OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Ksenia Karelina was in Maryland for a student program in 2012.
"She was here, in Randallstown, working at a fruit stand, and this is how my son met her," recalled Eleonora Srebroski, Karelina's former mother-in-law who now lives in Owings Mills.
Ksenia lived in western Baltimore County after marrying Eleonora's son, moving to Los Angeles after their marriage ended, but staying in touch.
"He knew that she was going to visit her family, and he was wondering why she's not getting back with some news or something, because he was trying to get in touch with her and she would not respond. When I sent him the information, he was devastated and very much concerned," Srebroski said.
Karelina is in Russian custody, and her LA employer says it's for allegedly donating a little more than $50 to a Ukrainian charity; she is facing treason charges.
"It's been very difficult. I don't want to overreact or bring more drama to it, but I didn't sleep the first night i heard the news. It was reporters, it was phone calls it was emails and everything," Srebroski said.
Ksenia had been in Russia visiting family; video now shows her in handcuffs. Back in the US, those who know her are speaking out.
"So she was excited, she was more worried about not being around her grandparents, and they are very old. So she wanted to spend time with grandparents. So I of course bought her a plane ticket for her birthday, and surprised her, and it's hard for me because I bought that plane ticket. But she had no idea, we had no idea," said Chris van Heerden, Karelina's current boyfriend, on CNN Wednesday night.
American officials are now warning American citizens not to travel to Russia. Karelina has dual American and Russian citizenship.
Stateside, folks who knew Karelina are trying to raise as much awareness as they can.
"We know that she's in danger," Srebroski told WMAR. "We know we are not talking about freedom for her, we are actually talking about saving her life. Because if we do not help her, as America, as the country that she became citizen recently, nobody else will."