The father of two young autistic boys fears for their safety after their mother, an heiress to a Sri Lankan tea fortune, disappeared with them in March. Ben Baier, a financier living near Denver, Colorado, said the only time he has seen his sons, Blaine, five, and Nathaniel, three, since their mother failed to return them is on television.
Nishika Samaratunga, a 34-year-old British citizen originally from Sri Lanka, is believed to be concealing the children's whereabouts. A US judge has expressed concern that the boys are "vulnerable" and "in imminent danger." The Colorado court that granted Mr. Baier full custody of the children in October 2025 had previously raised concerns about Ms. Samaratunga's potential to abduct them, restricting her contact to supervised visits in London.
Mr. Baier stated that his ex-wife's actions have been deeply distressing. "This is hard to say but the only reason I know that the boys are still alive is that she put a video out on Sri Lankan news of my oldest, Blaine, crying into the camera," he told The Times. He added that he tries to avoid looking at photos and videos of his sons to cope with the emotional toll.
Nishika Samaratunga is the great-granddaughter of Noel Servulus Oswald (NSO) Mendis, who in 1956 acquired the Sri Lankan tea producer Mackwoods, becoming the first Sri Lankan to own a British plantation company. The conglomerate has since expanded into healthcare, energy, IT, and tourism.
Mr. Baier has initiated High Court proceedings in London in an attempt to locate his sons. His legal team has raised concerns that the children may not be attending school or receiving necessary medical care. Both boys have autism, and Mr. Baier emphasized the damaging impact abrupt changes to their routine can have on their development and health.
The couple married in 2020, and Ms. Samaratunga moved to the U.S., but their relationship ended in 2024. Ms. Samaratunga had sought to relocate the children to London in August 2025, but her request was denied. Despite this, a Colorado court ordered in October 2025 that Mr. Baier be the primary custodial parent, while also mandating that the children remain in the state. However, the court allowed Mr. Baier to take the children to England for regular visits.
The first visit occurred between December 2025 and January 2026. When Mr. Baier attempted to bring his sons back to the U.S. after their second visit in March 2026, Ms. Samaratunga did not return them, violating the Colorado court's order. Authorities in Colorado had authorized law enforcement to take custody of the children in April 2026, citing a "credible risk that the children are in imminent danger" and evidence of a "planned abduction."