Stranger Took and Held My Son...

by Anonymous
(USA)

A man grabbed my son and his friend as they were walking to the store. He cursed at them, knocked them around, forced them in his car, took them to his house, locked them in between the front door and gate, and held them there. He wanted them to give him names of some boys he was accusing of throwing rocks at his house.

The man called me at work and told me he was holding my son and taking him to the police. He also called my husband and left a message saying "I got your son." He eventually let my son go. I filed a police report. My son has been traumatized by this experience. Will this man be punished for what he did to my son? Does my son deserve compensation for the emotional trauma this man put him through? Thank you.

Disclaimer: Information provided in your response is not formal legal advice, it is generic legal information and is based on the very limited information given in your question. You should always get a formal case evaluation from a licensed attorney.

ANSWER for "Stranger Took and Held My Son...":

Anonymous (USA):

The degree of the man's liability presupposes he committed some sort of a crime. If the facts are as serious as you state it is difficult to understand why you didn't immediately dial 911 to contact the police. Instead you apparently waited and sometime after the hostage taking you filed a police report.

Hostage scenarios are very serious and always require the intervention of the local police or FBI. If neither the police nor the FBI were contacted at the time of the hostage taking it is hard to take the facts as seriously as you propose them.

Wait until the police finish their investigation. When one files a police report the report is always reviewed by a Sergeant, and then if the Sergeant believes a crime was commited she will assign the case to one of the department's Detectives. The Detective should contact you, your son, the other boy, and the man who you say took them hostage.

After the Detective reviews the facts the Sergeant will decide whether to execute a warrant for the arrest of the man. If the police don't arrest the man, nor accuse him of a crime, then there must be a reason. That reason would be that the police don't think a crime was committed.

In the alternative, if the man is arrested and convicted of hostage taking or a lesser crime, you will have the basis of a civil case against the him. That type of a case will require the assistance of a civil attorney.

Don't wait to see if the man is arrested. While you are waiting contact several personal injury attorneys. Most will not charge any fee for an initial office consultation. Once they hear the facts they will be in a better position to advise you.

Since laws change frequently and across jurisdictions you should get a personalized case evaluation from an attorney licensed in your state (if you haven't already). Find an experienced local attorney to give you a FREE personalized case review here.

Best of luck,

Law Guy

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