Study Finds First 48 Hours Critical For Getting Abducted Child Across State Line

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ—Concluding that response time was a vital factor in determining the outcome of kidnapping cases, a study published Wednesday by researchers at Rutgers University found that the first 48 hours were critical for getting an abducted child across state lines. “In nearly all cases, the first two days are by far the most important for ensuring a kidnapping victim makes it safely to another jurisdiction where authorities are unable to track them down,” said the study’s author, Professor Derek Callahan, emphasizing that every hour that passes makes a successful getaway exponentially more difficult. “Once those 48 hours have gone by, it is extremely unlikely a child will ever remain hidden in their home state. So the sooner you can put some serious miles between yourself and anyone who might recognize the kid you have snatched, the better.” The study went on to cite several sobering statistics, including the fact that only 14% of abducted children are ever successfully returned to their families for ransom money.