Parental Kidnapping and Unauthorized Removal Investigations in Washington

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.

After a child is reported missing or a missed return is raised with the appropriate authorities, FPI may help check lawful location leads and reconstruct recent movements. We coordinate factual findings with counsel and law enforcement. Agencies determine the response and any AMBER Alert; an alert is not automatic. Counsel addresses jurisdiction and urgent court steps.

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Checking leads after a missed return or removal

Parental Kidnapping and Unauthorized Removal Investigations

When a parent takes or keeps a child outside the expected parenting arrangement, begin with the current order, the agreed exchange and the last confirmed contact. We investigate available leads and document what is verified, what is reported and what remains unknown.

Facts to establish: the last verified parent and child locations, recent movements, residence use, public-facing digital traces, and the sequence leading to a missed exchange.
When this can help: a missed return, concern about concealment, or attorney-directed factual work supporting an urgent custody matter.
What you receive: dated location findings, supporting records and a movement timeline for authorized coordination with counsel and law enforcement.

Ways to investigate available leads

We first review what authorities and counsel are already doing. Any investigative task should address a remaining factual gap and avoid interfering with that response.

Location Services

Check known addresses, residences, workplaces and other location leads through lawful records and Washington field observation. A lead is marked unconfirmed until supported.

Surveillance Services

Observe a relevant location lawfully when appropriate to the coordinated plan. We document who or what was seen; we do not promise recovery or take custody of a child.

Process Service

Serve approved documents where lawful and document the date, place and outcome of attempts. Counsel determines the requirements and whether service is appropriate.

Legal Support Services

Assemble the current orders, missed-return chronology and verified leads for counsel or law enforcement. Investigators do not decide jurisdiction or enforce custody orders.

Digital Forensics Services

Preserve authorized communications and available digital material that may clarify movement dates or contacts. We do not gain access to private accounts or location data without lawful authority.

Washington Law and Court Sources

RCW 26.27 addresses child-custody jurisdiction and enforcement, while the other sources concern parenting plans and investigator licensing. Counsel must assess the orders and jurisdictions involved before legal action.

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Planning, costs and your report

Urgent safety and missing-child reporting come first. For investigative support, we review the orders, available leads and coordination arrangements before confirming work.

First conversation: Your first consultation is free and lasts 30 minutes. Additional communication outside the agreed task is $150/hour, prepaid separately; communication already included in the task is not charged again.
Planning and scheduling: Most plans are developed within 48 hours once the necessary facts, locations and restrictions are clear. We confirm the assignment and schedule by text and email; tell us about any hearing or other deadline before booking.
Costs: Lite is $150 per investigator-hour; Heavy is $300 per investigator-hour. Preparation and report writing each cost $150/hour. Round-trip travel from our Tacoma office is $2.50/minute. Other time is billed in whole hours, with partial hours rounded up. Each purchased service hour carries $15 in expense credit for Lite or $30 for Heavy. Credits on hours used for your task cover only that task's expenses; any remainder expires at report delivery. Expenses are charged at cost. Applicable surcharges are separate dollar charges, not deductions from service hours. We confirm the work, schedule and prepaid costs by text and email. See Pricing for unused-time, credit, specialist and other fee terms.
Your report: Your report identifies checked leads, their sources, confirmed locations and the known movement timeline, including unresolved gaps. Reports are due by 9 p.m. Pacific on the next business day after the task finishes, including return travel. Completion after midnight uses that new calendar date. Business days exclude weekends and the specified federal holiday periods, including the day before and after each holiday. Faster delivery costs $300 per report only when requested and accepted, plus report-writing time. We notify you of schedule changes caused by approved additional report work or priority delays.

Frequently Asked Questions About Parental Kidnapping and Unauthorized Removal Investigations in Washington

What can you establish after a child is not returned?

We may be able to verify the last location, review a missed exchange, preserve existing communications and check movement leads. Findings distinguish confirmation from possibility. This supports the existing response; locating or returning a child is not guaranteed.

What information should I provide?

After urgent reporting, provide the current orders, expected return time, last verified location, known addresses, recent communications and agency or attorney contact details. We assess a lawful task that complements the response already underway.

How are new location findings communicated?

Agree at intake on safe contact details and authorized recipients, including your attorney or law-enforcement contact where appropriate. We distinguish urgent verified information from unconfirmed leads so recipients understand what has actually been established.

Discuss a specific lead or missed return

After contacting the appropriate authorities, share the order, last confirmed contact and existing response details. We can assess whether lawful research or observation could add useful information.

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