International parental kidnappings of U.S.
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It is common for the removal of a child to occur during a heated or emotional marital dispute, in the early stages of separation or divorce, or in the waiting period for a court custody order or agreement. Convicted offenders of this crime can face up to three years of imprisonment.Ĭhild Victims of International Parental KidnappingĮvery year, situations of international parental kidnapping are reported in the United States. In this situation, the father has committed the federal crime of international parental kidnapping. During a martial dispute, the father moves with his son to another country in order to keep him away from the mother with no intent of return. For example, consider that a married couple had a son together in the United States. Section 1204 makes it a federal crime for a parent or other individual to remove or attempt to remove a child from the United States or retain a child outside the United States with intent to obstruct another person’s custodial rights.
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In 1993, Congress passed the International Parental Kidnapping Crime Act (“IPKCA”), which created a federal international kidnapping offense, codified at Title 18, United States Code, Section 1204.
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Department of Justice (July 2018), page 3.Įvery day, children in the United States are wrongfully removed from the United States or retained outside of the United States in violation of parental rights. A Law Enforcement Guide on International Parental Kidnapping, U.S. “International parental kidnapping can have serious emotional, psychological, and even physical consequences for the abducted child.”