To understand international parental kidnapping, you need to understand what parental kidnapping is. Parental kidnapping is when one parent kidnaps a child and keeps them away from the other parent, which is a somewhat common occurrence for a variety of reasons. These parental kidnappings are typically committed by a parent who has limited custodial rights and is therefore violating a custody order. A parent who kidnaps a child may do it for several reasons, but the safety of your child is always the top priority.
While many parental kidnappings occur in a single county or even city, some parents take a kidnaped child to another state. In extreme cases, a parent may kidnap a child and take them to another country, which is known as international parental kidnapping. This is a very serious offense and something you should take very seriously as the parent of a missing child. While we don’t see a ton of international parental kidnappings at The Committee for Missing Children, it’s not unheard of. When a child is taken to another country, getting them back home safely can be even more difficult and time-consuming.
If you’re worried about the possibility of your child’s other parent kidnapping them and taking them to another country, you should take precautionary steps to protect them. One of the best things you can do is make sure you have a clear court order outlining the custody rights of both parents, that way you have legal protection in case the other parent does take your child. You should also contact law enforcement right away if you believe the other parent may have kidnaped your child, especially if you think there’s a risk of an international kidnapping.
How Can You Prevent International Parental Kidnapping?
As a parent, it’s important to do everything in your power to protect your child and prevent parental kidnapping. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to reduce the risk of international parental kidnapping and make sure you have rights and legal protection if your child is kidnaped. The more you do to protect your child from parental kidnapping before it happens, the easier it will be to locate and reunite with your child if they are kidnaped. This is something you should consider during custody hearings, especially if you think your child’s other parent may be a high risk. Fortunately, The Committee for Missing Children can help you prevent international parental kidnapping and protect your child.
The first thing you need to do to prevent international parental kidnapping is make sure you have a clear court order that you can reference if your child is kidnaped. The legal side of things can be difficult to navigate when your child is kidnaped by another parent, so it’s important to make sure you have as much legal footing as possible. This can also help you keep your child around more often, which provides added protection.
One of the best things you can do to prevent international parental kidnapping is to talk to an attorney. An attorney can help you evaluate your specific situation to determine the best course of action when it comes to preventing parental kidnappings. Your attorney may even explore the option of obtaining a court order that prohibits a child from traveling outside the United States. Because the legal system can be so tough to navigate when it comes to missing children, working with an attorney to make sure you have protection in place is an important part of preventing kidnappings and protecting your child.
If the other parent of your child is from another country, you may want to contact the foreign embassy or consulate of that country. These agencies can let you know if the other parent has obtained a passport for your child in another country, which can be an early sign of a planned international parental kidnapping. That being said, there may not be a whole lot you can do to keep your child from becoming a dual citizen, especially if you don’t have full custodial rights. An attorney can provide more information about dual citizenship for children and preventing your child from leaving the country.
If you believe your child may have been kidnaped at any time, you should contact local law enforcement and let them know. The sooner you make local law enforcement aware of a kidnapping, the sooner they can start looking for your missing child. You should also provide law enforcement agencies with copies of court orders that may be relevant to the kidnapping.
As a parent, it’s important to understand that there is no exit controls when a person is leaving the United States. A child doesn’t need to have consent from both parents in order to leave the country, and border security probably won’t ask a lot of questions as long as there’s a parent present. Because of this, it’s important to work with an attorney to make sure you have court orders in place that prevent your child from leaving the United States, especially if you believe they may be at risk for international kidnapping.
The best thing you can do to protect your child and prevent international parental kidnappings is to get help. The Committee for Missing Children can help point you in the right direction if you need help obtaining court orders and getting protection in place for your child. To find out more about preventing international parental kidnappings, contact The Committee for Missing Children.
