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Safety comes first. If a child is in immediate danger, call 911. If you believe a child is missing, contact local law enforcement immediately. Do not wait for a private investigator, a report or a pattern of repeated incidents. Preserve records only when safe and without delaying help. See NCMEC guidance for a missing child; ask your attorney about urgent legal steps. A PI is not an emergency responder.
Tell your attorney what happened, when it happened, why you believe the risk is current and how you know. Include available records and witnesses, but do not wait to complete a chronology before seeking urgent help. One serious incident can matter; counsel and the court assess the applicable legal standard.
Write down the date, time, location, people present and what you observed. Identify the relevant order provision or safety concern, and separate firsthand facts from information someone else supplied. Label approximate times rather than filling gaps with guesses.
List teachers, neighbors, relatives, coaches and exchange witnesses who may have firsthand knowledge. Note the event each person saw and when. Avoid asking people to adopt your conclusion; their own observations are what need to be documented.
Keep lawful photos, video, texts, emails and co-parenting-app messages in their original form where available. Save the surrounding conversation and date context so a reviewer can understand notice, timing and what the image or message actually shows.
Record available police or CPS reference numbers, contact dates, provider names and school contacts. Keep records you are authorized to hold and tell counsel what other records may exist. An agency contact is a lead to check, not proof of every allegation made.
| Evidence Type | What Makes It More Useful |
|---|---|
| Incident notes | Exact dates, times, locations, names, and neutral descriptions instead of conclusions or speculation. |
| Witness information | Clear explanation of what the witness personally observed and when, not just what they were told. |
| Messages and app records | Context showing the communication sequence, not isolated screenshots with missing timeline. |
| Photos and video | Lawful collection, reliable date context, and explanation of what the image is intended to show. |
| Pattern evidence | Dated incidents showing ongoing risk; a serious single event should also be documented without waiting for repetition. |
Do not access protected school, medical, device, or account information illegally. That can create major legal problems and damage the case.
If several exchanges are involved, list them separately with the agreed time, actual time and supporting message or witness. If a date is uncertain, say so; an honest gap is more useful than a precise-looking estimate.
Describe what happened and what makes the risk current. Include surrounding context if available, but do not delay seeking help because there has been only one incident.
After emergency needs are addressed, an investigator may document exchanges, interview witnesses, check residence use, research lawful location leads or reconstruct a timeline. We report what we find and its limits for you and counsel. We do not decide emergency custody applications or replace emergency responders.
Document caregiving, exchanges and specific safety concerns through lawful records, interviews and observations.
If a child is missing or not returned, contact the appropriate authorities promptly. Preserve the order, last known location, return arrangements and communications for the professionals assisting you.
Counsel can identify the urgent factual questions and submission deadline. We can assess available records, witness interviews and reporting work against that request.
A single serious incident can be important. Counsel and the court assess the facts and applicable legal standard; do not wait for another incident before seeking emergency help.
They can help establish notice, timing and what each person said. Keep the full relevant sequence and original exports where available; counsel can assess their use in the proceeding.
A PI license does not provide access to protected medical or school records. We can review material you lawfully provide and identify other records for counsel to consider seeking through an authorized process.
Yes, involve counsel promptly if you anticipate an urgent filing or hearing. Give the attorney what you know now rather than delaying until every record is collected.
Once immediate help is arranged, share the current order, known events and hearing or filing deadline. We can assess which factual work is appropriate and feasible within the time available.