A Connecticut mother of five children who vanished last week has apparently been involved in a tumultuous two-year custody and divorce battle with her estranged husband.
The Connecticut Post reports that 50-year-old Jennifer Dulos was reported missing Friday. She was last seen in New Canaan, driving a 2017 black Chevrolet Suburban. On Friday night, authorities said they located her vehicle but Dulos was nowhere to be found.
“The vehicle operated by Jennifer was located on Friday May 24th,” New Canaan police said on an Instagram post. “The reason a vehicle description was given in the most recent post was to provide the public with a description of the vehicle that Jennifer was operating on Friday May 24th.”
On Tuesday, Connecticut State Police and search dogs were at the woman’s residence off of Welles Lane in New Canaan, where they searched throughout surrounding wooded areas. The home is situated in what once was called “one of the nation’s wealthiest communities,” according to CNN Money.
Court records obtained by the outlet indicate that Dubos and her husband, Fotis Dulos, have been involved in a bitter custody battle and divorce proceedings for years. In 2017, Dulos filed for divorce after 13 years of marriage. She also filed for emergency custody of their five children, who are now between the ages of 8 and 13. The request was denied.
“The plaintiff has not established by a preponderance of the evidence that there is an immediate and present risk of physical danger or psychological harm to the parties’ children. As a result, the request for emergency relief is denied,” a 2017 court order read.
The couple had been sharing custody of the children through a temporary arrangement while court proceedings continued.
Before Dulos filed for divorce, the family lived in Farmington, but she unexpectedly took the children and moved to the New Canaan residence, a rental home.
Dubos was scheduled to appear at a court hearing Wednesday at the Stamford Courthouse, but it has since been postponed, according to her lawyer, Wayne Effron. The hearing was scheduled after a court-appointed guardian ad litem (GAL) filed a motion “regarding the safety of the children,” according to the Stamford Advocate.
According to FOX 61, friends and family members released a statement indicating that Dulos would have never left her children voluntarily.
“Those who know Jennifer know her to be a devoted mother; an extremely thoughtful, reliable, and organized woman; and attest that she would never, ever, disappear when she is responsible for the lives of five loving and energetic children…….Jennifer is 50 years of age, very slender, 5’7”, with a soft voice, dark brown eyes, and shoulder-length brown hair.”
No one has been named a suspect in Dulos’ disappearance. Fotis Dulos has not publicly commented on his wife’s disappearance.
Anyone with information regarding Dulos is urged to call the New Canaan Police Tip Line at 203-594-3544.
[Feature Photo: Jennifer Dulos/New Canaan PD via Instagram]
