Family of missing US woman speak out after she's 'found' alive thousands of miles away living a totally different life
The family of a missing woman who was 'found' in a Scottish forest have spoken out, despite the woman insisting she is there by choice.
Kaura Taylor, from Texas, made headlines recently when she was discovered in Scotland after allegedly vanishing without a trace from her home in the US.
The 21-year-old, who is a mother-of-one, was 'found' with a 'King and Queen' in the woodland, who claim they are leaders of a lost tribe.
She now goes by the name 'Asnat of Atehene' and 'Lady Safi', and the tribe is calling the area of forest in Jedburgh the 'Kingdom of Kubala', claiming they are taking back land that belonged to their ancestors 400 years ago.
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Asnat is joined by a former opera singer, King Atehene, 36, and his wife, Queen Nandi, 43.
Kaura's distraught family have spoken to The Independent about how she disappeared three months ago.
Her aunt, Teri Allen, said: "It is very stressful, and difficult. It breaks our heart. We’re overly concerned about Kaura, but she doesn't think anyone is concerned about her."
However, Taylor has hit back, claiming she wasn't 'missing' at all, and it was her choice and free will to stay away, stressing she is 'an adult, not a helpless child'.
She wrote on Facebook: "I’m very happy with my King and Queen, I was never missing, I fled a very abusive, toxic family," after she originally started talking to the 'King' online back in 2023.
Her relatives dispute her claim, insisting she was raised in the church and that she was 'very sheltered and protected'.
King Atehene said: "We live a very simple life of returning to innocence.
"We connect to nature. We connect to the trees around us. We get grounded every morning. We bathe in the springwater. We are living a simple life of relying daily on the creator for food, shelter and clothing.
"We live in a tent without walls, but we are not afraid of anyone, for we have the protection of the creator, Yahowah."
Allen hit out at the tribe's religion, saying: "It's a bunch of hogwash," and claims Taylor found the group via a classmate in high school.
She claimed that Taylor hid what she was doing and soon became isolated from her friends and family, despite living with her other aunt, Vandora Skinner.
Skinner told The Independent that Taylor went missing in May, and described her as a 'very very unruly teen', and claimed she could be 'very disrespectful'.
"She lived in a four-bedroom house, with her own room, and maybe I shouldn't have been as light on her as I was, I allowed her boyfriends to come over, but maybe I shouldn't have. But I did get her to graduate high school," Skinner added.
Apparently, Taylor also tried to persuade her boyfriend to move to Scotland, but her aunt says he was put off by the 'ungodly rituals' they allegedly carry out.
Her daughter was just eight months old when she left.
Skinner said her niece texted her saying: "We had to get out and explore a little bit," but then didn't reply when Skinner tried to find out where she was, and said she never heard from her again.
It wasn't until Skinner spoke to Taylor's ex that she found out what allegedly happened.
"I called her ex-boyfriend and that's when he told me about the [Kingdom’s] Facebook page and that she said she was going to the U.K. I looked up the Facebook page and sure enough, there she was," Skinner said.
Taylor's mother apparently thought the photos were 'photoshopped'.
They have been photographed wearing robes and dancing around campfires, with Taylor seen bowing before the King and Queen, offering them food.
Her family are said to be particularly upset by a video Taylor posted saying that she considers herself to be the King's second wife.
"Now she’s talking about, she’s married to this man and he can have as many wives as he wants?" Skinner exclaimed.
The family believe she arrived in the UK on May 25, with a six-month tourist visa, so they hope it means she will be forced to return to Texas in November, when it runs out.
King Atehene said: "We follow the laws of the creator - everything belongs to the ones who made it. We do not believe that any authority owns the land. The earth belongs to the father.
"We do not know about any eviction - all we know is that we are here to stay and establish our authority and power, just like our ancestors did."
The Scottish Borders Council has been liaising with the police regarding the situation.
A spokesperson said: "This has included the provision of advice and information about housing options and other support services."
Jen Thomas