This morning at 10:30 a.m. members of the U.S. Marshal Service contacted the Evansville Police Department requesting assistance with a child abduction investigation that led to Evansville, Wyoming.

The U.S. Marshals provided information regarding the investigation that included the parental abduction of a 10-year-old female being taken from Texas in October of 2023.

An arrest warrant for the suspect was issued. Marshals had been tracking 28-year-old Courtney Klein for several weeks prior to her entering Wyoming.

The Evansville Police Department and Marshals embarked on a joint mission and were able to safely recover the child and arrest the suspect without incident at an Evansville Motel.

Facts About Child Abductions by Family Members

In 2022, 4.5% of the 27,644 missing children reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) were family abductions. In addition, 58% of all AMBER Alerts issued in 2022 were for family abductions.

Parents are responsible for more than 90% of abductions, with mothers and female family members responsible for 60% and fathers and male relatives responsible for 64%.

Children who are abducted are more likely to come from low-income households and have estranged, divorced, or separated parents.

In two-parent families, an estimated 9 children per 1,000 are abducted, compared to 84 per 1,000 in single-parent households.

78% of abductors are the non-custodial parent, and 82% intend to permanently affect custody.

24% of abductions last between one week and one month, and 17% involve moving the child out of state to make recovery more difficult.

44% of abducted children are concealed from the caretaker, and 76% of abductions involve attempts to prevent contact.

Only 43% of abductions are reported to the police, including 86% of family abductions.