What is parental kidnapping?

Although family law courts discourage and frown upon parental kidnapping, many custody disputes, unfortunately, result in a game of tug-of-war over children. Before you participate in a seemingly strategic game of snatch and grab, you should understand what are and are not considered parental abductions in your state.

What constitutes parental kidnapping?

Even though many states do not have a penal code entitled “Parental Kidnapping,” most have structured their general kidnapping laws to provide for the same type of offense as a parental child abduction crime.

Until an order is entered which limits one parent’s rights or access to children, both parents have equal custodial rights and visitation rights to the children. If a divorce or child custody suit has not been filed, then either parent can take their children and exercise custody over them. If one parent decides to take their children out of school early for an extended weekend trip, they can because there is no physical custody order limiting their right to do so. This may be annoying to the other parent, but it is not child abduction. The important caveat, though, is that the person taking the kids must actually be one of the legal parents of the children.

When it comes to parental rights, it is not enough that someone has functioned as a parent of the children. For example, if a man lives with a woman and her children for eight years and as far as the child knows and believes, the man is his father, the function of parenthood will not grant the man the same custody rights as a biological parent. If he wants the same access and status as a parent, he must petition a family court and obtain those rights. A person with legal custody of their child pursuant to a court order cannot usually be charged with parental kidnapping. However, a parent who violates a custody order and then snatches or conceals a child can potentially be charged with parental kidnapping.

What are the parental kidnapping laws by state?

Parental kidnapping laws vary from state to state, but typically involve the non-custodial parent kidnapping a child by taking them without consent and keeping them secluded and hidden from the custodial parent. Some parents are surprised to learn that their state does not require the use of force or a weapon to support the criminal charge of parental kidnapping. The unlawful retention of the child is enough to support a charge of parental kidnapping.

Usually, any state parental kidnapping laws state general kidnapping rules, but some will more specifically tailor their kidnapping laws to address parental kidnapping. Michigan kidnapping laws, for example, provide that a parent cannot keep a child for more than 24 hours with the intent to conceal them. If your state does not have a more “tailored” statute, it will most likely include exceptions or affirmative defenses for those situations where a defendant “kidnaps” their own child. Even though Michigan prohibits a parent from keeping a child for longer than 24 hours, it does include a defense for the parent attempting to protect their child from an actual threat.

Texas has a similar requirement that the parent’s sole intent was to assume lawful control of the child. The focus of this “lawful custody” defense is on the offending parent’s intent. If a parent kidnaps their child to punish or terrorize their ex-spouse and also tries to get lawful custody, the terrorizing intent will disqualify the parent from successfully proving their lawful custody defense.

What is the lawful custody defense regarding parental kidnapping?

The “lawful custody” defense is frequently used to defeat parental kidnapping charges. However, keep in mind that this defense may not work on other charges or sanctions. If a custody order was in place, the offending parent could be charged with a lesser charge called “interference with child custody.” If the family law court has concerns that the person was snatching, but not kidnapping, the family law court could also sanction you with contempt for the violation and require you to pay the other parent’s attorney fees incurred in getting the child back.

How can you get legal help?

Custody battles are frustrating. They are especially difficult for parents who try to do the right thing and extremely distressing for the children who get pulled in different directions. Before you resort to a game of tug-of-war, consult with a family and criminal law attorney to make sure that you are not tugging your way into a parental kidnapping charge.

Case Studies: Parental Kidnapping Laws and Defenses

Case Study 1: Violation of Custody Order

Sarah and John are divorced, and they have a custody agreement in place that grants joint custody of their children. Despite this, Sarah decides to take the children and move to a different state without John’s consent. In this case, Sarah’s actions would likely be considered parental kidnapping because she violated a custody order and concealed the children from John. She may face legal consequences for her actions.

Case Study 2: Lack of Legal Custody

Lisa and Mike are unmarried parents, and there is no court order regarding child custody. One weekend, Lisa decides to take their child on a trip without informing Mike. Since there is no custody order in place, Lisa’s actions would not be considered parental kidnapping. However, it may still create tension and disputes between the parents, highlighting the importance of establishing legal custody rights.

Case Study 3: Intent to Protect the Child

Alex, a parent, discovers that their ex-spouse has been engaging in abusive behavior towards their child. Concerned for the child’s safety, Alex decides to take the child and temporarily hide them from the abusive parent. In this case, Alex may invoke the lawful custody defense by arguing that their actions were motivated by the intent to protect the child. The court may consider this defense and weigh it against the charges of parental kidnapping.