AST August 2018 Magazine Aug 2018 Final (8.14.18) | Page 34

If Volume You Believe an Abduction is in 26 Progress: Augus 2018 Edition If you believe your child is being abducted inter- nationally by another family member and has not yet left the United States, you can call the Office of Children’s Issues at any time at 888-407-4747. Steps to Stopping an Abduction in Progress 24 Hours a day, contact us at 1-888-407-4747 or via e-mail at [email protected] If you have reason to believe that your child is in the process of being abducted by a parent, legal guardian, or someone acting on their behalf, there are steps that can be taken to prevent the abduc- tion. Immediate steps you can take include: C ONTACT THE OFFICE OF CHILDREN’S ISSUES, PREVENTION BRANCH AT 1-888-407-4747 OBTAIN A COURT ORDER: • A court order is vital to preventing the departure of a child. • You can retain an attorney to discuss your options. • Law enforcement may not be able to act unless there is a court order that prohibits the child’s travel outside of the United States. • Court orders preventing the removal of the minor child from the court’s jurisdiction, the state, or the country will give law enforcement more authority to prevent abduction. • For information regarding prevention under the International Child Abduction Prevention and Re- turn Act visit here and also review our page titled Law and Regulations. 32