Kenyan Woman Launches Legal Fight to Reclaim Daughter Held in Russia

Faith Jerop, a 23-year-old Kenyan woman, is engaged in a determined legal effort to regain custody of her one-year-old daughter, Maya, who remains in Russia with her father, a 41-year-old Russian national. 

Jerop's pursuit follows a series of disturbing events in Moscow, where she alleges she was subjected to isolation, manipulation, and ultimately separated from her child under false pretenses. Jerop's journey to Russia began on April 11, 2025, driven by her partner's assertion that his ailing father wished to bequeath an inheritance to Maya. Despite initial reservations and her mother's warnings, Jerop agreed to travel to Moscow, believing it was in her daughter's best interest.

"Her partner insisted that his father was on his deathbed and wished to leave Maya an inheritance, creating a sense of pressure and inevitability," she recounts.

Upon arrival, Jerop's suspicions were immediately aroused when her partner deviated from the plan to visit his family home, instead taking her to a small apartment. This arrangement, combined with his increasingly erratic behavior, fostered a growing sense of unease and isolation.

Jerop claims that her partner's demeanor underwent a dramatic shift shortly after their arrival. He allegedly took her on unsettling nighttime excursions and, on one occasion, locked her in the apartment while taking Maya away under the guise of visiting his mother. Upon his return, Jerop alleges, he became increasingly agitated and violent.

"When I asked what was wrong, he pushed me and told me to shut up. I screamed, and he tried to throw me out of the apartment," Jerop recounts.

The situation escalated further when her partner allegedly presented a lawyer who falsely accused Jerop of being mentally unstable and a danger to Maya. Unable to communicate effectively in Russian and lacking any local support, Jerop felt trapped and vulnerable. Recognizing the severity of her situation, Jerop secretly contacted her mother in Kenya via WhatsApp. Her mother, in turn, mobilized efforts to seek assistance. With the help of Kenyan nationals in Russia, Jerop was able to access her TikTok account through a VPN and began livestreaming daily at 7 p.m., pleading for help from her followers.

Her online appeals garnered widespread attention, eventually reaching the Kenyan Embassy in Moscow, which promptly intervened to ensure her safety. Embassy officials arranged for her placement in a secure facility, protecting her from further manipulation by her partner. However, even as she sought refuge, her partner allegedly attempted to impede her escape by falsely claiming that Jerop was suffering from tuberculosis, an assertion intended to delay or prevent her departure from Russia. The Kenyan Embassy was quick to act, bringing Jerop back to Kenya.

Jerop's return to Kenya marked the end of her immediate ordeal, but it also signaled the beginning of a new battle, the fight to reclaim her daughter. Now back in Kenya, she now must fight to bring her child home. Jerop has initiated a fundraising campaign to cover the estimated Sh2 million (approximately $15,000 USD) in legal fees required to pursue custody in Russia.

"Every day, I feel like something is missing inside me. If Maya were dead, I would mourn her. But she is alive, and I have no idea how she is," she laments.

Jerop's story has garnered the attention of human rights organizations, diaspora communities, and Kenyan officials, prompting calls for diplomatic intervention to secure Maya's return. Her family is urging the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and global advocacy groups to take action.

"I've healed; I'm strong. I'm ready to fight for my daughter. She is the only thing that matters to me now," she affirms.