In September 2008, Prince Sattam allegedly kidnapped Aya when she and her mother visited Saudi Arabia. Cohen-Ahnine said that she had been accused by the Saudi authorities of being a Muslim who converted to Judaism, a capital crime in Saudi Arabia, and was held in the prince's palace. However, she reportedly escaped when a maid left her door open and fled to the French embassy, and subsequently returned to France. Since then, Aya has been living in a palace in Riyadh, while France's Foreign Ministry (as well as former French President Nicolas Sarkozy) attempted to bring the child back to France. Aya spoke occasionally with her mother by telephone.