A British mother who ran away from her lesbian ex with their daughter has been arrested while trying to land a dinghy on the island of Jersey after three years on the run.
Lauren Etchells was in a relationship with Tasha Brown in Canada, but disappeared with their young daughter Kaydance in 2016, after the couple split and became embroiled in a custody battle.
Etchells said she wanted to start a relationship with the girl’s biological father, Marco van der Merwe, and for Kaydance ‘to grow up with her biological family’.
She is thought to have travelled through Europe and the Middle East while she was the subject of an arrest warrant.
Etchells, originally from South Shields, has now been arrested along with her parents Brian and Angela Etchells after they tried to land a 13-foot inflatable raft in the Channel Island, police in Canada have said.
The arrested group told officers they were holidaying in France and had decided to ‘pop over to Jersey for a visit’ when they were spotted on July, according to a statement from Saanich Police in Western Canada.
No one in the dinghy had passports and they were arrested on suspicion of immigration offences, police have said.
Jersey Police later said a 33-year-old woman, understood to be Etchells, had admitted immigration offences.
Two people in their 60s, understood to be their parents, have admitted aiding and abetting and immigration offences. Jersey Police did not name any of those who had appeared in court.
A spokesman for Jersey Police said: ‘Two children, a girl aged four and boy aged three, were also on board’.
It is understood Lauren faces possible extradition to Canada. She is being held in custody on the island for at least the next four weeks.
In a statement, Ms Brown, of Vancouver Island, said: ‘I am extremely grateful to learn she is in good health and good care.
‘I am celebrating. Kaydance is alive, and we know where she is. But I can’t celebrate 100 per cent yet. Not until Kaydance is back in Canada.’
Ms Brown continued: ‘I am spending today with my lawyer, and the various other agencies involved in bringing Kaydance home safely and soon. But there is a lot I still need to do.’
She thank law enforcement agencies in Canada and Europe who helped her during the search for her daughter.
She added: ‘I am also grateful for the love I received from the friends and family who kept me going during the lowest of lows. I guess a person can survive on hope. Thank you all for this reminder.’
Mr van der Merwe has previously denied being a sperm donor and insisted he thought Etchells was free to travel when she went missing.