struggled emotionally during their relationship and often blamed her for his personal difficulties.

“He would blame me for his depression,” she said. “He threatened to leave me if I didn’t follow his rules.”

She further claimed he drank heavily, struggled with anger and increasingly distrusted those around him as the relationship deteriorated.

Despite the alarming circumstances, Tomich emphasized that Richman’s own family has remained cooperative with investigators throughout the search.

According to the mother, she still maintains a close relationship with several of Richman’s relatives and often stayed with his mother while traveling to Utah for custody exchanges.

“They don’t know where he is either,” she said.

The emotional strain of the disappearance has devastated both sides of the family, particularly because of the children’s young ages.

Will is described as approximately 2 feet 6 inches tall and weighing around 31 pounds, with blonde hair and blue eyes. Wesley is described as about 2 feet 2 inches tall and weighing approximately 23 pounds, also with blonde hair and blue eyes.

Authorities describe Richman as about 6 feet 2 inches tall, weighing around 195 pounds, with brown hair and green eyes.

Tomich added that Richman has braces, a receding hairline and several balding spots he may attempt to conceal beneath a baseball cap.

She said he usually wears loose blue jeans and does not wear jewelry, watches or tattoos that would help identify him.

As the search continues, Tomich says she is focused entirely on getting her children home safely.

Friends and supporters have flooded social media with photos of the toddlers while urging the public to remain alert for sightings of Richman or the vehicle.

Meanwhile, investigators continue piecing together Richman’s recent movements and examining whether he may have planned the disappearance well before the scheduled custody exchange.

Authorities have not announced any criminal charges publicly connected to the case so far, but law enforcement agencies continue urging anyone with information to come forward immediately.

For Tomich, every passing hour without answers has become increasingly unbearable.

The grieving mother says she hopes sharing her story publicly will help someone recognize the vehicle or remember a crucial detail that could lead authorities to her sons.

“I just want my babies safe,” she said. “That’s all I care about right now.”

As the Amber Alert remains active, police continue warning the public not to approach Richman if spotted and instead immediately contact emergency authorities.

The case has now drawn nationwide attention as investigators race against time to locate the missing toddlers and determine exactly where their father may have taken them.