My Child Has Been Abducted to a Foreign Country-What Do I Do?

For a parent, this can be one of the most traumatic experiences. Remember, you are not alone and there are resources available to you. Report your child’s abduction to the police and cooperate fully. Ask the police to place your child on the appropriate police computer system (in Canada CPIC). Contact the Missing Children’s Society of Canada (if you are based in Canada) or the equivalent organization in your country. Contact a lawyer and secure a sole custody order with a prohibition that your child not be removed from your jurisdiction (commonly referred to as a “chasing order”). This adds one more tool to the enforcement process should the foreign country your child was taken to not be a Hague Convention on International Child Abduction signatory.

For the police and your lawyer, provide as much information as you can regarding the abductor, his or her relatives, friends, and business associates. This would include, passport number, driver’s license, and so on. Photos of your child and the abductor are very helpful.

Let your child’s school know that the abductor may try to access school records and provide the school with your custody order.

If the foreign country is a Hague signatory, with the assistance of your lawyer, file a Hague Application for return with the Central Authority in your jurisdiction. Your lawyer will then coordinate with the authorities in the foreign country, and if necessary, assist in locating an experienced international family lawyer in that foreign country.

Max Blitt KC
Spier Harben
Calgary, Alberta, Canada