Child Abductions in San Diego, Custody Rights, and International Law in 2013

Children have been kidnapped for various reasons throughout human history and many children in San Diego are taken by their parents either before, during, or after a divorce, paternity or legal separation. Child abductions in San Diego are a serious problem as well as around the globe, including all across the United States. According to UNICEF statistics, globally, thousands of children are abducted annually to be sold into slavery or used for child labor purposes. Children are being increasingly used in child pornography or forced into prostitution, to join tribal killing groups or become child soldiers as well (depicted in 24 the movie and Blood Diamond). There is also a thriving trade in organ harvesting for organ transplants after a child is abducted and kidnapped. These acts committed against children are, literally, unthinkable. It is very important for all to be child abduction prevention advocates in San Diego.

In San Diego, in California and around the United States, a child is abducted or kidnapped on a much more frequent basis than many imagine. In the U.S., abductions and kidnappings generally relate to family and acquaintance kidnappings.

You only have to drive down a San Diego freeway such as the I-5 or I-15 or I-8 to see digital signs advising of a specific child abduction which is current and details of the car which the alleged kidnapper is said to be driving. Yet these are less compared with the number of cases of child abductions which the California Family Law Court system has to handle every year relating to child custody cases and which are heard in the San Diego Superior Court.

Such cases invariably revolve around custodial or non-custodial parents who abduct and/or conceal a child either out of vengeance or from a lurking fear that the other parent might harm the child or for a myriad of other reasons. Unfortunately, many parents misrepresent and lie in order to try and get the result they want. Even more unfortunately, sometimes these lies are believed. Documentation, such as police reports or text messages or e mails or independent third party witnesses, can mean the different between success and failure. A suggestion is to immediately keep a log of who you speak with and when and their phone number and the contents of the conversation.

In California Family Courts, allegations carry a lot of weight. Any experienced California Divorce Attorney will confirm that it is not unknown – in fact unfortunately not uncommon - for one parent to accuse the other parent of unsubstantiated abuse merely to provide grounds to deprive the other parent of custody of the child. This can then be used as grounds to “secrete” the child.

Some legal experts argue that the California Family Law System is deeply flawed and in need of reform as some may say much like the tax system, government structure, and nature of spending tax payer money. Others may disagree and believe that the current Family Law System implemented in San Diego is now gender neutral and the Judges act in accord with the Family Law Code. What no one can disagree upon is that child abduction needs to stop now.

Doppelt and Forney, APLC is a San Diego family law firm with a mission to ‘HELP STOP CHILD KIDNAPPING’. Roy Doppelt has been awarded a Certificate of Merit from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children for legal representation. He is also a Donor to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s Heroes’ Circle for Donor’s and the Firm encourages donations to the NCMEC.

The law firm handles all aspects of family law including child custody, child support, and visitation rights. It has also represented clients in cases of international kidnapping cases.