How to Deal With Parental Abduction

If your child is abducted by the other parent, you need to act quickly and involve law enforcement agencies. Gather all the information you have, and make sure it is distributed to missing-child agencies.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

1. Call the police the moment you suspect your child has been abducted by the other parent. Time is of the essence.

2. Have the police enter information about the abduction in the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) computer so that the information is available across the country. You do not have to file charges for this to occur.

3. Get in touch with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at [phone]. The center can help you search and get information about your child out to the public.

4. Gather recent photos and descriptions of the child and other parent, and distribute them to the police.

5. List names and addresses of anyone the parent might be with or anyplace the parent might have gone.

6. Ask for information from everyone you can think of who might know where the other parent has taken the child. Share all of this information with the police.

7. Contact local television stations for publicity.

8. Have friends and family pass out flyers and photos and post them prominently.

9. Obtain custody. Even if you currently have joint custody, you should file for full custody of the child. Most states will award full custody to the other parent when there has been a parental abduction. Having custody will make it easier for you to get other states and countries to assist you.

10. Contact the U.S. Department of State Passport Services at [phone], and have the child's name entered in the passport name-check system so that the child cannot be taken from the country.

11. Consider whether the other parent may have taken the child out of the country. If you believe this is the case, have the local police contact Interpol. You should also contact the U.S. Department of State and request that they open a Hague case. A Hague case requests assistance from the United Nations in tracking down the other parent.

12. Hire a private investigator. Public agencies do not have time to focus exclusively on your case. A private investigator works for you and will spend as much time tracking down your child as you can afford.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't give up hope. Your child is out there somewhere, and nothing can take away the love you have for each other.

Who Can Help Sponsored

[jdds08]

on 7/26/2009 Law Enforcement officers have 2 hours to enter case information into the NCIC. CITIZENS can NOT TELL officers to do it. Also, when the abductor is a parent, they will be listed in the NCIC Wanted Person file and flagged for child abduction.

[vcrfix]

on 11/5/2008 When is abduction considered when both parents have joint custody?

[bringzekehome]

on 2/10/2007 Please help me find my baby!! I have a website for him
bringzekehome.com

He is only 13 months old and has been gone for 11 days and I want and need him back so badly! I love him so much.
Lois Brown