| This is the third time this month that your ex-spouse | | | | visitation order. |
| shows up late to return your child after visitation. | | | | 3. The non-custodial parent starts to show a deep and |
| Maybe it is the second time he or she asks your | | | | constant need to be closer to the child. |
| permission for the child to spend the night over, three | | | | 4. The relationship with the child becomes the center |
| hours after the child was supposed to be returned. | | | | of the non-custodial parent's life. |
| While some of these behaviors are typical of a normal | | | | 5. The non-custodial parent starts putting money away |
| parent child relationship, they could also be signs of an | | | | for his or her plan. |
| imminent child abduction attempt by your ex-spouse. | | | | 6. The non-custodial parent shows up at school and |
| The study "Issues in Resolving Cases of International | | | | doctors' offices to request copies of your child's |
| Child Abduction by Parents" conducted by the United | | | | records. |
| States Department of Justice's Office of Juvenile | | | | 7. The non-custodial parent starts studying a foreign |
| Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) in 1998, | | | | language, or travels to another state or country, in |
| revealed many interesting findings regarding the | | | | which he or she had family or used to live years ago. |
| wrongful practice of parents kidnapping their children | | | | 8. You start to notice that your child is withdrawing |
| after losing a custody fight. Parental kidnapping - also | | | | from you. |
| known as parental or child abduction- is the act of | | | | The study conducted by the OJJDP showed that |
| removing and retaining a child in violation of a custody | | | | younger children were the preferred victims of |
| and visitation order. The child can be removed from his | | | | abductor parents, perhaps because they can offer |
| or her habitual residence to another state or even | | | | less resistance. Another interesting finding of this study |
| another country. In any case, it is a serious issue. Child | | | | was that in the cases in which the child was |
| abductions are penalized by civil and criminal laws. In | | | | recovered, the period of separation lasted less than |
| the civil context, the abductor's parental rights will | | | | one year. Thus, the sooner you report the abduction to |
| almost certainly be terminated. He or she might also | | | | local enforcement agencies, the more likely your child |
| face criminal charges leading to incarceration. | | | | will return home promptly. After more than 5 years, |
| Nearly one half of the reported abductions in this study | | | | recovery is highly improbable and not favored by the |
| revealed that the kidnapping occurred during a | | | | courts. |
| court-ordered visitation in which the child was never | | | | You can prevent your child's abduction. You must be |
| returned. | | | | tough with your ex-spouse when he or she shows up |
| Parental kidnapping is not very often the case of a | | | | regularly late to return your child. One thing you must |
| sudden or spur of the moment decision. A long and | | | | do is to warn him or her that the violations of the |
| methodic planning usually precedes every kidnapping. | | | | visitation plan will not be tolerated, and that next time |
| You might be able to tell that your ex-spouse is | | | | you are going to notify the courts. If you won your |
| planning something devious if you see some of these | | | | child's custody over a high conflict divorce proceeding, |
| signs: | | | | you should always keep records of your ex-spouse's |
| | | | employment, driver's license, auto tag number, address |
| 1. Visitations are regularly prolonged by the | | | | and some of his or her friends' names and phone |
| non-custodial parent. | | | | numbers, if possible. This will help authorities as they |
| 2. The non-custodial parent fails to follow up with the | | | | attempt to search and locate your child. |