Abduction can be defined as removal of a child from their legal custodian, guardian, or parent without the consent of the courts or the guardian. In divorce cases, a biological parent of a child may attempt to prevent the other parent from custody of the child by removing the child from a given jurisdiction without warning or intent to return. Although the child may be a willing participant in the relocation, parents oftentimes will still face kidnapping charges in some cases, and at the very least, suffer loss of custody rights in a family court hearing. Abduction regarding parents and children is not considered a criminal action per se, but it may violate criminal laws and statutes.