Yoko Ono’s Daughter Speaks on 1971 Kidnapping, Cult Upbringing

Kyoko Ono, daughter of artist Yoko Ono and her second husband Anthony Cox, has revealed for the first time the traumatic experiences of her childhood, including being kidnapped at age seven by her father during a custody dispute and subsequently raised in a cult. Despite her mother and stepfather John Lennon's extensive and highly publicized efforts to find her, Kyoko was unaware of their search as she grew up in isolation on a farm in rural America without modern conveniences like television. In court, she was forced to choose between her parents, ultimately selecting her father due to the closeness she felt with him and his family compared to her busy mother and John Lennon. Cox took her to Spain and later the U.S., where he refused to honor visitation rights, further complicating her separation from her mother. Kyoko reconnected with her mother only at the age of 30, describing the emotional relief but also the complex feelings of guilt and sadness that had haunted her. Today, Kyoko lives a quiet life in Colorado, reflecting cautiously on her past marked by high-profile family drama and a difficult upbringing in a cult environment.