American Woman Arrested in Bangkok for Child Abduction
A 45-year-old American woman was arrested in Bangkok on an Oregon court warrant for abducting her 8-year-old son, who was safely recovered and reunited with his father after 18 months in hiding.
On August 20, 2025, police from the Immigration Bureau's Region 3 conducted a search and arrested a 45-year-old American woman at a hostel in Bangkok's Prawet district. She had her residency permission revoked due to an arrest warrant issued by an Oregon court in the United States for parental kidnapping. The child, an 8-year-old boy, was safely recovered and reunited with his father.
The operation was authorized by Major General Songproed Sirisuk, commander of Immigration Region 3, who instructed officers to take decisive action against foreign nationals using Thailand as a hiding place for crimes. Police received intelligence from U.S. authorities indicating an American citizen wanted for child abduction had fled to Thailand. After locating and verifying her identity through her passport, officers took her into custody.
The case dates back to early 2025, when the boy's father, an American, was granted custody following his separation from the mother—the suspect. The mother had alcohol and mental health issues. However, she abducted the child and evaded the father's search efforts for over 18 months. The father hired a private investigator, filed reports, and created a website to locate his son, which eventually went viral across the United States.
The Thai Immigration Bureau obtained crucial information leading to the suspect's discovery. Officers coordinated with the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation to locate and apprehend her, successfully returning the child to his father. Major General Songproed emphasized that Thailand will not serve as a haven for foreign fugitives, particularly in cases involving child safety, and pledged full cooperation with international law enforcement agencies.
