False Allegation of Child Abduction*

Abstract

Cases in which a child has been falsely reported as missing or abducted can be extremely challenging to the law enforcement agencies responsible for their investigation. In the absence of a witnessed abduction or an obvious crime scene, it is difficult to determine whether a child has actually been abducted or has become a victim of a homicide and a false allegation. The purpose of this study was to examine falsely alleged kidnapping cases and identify successful investigative strategies. Sixty-one adjudicated false allegation cases involving 66 victims were analyzed. The mean age of the victim was 5 years. Victims came from generally unstable, high-risk family situations and were killed primarily by biological parents. Victims were killed because they were unwanted or viewed as an obstacle to a desired goal, or they were victims of abuse or maltreatment that ended in fatality.

911 calls in mysterious disappearances of children: Indicators of veracity and deception

“…As opposed to sexual motivations that are common in non‐custodial abductions, false allegation cases often result from a caregiver's ongoing physical abuse or neglect of a child or from the caregiver not wanting the child. False allegation cases are also more likely to involve female offenders and children under 5 years old, whereas sexually motivated child abductions are more commonly perpetrated by male offenders and children over 5 years of age (Canning et al, 2011).…”

“…As opposed to sexual motivations that are common in non-custodial abductions, false allegation cases often result from a caregiver's ongoing physical abuse or neglect of a child or from the caregiver not wanting the child. False allegation cases are also more likely to involve female offenders and children under 5 years old, whereas sexually motivated child abductions are more commonly perpetrated by male offenders and children over 5 years of age (Canning et al, 2011). Despite these differences, two shared attributes of missing children cases are that early information is often limited and that law enforcement must rely on this information when making key decisions in the beginning stages of an investigation.…”

“…In some cases, a reporting caregiver is aware of the circumstances of the child's disappearance but hides this information from law enforcement to conceal the caregiver's role in the child's homicide and subsequent disposal of the child's remains. Cases in which caregivers are responsible for the child's disappearance but who falsely report the child missing or abducted are referred to as false allegations of child abductions (Canning et al, 2011). Similar to non‐custodial child abductions, these cases are criminal in nature, although the primary offender motivations tend to differ.…”

Behavioral Analysis of Maternal Filicide

“…This claim allowed the offender to shift the focus of the investigation toward an unknown kidnapper and also provided a scenario in which her image of being a "good" parent could remain temporarily intact. She then gained sympathy and attention (Canning et al 2011). This kind of investigation can be extremely challenging for law enforcement as they must consider whether the person reporting the child missing may have actually played a role in the disappearance (Canning et al 2011).…”

“…She then gained sympathy and attention (Canning et al 2011). This kind of investigation can be extremely challenging for law enforcement as they must consider whether the person reporting the child missing may have actually played a role in the disappearance (Canning et al 2011).…”