Ask Me Help Desk - My wife left with kids. No one knows where she is what can I do?

My wife left with kids. No one knows where she is what can I do?

My wife left while I was at work. She did not say anything or leave a note why she left. She took our 5 kids ages 4-13 with her. She cut off her cell phone and left my daughters phone at home. I have no way to check on them and no idea where they are. If my wife takes our kids out of there present school to put them in another I will not be able to get them back in due to overcrowding. What can I do?

Quote:

Originally Posted by rexm

My wife left while I was at work. She did not say anything or leave a note why she left. She took our 5 kids ages 4-13 with her. She cut off her cell phone and left my daughters phone at home. I have no way to check on them and no idea where they are. If my wife takes our kids out of there present school to put them in another I will not be able to get them back in due to overcrowding. What can I do?

I have no idea why your children wouldn't be able to attend school because of overcrowding, no idea at all.

Have you contacted her family, the Police? Have you reported her and the children as missing persons?

I don't know when she left - have you hired an investigator to find her?

I would guess - and it's purely a guess - that she is going to file papers in order to get child support from you (unless she can support the children by herself).

We live outside the city limits, and they only allow so many before they start refusing to accept kids outside the city limits.

She left on 8/1/12

I have tried contacting her family and they say that do not know where she either. I filed a missing person report last night.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rexm

We live outside the city limits, and they only allow so many before they start refusing to accept kids outside the city limits.

She left on 8/1/12

I have tried contacting her family and they say that do not know where she either. I filed a missing person report last night.

Then it's a wait and see game.

I'm sorry you're going through this.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rexm

... She cut off her cell phone and left my daughters phone at home. ...

Do you mean that she turned it off or did she cancel the account?

Do you suspect that she has left you, or is this indeed a possible case if someone having kidnapped all of them?

Does she have any credit cards or debit cards?

Have you checked with other schools in the area? Or in the area where her family lives?

Have you considered an Amber Alert?

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScottGem

Have you considered an Amber Alert?

Great idea! I'm not sure how this is done - In my area the State Troopers take the info and make the decisions.

Great idea.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JudyKayTee

Great idea! I'm not sure how this is done - In my area the State Troopers take the info and make the decisions.

Great idea.

"... How does it work?

Once law enforcement determines that a child has been abducted and the abduction meets AMBER Alert criteria, law enforcement issues an AMBER Alert and notifies broadcasters and state transportation officials. AMBER Alerts interrupt regular programming and are broadcast on radio and television and on highway signs. AMBER Alerts can also be issued on lottery tickets, wireless devices such as mobile phones, and over the Internet.
...
What are the criteria for issuing AMBER Alerts?

Each state AMBER Alert plan has its own criteria for issuing AMBER Alerts. The PROTECT Act, passed in 2003, which established the role of AMBER Alert Coordinator within the Department of Justice (DOJ), calls for DOJ to issue minimum standards or guidelines for AMBER Alerts that states can adopt voluntarily. DOJ's guidance on criteria for issuing AMBER Alerts is:
•Law enforcement must confirm that an abduction has taken place
•The child is at risk of serious injury or death
•There is sufficient descriptive information of child, captor, or captor's vehicle to issue an alert
•The child must be 17 years old or younger
•It is recommended that immediate entry of AMBER Alert data be entered in FBI's National Crime Information Center. Text information describing the circumstances surrounding the abduction of the child should be entered, and the case flagged as Child Abduction.
..."
AMBER Alert - Frequently Asked Questions

She turned off the phone, I believe that she has just left me and is keeping the kids from me. She has a debit card but she has not used it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rexm

... She has a debit card but she has not used it.

Reason I asked is that, if you are also on the account, you can monitor any purchase made with that card for information on her whereabouts.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rexm

I believe that she has just left me and is keeping the kids from me.

Well the question now becomes what do you want to do?

Do you want to file for divorce? If so, get yourself an attorney ASAP. If you want to wait it out you can. You can also hire a PI to try and find her.

AK gave you the guidelines for an Amber Alert, the issue is whether this qualifies as an abduction. But the major advantage is the media will be informed. You have children old enough to call for help if they don't like what mom is doing.