Parental kidnapping occurs when one parent violates a custody order and takes their children away from the other parent. The parent then prohibits the other parent from seeing the children as a result of their actions.
Most parents don’t have to worry about parental kidnapping because they are reasonable with their custody schedules and agree to do what’s best for their children. Unfortunately, there are some cases where one parent is angry or upset about the custody situation, and they may try to run away with their children or directly ignore the custody schedule that was arranged.
Parental kidnapping is a serious charge
If your ex-spouse takes your children and runs away with them without permission from you or the court, this is a serious offense. They could face imprisonment and heavy fines as a result. They may also lose their right to custody in the future.
Are your children at risk of kidnapping?
You may not be sure if your children are at risk, but there are some red flags that should concern you: Suddenly seeing that your children have passports, finding out about a trip the other parent has planned but not discussed with you or seeing that the other parent suddenly started collecting copies of your children’s important documents. These should all signal that it’s time to have a discussion or to take legal action to stop the other parent from taking your children away unexpectedly.
Recognizing the signs of parental kidnapping early may help you stop a kidnapping before it happens, so your children stay safe with you. The right legal action may make a difference.