Missouri § 565.156 Child abduction — penalty.

Missouri Statutes

§ 565.156 — Child abduction — penalty.

Missouri § 565.156

Title XXXVIIICRIMES AND PUNISHMENT; PEACE OFFICERS AND PUBLIC DEFENDERS

Ch. 565Offenses Against the Person

This text of Missouri § 565.156 (Child abduction — penalty.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Missouri primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 565.156 (2026).

Text

1. A person commits the offense of child abduction if he or she:

(1)Intentionally takes, detains, entices, conceals or removes a child from a parent after being served with process in an action affecting marriage or paternity but prior to the issuance of a temporary or final order determining custody; or

(2)At the expiration of visitation rights outside the state, intentionally fails or refuses to return or impedes the return of the child to the legal custodian in Missouri; or

(3)Conceals, detains, or removes the child for payment or promise of payment at the instruction of a person who has no legal right to custody; or

(4)Retains in this state for thirty days a child removed from another state without the consent of the legal custodian or in violation of a valid court order o

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1. A person commits the offense of child abduction if he or she:

(1) Intentionally takes, detains, entices, conceals or removes a child from a parent after being served with process in an action affecting marriage or paternity but prior to the issuance of a temporary or final order determining custody; or

(2) At the expiration of visitation rights outside the state, intentionally fails or refuses to return or impedes the return of the child to the legal custodian in Missouri; or

(3) Conceals, detains, or removes the child for payment or promise of payment at the instruction of a person who has no legal right to custody; or

(4) Retains in this state for thirty days a child removed from another state without the consent of the legal custodian or in violation of a valid court order of custody; or

(5) Having legal custody of the child pursuant to a valid court order, removes, takes, detains, conceals or entices away that child within or without the state, without good cause, and with the intent to deprive the custody or visitation rights of another person, without obtaining written consent as is provided under section 452.377 .

2. The offense of child abduction is a class E felony.

3. Upon a finding of guilt for an offense under this section, the court may, in addition to or in lieu of any sentence or fine imposed, assess as restitution against the defendant and in favor of the legal custodian or parent, any reasonable expenses incurred by the legal custodian or parent in searching for or returning the child.