High Court Hunt Continues for Missing Brothers Abducted by Mother

​A desperate search is underway for two young brothers believed to have been abducted by their mother, Nishika Samaratunga, in a case that has left a Colorado father pleading for their safe return.

​Five-year-old Blaine Baier and three-year-old Nathaniel “Nate” Baier have been missing since March 29. The boys, both of whom have autism, were in the United Kingdom for a scheduled court-ordered visit with their mother. When their father, 43-year-old Ben Baier, arrived at a UK airport to collect his sons for their return to the United States, Ms. Samaratunga failed to appear. She has not been seen with the children since.

​The parents’ custody battle has been ongoing since their 2024 divorce. Following a series of failed attempts by Ms. Samaratunga to relocate the children to London, a Colorado court designated Mr. Baier as the primary custodial parent and ordered that the boys reside in the US. However, the court also granted Ms. Samaratunga visitation rights, requiring Mr. Baier to facilitate travel to England for the children to see their mother.

​Legal representatives for Mr. Baier have expressed grave concerns for the children’s welfare, noting that they are not believed to be attending school or receiving necessary medical care. In April, a Colorado judge authorized US law enforcement to intervene, citing a “credible risk that the children are in imminent danger” and suggesting that Ms. Samaratunga’s actions were the result of a calculated, planned abduction.

​The High Court in London has since taken the rare step of lifting reporting restrictions, allowing for the public release of the family’s names and photographs in hopes of locating the boys. Despite court orders issued to major entities, including the NHS and various financial institutions, to assist in tracing the mother’s movements, her current whereabouts remain unknown.

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​Mr. Baier, who is navigating the legal complexities of both US and UK jurisdictions, has spoken publicly about the trauma inflicted on his children, emphasizing that the sudden disruption to their established routines is severely detrimental to their development.

​”I never believed that Nishika would abduct Blaine and Nathaniel and then conceal their whereabouts in an effort to keep them from me,” Mr. Baier said. “I’m calling for her to do the right thing and return them to me so they can return to their life as normal.”

​As the search passes the three-month mark, authorities and the children’s legal team are urging anyone with information to come forward to assist in securing the boys’ safe return to their home in Colorado.