Israeli man demands custody of daughters found living with Russian woman in Karnataka cave, says 'want to be father'

Time of India

16-07-2025

Days after a Russian woman and her two young daughters were discovered living in a forest cave near Gokarna, Karnataka, the story has taken a dramatic turn, one that now involves an emotional custody appeal by the children's Israeli father, Dror Goldstein.
As per a TOI report, Goldstein expressed his heartfelt plea: 'My wish is to be close to my two daughters. I demand shared custody. I want to be able to meet them, to be close to them and to be a father. That's all.'
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Life in the Wild: 'We woke up with the sun'
The children, Preya (6) and Ama (4), were found on 11 July alongside their mother,
Nina Kutina
, in a remote cave in the Ramatirtha hills of Kumta taluk. The trio had reportedly spent nearly two weeks there in isolation, relying entirely on their surroundings and minimal resources.
Kutina, an artist and traveller originally from Russia, told PTI that the life they led in the forest was not one of desperation, but of self-reliance and peace.
'We woke up with the sun, swam in rivers and lived in nature... We painted, sang songs, read books, and lived peacefully.'
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Their forest retreat, according to Kutina, was not a sign of neglect but a conscious escape from a world she believes often misunderstands people like her.
'A mother of four, with no hospital births'
Kutina described herself as a mother of four who has spent over 15 years travelling through nearly 20 countries. She said all her children were born without medical assistance, and she has personally educated them, including Preya and Ama, who have never been to formal school.
'They are very smart, healthy, and talented. Everyone who meets them says so,' she claimed, adding that she now intends to homeschool them formally.
Kutina earns through artwork, babysitting, teaching, and music videos. She also receives occasional support from her family.
'And if I can't find work, my brother, father or even my son helps me. So we always have enough money for what we need.'
'We were happier in the forest'
While the family was moved out of the forest for safety reasons, Kutina now claims that their current situation is far worse.
'We are now kept in an uncomfortable place. It's dirty, there's no privacy and we get only plain rice to eat,' she said in an interview, alleging that many of their belongings, including the ashes of her late son, were taken.
She insists the media coverage has misrepresented her.
'Everything shown on TV about us is false. I have videos and photos that show how clean and happy our life was before.'
An emotional return to India and questions over custody
Kutina said she hasn't returned to Russia due to personal losses and legal issues, the most devastating being the death of her son nine months ago.
'There were multiple personal losses, not just the death of my son, but also a few other close people. We were constantly dealing with grief, paperwork, and other problems.'
Despite visiting four other countries recently, Kutina says she always found herself returning to India.
'We love India deeply, its environment, its people, everything.'
She is now in contact with the Russian Embassy, which is reportedly offering her and the children assistance.
Inputs from TOI