Child taken to Israel (illustration)
Photo: Tal Cohen
Woman arrested for abducting son from US
Police detain Israeli mother suspected of fleeing US three years ago with her son after American court rules child should stay in country with father
A northern resident was arrested on Tuesday under suspicion of kidnapping her son from his father in the United States three years ago.
The 30-year-old mother was detained at a routine police checkpoint in Kiryat Shmona and her five-year-old son was transferred to the care of the welfare services. The suspect will be brought before a Ramla court for a remand hearing.
Police have been searching for the women for the past three years, and the investigation's details revealed the woman lived in the United States, where she met a citizen of Chinese descent. The two became a couple, and their son was born five years ago. A short while later, the two decided to separate.
An American court ruled that since the child was born in the US, he should stay there, but the mother did not accept this decision, and took advantage of the fact that no stay of exit order was issued against her, and with her son, got on a plane to Israel.
Immediately with her departure, a complaint was filed with the Israel Police against the woman for abducting a minor.
The suspect managed to outsmart police several times for the past three years, as she repeatedly changed her place of residence and work place. The suspect recently moved to a kibbutz in northern Israel.
Her luck run out when she was stopped for inspection at a routine police checkpoint. After checking her ID details, it became apparent that the woman was wanted by the Central District's central unit who is handling the case.
The woman was transferred for questioning, and during her investigation claimed that she suffered abuse at the hands of her husband.
After her investigation, the suspect was transferred to a Ramla prison and the child was put in national welfare workers' custody.
The suspect will be brought before the Ramla Magistrate's Court for a remand hearing later Tuesday, and police are working to locate the child's father in the US.
