Helping a friend - don't know what to do

pledgeX

[FONT=&quot]Bit of a horrible topic, but I’ve just spoken to a friend and his wife has run off with their two kids (5 and 3 years old). He’s obviously in pieces and has no idea where they’ve gone. I don’t know any more on the situation regarding their circumstances and I’ve got no idea what he’s done so far. I know he can’t get in contact with her.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]I’m going to see him tonight, but I’ve got no idea what he can do. I’ve had a quick google and it sounds like the police won’t be interested as they’re married so it’s not kidnapping. This sounds ridiculous though. Any ideas what the ‘normal’ steps to take would be here?[/FONT]

Mojisola

pledgeX wrote: »

[FONT=&quot]
I’ve just spoken to a friend and his wife has run off with their two kids (5 and 3 years old).

He’s obviously in pieces and has no idea where they’ve gone. I don’t know any more on the situation regarding their circumstances and I’ve got no idea what he’s done so far.

I know he can’t get in contact with her.[/FONT]

I would be cautious to start with. The majority of cases where a mother disappears with children are the result of domestic abuse. There are also cases where a woman goes for other reasons but be sure what you're dealing with before you help him in finding them.

pledgeX

Mojisola wrote: »

I would be cautious to start with. The majority of cases where a mother disappears with children are the result of domestic abuse. There are also cases where a woman goes for other reasons but be sure what you're dealing with before you help him in finding them.

I've known him for a few years but I don't really know her that well at all, so I'm absolutely not in the position to judge what goes on and who's in the wrong.

I'm absolutely not going to get myself involved in some private investigation mission! I just want to know what the correct course of action would be take here if he was in the right and she's in the wrong. It's for someone else to decide he is in the right/wrong.

Indie_Kid

Has he contacted her parents?

GobbledyGook

Did she leave him a note or anything? As in has she left him or has she just vanished?

If she genuinely has just disappeared with the children unexpectedly then he should go to the police.

If she has left him then he needs to speak to a solicitor as to what steps he needs to take to gain access to his children.

Tbh it's not something people can easily advise on until there is more details because the advice will vary massively.

Mojisola

pledgeX wrote: »

I'm absolutely not going to get myself involved in some private investigation mission! I just want to know what the correct course of action would be take here if he was in the right and she's in the wrong. It's for someone else to decide he is in the right/wrong.

Has he been in touch with her relatives and any mutual friends to see if any of them know why she's left?

The police won't help unless there is good reason to think the children could be at risk - drug abuse, mental health issues, etc.