Missing Children
Missing Children
The Nevada State Children’s Advocate’s mission is to ensure that missing children are reunited with their families. The Nevada State Children’s Advocate operates as part of the Nevada Attorney General’s office, and directs the Nevada Clearinghouse for Missing and Exploited Children.
If a parent (or any other person) is keeping a child away from the other parent in violation of a court order, the Nevada State Children’s Advocate may be able to help. They work with families, law enforcement, and non-profit agencies to have children returned. For more information about the services offered by the Nevada State Children’s Advocate and how to contact them, please visit Nevada State Advocate for Missing and Exploited Children.
WARNING!
A parent who willfully detains, conceals, or removes a child from another parent or person who has lawful custody of a child in violation of a court order may be prosecuted and punished for a category D felony. Similarly, a parent who removes a child from the court’s jurisdiction without the court’s or the other parent’s consent may be punished for a category D felony.
If the family court finds that a parent committed an act of child abduction, a legal presumption arises that it is not in the best interest of the child to give that parent sole custody, joint custody, or unsupervised visitation. In addition, a parent who is prosecuted in criminal court and found guilty of abducting, concealing, or detaining a child can be sentenced to prison for 1-4 years, and can be fined up to $5,000!
