A parental kidnapping crime took a bizarre turn of events last week when Los Angeles homicide detectives travelled to Boston to interview Clark Rockefeller about the 1985 disappearance of a San Marino couple. They called Rockefeller a "person of interest" in the 20-year-old missing persons case. Rockefeller was arrested by police and arraigned in Boston for allegedly kidnapping his 7-year-old daughter from his ex-wife. The girl was found safe and returned to her mother.
Rockefeller's arrest has sparked renewed interest in a Los Angeles cold case that involves the disappearance of John and Linda Sohus who were reported missing by relatives more than 20 years ago. According to records, the couple has never been found; however, in 1994, swimming pool excavators found a human body buried in the couple's yard. News reports did not state whether the body had ever been identified.
At the time of the Sohus' disappearance, police had wanted to interview a 20-year-old college student who was a tenant in their home, but he disappeared. The man was known to have at least one other alias and to have been in trouble with the law. Authorities believe Rockefeller was in LA in the 1980s and became interested in questioning him about the San Marino crime when his fingerprints provided a link to another California killing.
Though most parental kidnapping cases don't take such a bizarre turn, more than 200,000 children are kidnapped each year by a parent or family member. The repercussions for the child can be frightening and traumatic. Most often the non-custodial parent is accused by the custodial parent. Parental kidnapping is a serious crime that can be charged as a felony or misdemeanor, depending on the circumstances. Conviction can result in time in jail or a state prison. The specific facts and circumstances of a case can have a significant impact on the nature of the charges and likelihood of conviction and sentencing. A skilled criminal defense attorney can provide the best possible defense.
