A mother refuses to let her child return to his father in a shared custody situation. What crime did she commit?

• A. Child abduction without custodial right - Felony
• B. False imprisonment
• C. Kidnapping
• D. Custodial interference

Answer: (A)

In custody cases, the key issue is whether one parent violates the other parent's lawful right to custody or visitation. Taking a child away from the other parent in a shared custody arrangement, without having custodial rights to do so, fits the crime of child abduction without custodial right because the act directly deprives the other parent of custody rights established by the arrangement or order. This is typically treated as a felony when there is clear intent to keep the child away from the other parent and the custody rights are being violated, which is more serious than ordinary interference. The other options describe related but different situations: false imprisonment involves unlawful confinement in a specific place, custodial interference often covers interfering with custody but can be lesser in severity or not capture the abduction element, and kidnapping is a broader term that may require specific circumstances beyond a custodial dispute. So the description that reflects taking the child from the other parent's custody without a right to do so best captures why this is a serious, felony-level act.