Safety Tips: Parental Abduction

How to prevent abduction by a parent or family member, and what to do if a parental abduction occurs.

Each year hundreds of children fall victim to family abductions. Many believe these children are perfectly safe because they are with a family member; however, nothing could be farther from the truth. It is common for the child victims to have their names and appearance altered, to experience medical and physical neglect, unstable schooling, homelessness, and frequent relocations.

These children are often told lies about the abduction and the left-behind parent; even that the left-behind parent is dead. Most of these children live as fugitives: taught not to trust anyone, told to keep secrets about their past; unable to establish relationships with friends; and always on the run from the law. As a result of this form of serious child abuse, many child victims of family abductions experience psychological consequences and emotional distress. Children involved in family abductions are usually taken by the non-custodial parent as an act of revenge against the ex-spouse/custodial parent.

Preventing an abduction

Obtain legal custody of your child.

Specify in the custody order exact times and locations for visitation.

Ask for special prevention provisions.

Consider counseling or mediation to work toward resolving problems.

Always keep current information of your child on file.

Notify schools, daycare centers, and babysitters of custody orders.

If your child is abducted

File a missing person report with your local police and request an investigation.

Request your child be entered into the FBI's National Crime Information Center computer. (NCIC)

If you suspect the child has been taken out of the country, call the U.S. Department of State.

Contact the state Missing Children's Clearinghouse.

Contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST.

Consider asking the police or prosecutor to file criminal charges against the abductor.

Obtain a court order for custody of your child if you do not already have legal custody.

Contact your State Vital Statistics to have the Child's Birth Certificate Flagged.

Courtesy of http://bci.utah.gov/