A parent’s worst nightmare is not being able to see their child due to the other parent kidnapping them. Sadly, this is a reality for many parents in America and abroad. Parental abduction, particularly international abduction, is a difficult problem to deal with. It involves at least two governments, if not more, and it can be very difficult to bring a child home.
Preventing international child abduction is very important to the U.S. government. As a parent, you have some decisions that you can make to help prevent this from happening.
What can you do to prevent international kidnapping?
The first thing you should do is watch your child carefully. Listen to what they have to say after coming home from the other parent’s home. If the other parent is telling them that they’re going on a trip, for example, and that trip would be against the custody orders, this is something to address right away.
If there is any risk of your child being taken abroad without your permission, you should contact your attorney. If you believe your child has already been abducted and could be taken out of the country, then you should contact the Office of Children’s Issues Prevention Team. You should also contact airport police and the airlines as soon as possible while contacting law enforcement as well. Your attorney will help you obtain a court order to stop the abduction if possible.
Prevention is one of the best ways to keep your child out of trouble in these situations. Be wary if your child’s other parent is prone to violating custody orders.
