Family Abduction – Preventative Measures

By: Holly Gayle Gershon 

Family abduction of a child – as a result of separation or divorce – occurs when a parent or a friend or relative of this parent removes and conceals a child without the permission of the other parent.

Abductors may illegally take a child to remove him or her to punish a divorced spouse. Whatever the manifest reason, abduction is always emotionally painful and is sometimes a form of abuse as well.

Parents can take several steps to minimize the risk of family abduction of their child.

• Seek a parenting plan for the child in court.
• Obtain a court order that limits and delineates when and where time sharing will occur.
• Request that the parenting plan specify abduction prevention measures.
• Suggest parental or family counseling to preempt a potential abduction.

Parents suspecting the probability of a family abduction should contact legal counsel.