Child abduction is the offense of wrongfully removing, retaining, detaining, or concealing a child. There are generally two types of child abductions: child abduction by a parent and child abduction by a stranger. Child abduction by a stranger is always a criminal offense.
But the more common type of child abduction is by a parent—often during or after a divorce or other domestic strife. Laws on child abduction by a parent vary from state to state, but if there is no child custody order from a court in place, and if the child’s parents are not living together, one parent’s taking of the child may not be a criminal offense (crime). But many states make it a crime for such a parent to travel across state lines with the child—and in some states it is a felony offense. And if the parent’s taking or abduction of the child violates a child custody order, it will often be a criminal offense—sometimes called interference with child custody.
And federal law prohibits a parent from removing a child from the United States, or keeping a child in another country with the intent to obstruct another parent’s custodial rights. This crime is known as international parental kidnapping, and it is a felony offense.
In Alaska, child abduction is taken very seriously, whether by a stranger or a parent. Child abduction by a stranger is always considered a criminal offense. Parental child abduction can also be a criminal offense, particularly when it violates a court-issued child custody order. If a parent takes or retains a child in violation of such an order, it may be considered interference with child custody, which is a crime under Alaska law. Furthermore, Alaska statutes may criminalize the act of a parent crossing state lines with a child for the purpose of obstructing the other parent's rights, potentially elevating the act to a felony. At the federal level, the International Parental Kidnapping Crime Act (IPKCA) prohibits a parent from removing or retaining a child outside the United States with the intent to obstruct another parent's custodial rights, classifying it as international parental kidnapping, a felony offense. It's important for parents in Alaska to be aware of these laws and to understand that taking a child without proper legal authority can have serious legal consequences.