A child’s best interests, along with a number of other variables, are usually what mandate the conditions of a child custody order. The resulting arrangement is what both the custodial and non-custodial parties are expected to follow. Pennsylvania parents may be interested to learn of a case where the child custody court order was outright violated.
Federal law enforcement officers arrested a man after he boarded a plane with a child in tow; the man was trying to leave the state. A report on the situation was not clear on the relationship between the man and the child but stated there was a custodial visitation between the two at some point before they got on the plane. However, the man did not return the child at the time agreed upon by the other family members, and police were notified.
Several state and federal agencies worked collectively to stop the plane from leaving the runway. The officers removed the man and the child from the plane and returned the child to the awaiting family. The man was charged with contempt of a court order and interfering with the custody of a child. His bail was set at $100,000, and he was released after payment.
The existing child custody agreement between this man and the members of the child’s family may very well be altered after this incident. The man could lose whatever visitation or custody rights he currently has. Custodial parents in Pennsylvania who have experienced similar circumstances may want someone with knowledge of the law as it pertains to children and the family to ensure future custody arrangements are beneficial to the child.
Source: nj.com, “Cops halt plane’s takeoff to arrest fleeing man in N.J. child custody dispute“, Sue Epstein, Dec. 2, 2015