An estimated 30,000 children have been kidnapped from the United States by a parent to a foreign country since the federal government began keeping track in 1994. International parental kidnapping—a child’s wrongful removal from the U.S. or wrongful retention in another country by a parent or other family member—is a complex subject. Whether you are trying to prevent an abduction, locate a kidnapped child in another country, or navigate the legal and emotional impacts, you are not alone.
Recognizing the Warning Signs & Taking Preventive Action
After a child is taken abroad, that country’s laws, policies, and procedures dictate what happens. U.S. laws don’t apply, even if the child is a U.S. citizen. Therefore, prevention is key. Look for red flags such as a parent abandoning employment, selling a primary residence, terminating a lease, closing financial accounts, or applying for a passport or travel documents for the child.
Critical Prevention Steps:
- Seek court provisions: Ask a judge to declare the U.S. as the child's "country of habitual residence" to establish jurisdiction and prevent foreign travel.
- Open a prevention case: Contact the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Children’s Issues to track warning signs like passport applications.
- Enroll your child in PAP: Utilize the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Prevent Abduction Program (PAP) if you have an enforceable court order prohibiting the child's removal from the U.S.
- Passport alerts: Enroll in the Children’s Passport Issuance Alert Program (CPIAP) to be notified if a U.S. passport application is submitted for your child.
Immediate Steps to Take if Your Child is Missing
Time is of the essence if you discover your child has been taken.
- Contact Local Police: File a missing person's report immediately and ask the officer to enter your child into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) Missing Person File with the "CA" (Child Abduction) flag.
- Request an AMBER Alert: If the case meets specific criteria—such as imminent danger of serious bodily injury or death—ask law enforcement to issue an AMBER Alert.
- Contact the FBI: Request to speak with a Crimes Against Children Coordinator and ask them to file an INTERPOL Yellow Notice to help locate your child internationally.
- Update the Office of Children's Issues: Inform your assigned country officer to coordinate the federal response and see if filing an urgent Hague application is an option.
Navigating Civil & Criminal Remedies
- The Hague Abduction Convention: An international treaty designed to ensure the prompt return of children who have been wrongfully removed or retained. You can file a Hague application to seek your child's return or to seek access and visitation.
- The Goldman Act: A U.S. law that establishes a framework to engage with foreign countries and mandates escalating actions against nations that fail to comply with their Hague obligations.
- Criminal Charges: International parental kidnapping is a federal crime under the International Parental Kidnapping Crime Act (IPKCA). However, be aware that filing criminal charges can sometimes delay or hurt your civil Hague case by making foreign courts reluctant to return the child if the abducting parent faces imprisonment.
Federal Partners in Abduction Recovery
Strong inter-agency coordination is critical. Utilize these federal resources for international cases:
U.S. Department of State: Office of Children’s Issues
Serves as the U.S. Central Authority for the Hague Abduction Convention and your primary federal contact.
Explore U.S. State Dept. Resources
U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ)
Learn about the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) and the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC), which may provide victim compensation funds.
National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC)
NCMEC provides legal technical assistance, emotional support, and professional referrals. Families and law enforcement can call 800-THE-LOST (800-843-5678).
Training & Resources for Law Enforcement
AATTAP provides leading resources and training programs to help law enforcement, professionals, and families respond effectively to family abductions.
Global Rapid Emergency Child Alert Systems
The massive success of the AMBER Alert system in the United States has inspired the creation of Rapid Emergency Child Alert Systems in dozens of countries worldwide. While each nation establishes its own alerting criteria based on local laws, these programs unite under a common mission: leveraging the eyes and ears of the public to bring endangered children home.
Global Alert Systems Include:
- Global Missing Children's Network (GMCN): Led by the International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children (ICMEC), the GMCN and its GMCNgine platform unite over 30 member countries across 5 continents to share best practices and issue rapid child alerts.
- AMBER Alert Europe: The European Child Rescue Alert and Police Network connects citizens with law enforcement across 16+ countries within the EU to coordinate massive cross-border public awareness when a child goes missing.
- Regional AMBER Alerts: Countries including Canada, Mexico (Alerta AMBER), Australia, and South Korea have launched dedicated systems, ensuring that international boundaries do not stop the search for missing and abducted children.