Nelson had only recently reconnected with her son. They were rebuilding a relationship that had been severed a decade before by divorce and family troubles. And they were in daily contact as he travelled, exchanging messages via WhatsApp and Telegram. 

In early May, Laken told her he was in Denmark, working on a farm with some friends. A couple of weeks later, he asked for some money in order to buy a plane ticket to Warsaw. The last time they messaged was on May 22, shortly after he landed in Poland. A few hours later, he was in jail.

“I was told that Laken had been arrested and charged with espionage against the Polish government,” said Nelson. “It was devastating. Like your heart sinks. It’s your child and you can’t do anything. I can’t help him.