Missing Connecticut Mom of 5 Was Embroiled in a Long Custody Battle

Jennifer Dulos, 50, has been missing since May 24, 2019, according to police. New Canaan Police

A Connecticut mother who has been missing since May 24 was reportedly involved in a divorce and custody battle that had gone on for two years.

Police are searching for Jennifer Dulos, 50, who was last seen driving a 2017 black Chevrolet Suburban in New Canaan, according to a statement. Local and state police officers, as well as trained dogs, are scouring a wooded area near Dulos’s home, in hopes of locating the mother of five, reported the CT Post.

Authorities say they located the Chevrolet Suburban on the same day it was missing.

As the search for Dulos intensified, new information revealed that she was allegedly embroiled in a custody battle with her estranged husband, Fotis Dulos, who she was married to for 13 years, according to the news website.

The couple had five children, aged between 8 and 13, including two sets of twins. The children are being represented by a court-appointed guardian ad litem (GAL), an individual who ensures that “the best interests of the child” is represented if the parents are unable to resolve a parenting or child related dispute.

Documents reviewed by Fox 61 showed that Dulos filed for divorce in 2017. At the time, the family resided in Farmington, where Fotis operated his construction business.

In June 2017, Dulos decided to take her children and moved to a rental property in New Canaan, CT Post reported, citing a court order. She reportedly had plans to move to Pound Ridge, New York.

The next month, Dulos filed an emergency order for full custody, which was denied because the filing had not shown enough evidence of “an immediate and present risk of physical danger or psychological harm to the parties’ children,” CT Post reported, citing a court document.

The couple ended up agreeing on a temporary arrangement for custody pending their divorce proceedings.

The couple had a scheduled custody hearing on May 29, which has now been delayed, Jennifer’s lawyer, Wayne Effron, told the New York Post.

Friends and family of Dulos said in a statement obtained by Fox 61 that they were heartbroken to learn about her disappearance and have thanked the community and authorities for their help in locating her.

“Since learning of the disappearance of Jennifer Farber Dulos, our beloved daughter, mother, sister, cousin, aunt, and friend, we have been heartbroken; at the same time, we are moved and inspired by the support, assistance, concern, and love extended by so many,” the statement read.

“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 gentle, kind, intelligent, and funny, and above all she prioritizes the health and happiness of her children. She and the children have been embraced by the New Canaan Country School community, where they have made good friends and are active in athletics and arts,” it also stated.

Dulos has been described as a very slender, 5 foot 7, female with a soft voice, dark brown eyes, and shoulder-length brown hair.

Anyone with information related to Jennifer Dulos’ whereabouts should contact the New Canaan Police Tip Line at 203-594-3544.