If your child has been abducted, it’s a terrifying experience, even if you know who the abductor is. Fortunately, Texan parents like you have the Hague Convention to rely on if you’re in this horrific situation.
The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs has an informational page on the Hague Convention and how it applies to you. The Hague Convention is an agreement between multiple different nations, the purpose of which is to protect intercountry adoptions and combat international abductions. Under this convention, all involved nations will have a procedure which will allow them to quickly locate and return any abducted child.
Unfortunately, there are some cases in which one parent in a divorced couple will take it upon themselves to abscond with their child. They may fear they will lose custody, or perhaps they already have. In these situations, the parent is most likely to flee to a country they have familiarity with. It could be their country of birth, or simply a place that they lived in for some time. However, if that country has signed the Hague Convention, then it’s possible to extradite them. The process differs from nation to nation, but the end goal is the same: to return your child immediately.
No one should have to experience the terror of a child abduction. Fortunately, the law will work on your side to return them to you as quickly as possible, and you can work with legal experts to ensure that this sort of situation never plagues your family again.