Child custody matters grow frightening when parents abduct kids

When their parents go through a divorce, Rockville kids are sometimes caught in the middle of two emotionally charged factions. While they may prefer to stay with one parent or in one household, the kids are often forced to split their time between their parents’ two homes based on the child custody and visitation schedules their parents establish. For most families, these schedules are necessary to keep the relative peace. For others, they are unworkable arrangements that force parents to do rash things.

According to one recent news story, around three-quarters of child abduction cases involve one of the abducted child’s parents. This means that either the child’s mom or dad refused to return the child based on a custody schedule or that he or she took the child at a time when the other parent was to have custody. In extreme cases parents take their kids and leave the country, leading to stories of international abduction, but many parents simply want more time with their kids and believe that it is their right to do so.

While in some jurisdictions police will help custodial parents enforce their agreements and bring their kids home, in others law enforcement officials are hesitant to get involved. Parents who violate their child custody agreements can face civil penalties and criminal charges depending upon the severity of their actions. Parents who believe that their ex-spouses have kidnapped their children can always work with their family law attorneys to seek court assistance in bringing their children back home.

Divorce rarely brings out the best in people. When kids are involved, parents often go to extremes to do what they think is best for their offspring. Parental abduction is a serious matter, but one that can sometimes be avoided with careful planning and the utilization of legal processes through the family law courts.