6 Consequences of Kidnapping Your Own Child

Divorce is never easy. It is even more difficult when there are children involved. Many parents are unhappy with the way child custody agreements are laid out. Therefore, they may feel an undue amount of pressure to remain involved in their child’s life. Occasionally, this can lead to parental kidnapping. Even though a lot of parents think they are doing the right thing because it is still their child, the reality is that they are in violation of court orders. Therefore, they could face a wide variety of consequences. If you could not be a run child, what are a few examples of consequences you may face? There are several important points to keep in mind.

1. You May Face Significant Fines

First, if you kidnap a child, even if that child is related to you by blood, you could face a significant find. No matter what type of criminal or civil act you are charged with, there’s a good chance you will face significant financial penalties. Particularly if you already have to pay child support and alimony, this fine can be significant. Therefore, parents should abide by the child custody arrangements they have in place. If they kidnap a child, they could face significant financial repercussions.

2. You Could Face Jail Time

It is also possible parents could end up facing jail time. Remember that kidnapping is a criminal action. Some forms of kidnapping might be misdemeanors while others might be felonies. It depends on the exact nature of the crime. It also depends on the location in which the kidnapping takes place. Furthermore, the track record of the parent will also be taken into account. For example, if the parent already has a criminal record, the penalties could be more severe. Therefore, it is critical for parents to take a close look at the child custody agreement. Even though they may think the child has their own, so it cannot be considered kidnapping, this is simply not the case. It is entirely possible for parents to still be charged with kidnapping and end up in jail.

3. You Might Face Federal Charges

In a lot of situations, kidnapping a child is a state issue. On the other hand, there are situations where parents could end up facing federal charges. If the kidnapped child does not leave the state, this is considered a state issue. On the other hand, if the child leaves the state and ends up crossing state lines, it becomes a federal issue. In this situation, parents could end up facing multiple types of charges. This could end up making financial and jail penalties even worse. This is also a situation where parents may need help recovering a missing child. It can be incredibly difficult to track a missing child across state lines.

4. You Could Lose Your Visitation Rights

If parents try to kidnap their own children, they could end up losing visitation rights. Keep in mind that the entire goal of the court system is to do whatever is in the best interests of the child. If one parent kidnaps the child, the court system could decide that the parent has no longer fit to raise a child. Therefore, parents could end up losing what little visitation rights they already have. This is something that will be taken into account during the civil or criminal process. It is entirely possible that parents could have their visitation rights amended by the court system.

5. You May Be Forced to Comply with Specific Programs

Parents could also be forced to comply with specific programs. When one parent kidnaps his or her own child, this is a sign that the parent could be unstable. As a result, the court system could decide to force that parent to enroll in some sort of program, such as counseling. Furthermore, the court system could also order the parent to pay for this program. When this is piled on top of other fines, this could be difficult for parents to comply with. It also takes a significant amount of time that the parent would probably like to spend doing something else. These programs are usually not easy.

6. You Could Lose the Faith of Your Child

Finally, one of the biggest consequences of kidnapping your own child is that you could lose the faith of your child. In a lot of situations, parents lie to their children in order to convince them to get in the car. After all, they do not want to physically harm their child. When the child realizes that the parent has lied to them, they are likely to lose faith in that parent. This can be difficult for parents and children, harming a familial relationship even more. Again, it is important for parents to abide by the rule of law. They should never kidnap their own child.
Help with Parental Kidnappings, Regardless of Borders
If your child has been kidnapped, you may be wondering what to do next. You might be worried that your child crosses state lines, making it harder to find him or her. That is where we can help you. We are The Committee for Missing Children, Inc., and we have a tremendous amount of experience helping parents find their children, no matter where they might be located. We understand just how stressful it can be to deal with a child who has gone missing. We have connections with resources all over the country that can help you. If you would like to learn more about how our team can assist you, please contact us today! Do not hesitate to ask us to help recover your missing child.