Dad Accused of Kidnapping Daughter Captured in Arizona

Aaron Aung has been charged with international parental kidnapping after he, his two-year-old daughter, and fiancée were found in Mexico earlier this month.

PULLMAN, Wash. — Federal charges have been filed against a Moscow father accused of kidnapping his two-year-old daughter in early July.

The U.S. District Court Eastern District of Washington has pressed charges against Aaron Aung for international parental kidnapping.

According to court documents, Aung conducted a custody exchange with the child’s mother, Samara Harmon, in late May. Aung was supposed to return the child by June 3 in Whitman County.

On the day of the scheduled exchange, Aung’s fiancée, Nadia Cole, reportedly vanished at SeaTac Airport. Cole’s parents said she was last seen walking out of the airport alone.

The Pullman Police Department reached out to Aung’s parents in an effort to locate Cole. They were told Aung had taken his daughter on a fishing trip to Montana. His parents were unaware of Aung’s location or if Cole was with him.

Harmon went to the Pullman Police Department for the custody exchange, but Aung and the child did not show up. His parents reported him missing, while Harmon indicated she had no contact with him prior to the planned exchange.

Harmon informed authorities of Aung’s past abusive behavior and his failure to pay child support. She was also in the process of filing criminal charges against him for non-payment.

Investigators later discovered that Aung was driving towards Mexico with his daughter and Cole. They were located in Mexico on July 4. Cole returned to the United States, while Aung and the child stayed behind.

Three days later, Mexican officials transported Aung and his daughter to the port of entry near Nogales, Arizona. U.S. Customs and Border Protection took custody of both.

Aung was detained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection due to his outstanding felony warrant out of Whitman County for first-degree custodial interference.