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International Parental Child Abduction > Prevention > Find Resources in Your State > West Virginia International Parental Child Abduction Prevention Resources
A state clearinghouse is an entity (usually law enforcement) that provides help in cases of parental child abduction. For abductions TO the United States, they can help locate a child. For abductions FROM the United States, they may serve as a resource to left-behind parents in filing missing person reports.
West Virginia State Police
Missing Children Clearinghouse
725 Jefferson Road
South Charleston, WV 25309-1698
Phone: (304) 558-1467
1-800-352-0927
http://www.wvsp.gov/Pages/default.aspx
Contact your local police to file a missing person's report and request that your child's name be entered into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) computer database.
FBI Field Office
West Virginia is under the purview of FBI Pittsburgh
3311 East Carson Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15203
Phone: (412) 432-4000
Fax: (412) 432-4188
State Patrol
West Virginia State Police
Phone: (304) 746-2100
http://www.wvsp.gov/Pages/default.aspx
Department of Public Safety
West Virginia Department of Military Affairs and Public Safety
Phone: (304) 558-2930
http://www.dmaps.wv.gov/Pages/default.aspx
Department of Transportation
West Virginia Department of Transportation
Phone (304) 558-0444
Fax (304) 558-1004
E-mail dot.info@wv.gov
http://www.transportation.wv.gov/Pages/default.aspx
Country-wide resources:
Removing, or attempting to remove, a child from the United States or retaining a child outside of the United States with the intent to obstruct parental rights is a Federal crime under the International Parental Kidnapping Crime Act (18 U.S.C. 1204). The Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) has jurisdictional authority for investigating Federal crimes. FBI field offices are located throughout the U.S. and should be contacted if you have questions or believe your child has been or will be abducted outside of the United States. To locate the FBI field office closest to you, access this link: http://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field
If you know your child is being taken to the airport as part of a possible abduction, contact the airport to request assistance. You should have copies of all custody and legal documents ready to send by email or fax, if needed. You can contact the State Department’s Office of Children’s Issues to assist you as you undertake this process at PreventAbduction@state.gov or by calling 888-407-4747.
If you are party to an international parental child abduction case in the United States or abroad, a legal aid organization may be able to assist you with your legal representation. Legal aid organizations provide legal assistance for free or for a reduced charge to eligible individuals. Eligibility is generally based on income and resource ceilings as well as restrictions on the types of cases they will take.
For information about legal aid and other legal referral resources, visit
Follow the prompts for the particular state in which you are seeking legal services.
West Virginia Legislature
http://www.legis.state.wv.us/
West Virginia Judicial System
http://www.state.wv.us/wvsca/overview.htm
Supreme Court
Phone: (304) 558-2601
Fax: (304) 558-3815
http://www.state.wv.us/wvsca/
Family Court
http://www.courtswv.gov/lower-courts/family-courts.html
West Virginia State Bar
Phone: (304) 553-7220
Fax: (304) 558.2467
Toll Free: 866.989.8227
http://www.wvbar.org/
West Virginia Attorney General
Phone: 1-800-368-8808
http://www.wvago.gov/
Locator Service
West Virginia Bureau for Child Support Enforcement
Phone: 800-249-3778
Fax: (304) 558-8360
Email: www.dhhr.wv.gov/bcse/erc
www.wvdhhr.org/bcse
Compensation Program for Crime Victims
Crime Victim Compensation Fund
Capitol Complex Building 1, Room W-334
1900 Kanawha Blvd E
Charleston, WV 25305
Phone: (304) 347-4850
1-877-562-6878
Fax: (304) 347-4915
Email: cvictims@wvlegislature.gov
http://www.legis.state.wv.us/Joint/victims.cfm
Non-Profit Organizations
Contact Association of Missing and Exploited Children’s Organizations (AMECO) toll-free at 1-877-263-2620 for a referral
The resources below may be a good starting place for determining whether statutes regarding abduction prevention exist in your state. You may want to consult the website for the Attorney General’s Office of your state or with an attorney licensed to practice law in your state. (Please note: the resources below may not be current and may change at any time. They are provided for informational purposes only, and are not intended to consist of legal advice).
Uniform Child Abduction Prevention Act (UCAPA) – Enactment by state