The 12-year-old boy kidnapped by his father on Friday evening in Pas-de-Calais was found unharmed. The “kidnapping alert” plan was triggered this Saturday morning to find Hamza, kidnapped Friday evening in Fouquières-lès-Lens (Pas-de-Calais) by his father.
The child was found around 10 a.m. this Saturday morning at his father’s sister’s house in Sallaumines, near Lens, this source explained. His father, Halim B., described as a male “potentially dangerous”, was taken into police custody.
Placed as part of the separation from his parents since Tuesday by decision of a children’s judge, the 12-year-old boy lives with a childminder, said a police source and the Béthune prosecutor’s office in a press release. This is where Halim B. allegedly abducted his son “Without any violence”, according to the police source. The child is gone “Voluntarily” with him, said another police source.
A few weeks ago, the father had been “Intercepted at the airport when he was preparing to flee outside the European Union, despite a measure prohibiting him from taking his son abroad”, according to the prosecution in its press release. “He thus appears determined in his project and potentially dangerous”, added the prosecution.
This 40-year-old man, 1.73 m, 110 kg and with a shaved head, initially used a white Renault Twingo vehicle registered CR-919-TP, found abandoned near a hangar in Hénin-Beaumont. He was likely to travel now in a dark station wagon and seek to leave the national territory, according to the message of the ministry. Initiated by the Lens police station, the investigation was entrusted to the Lille judicial police.
Last alert in July
The “kidnapping alert” plan is a massive and immediate alert system deployed to help in the search for a suspected kidnapped child. It is largely inspired by the “Amber Alert” plan, created in Texas in 1996, after the kidnapping and murder of little Amber Hagerman. Adopted in France in February 2006, it consists of mobilizing the population in the search for the child and his abductor. The device has already been triggered more than 25 times in the country.
The last use of this device dates back to last July for the kidnapping of little Dewi. The 8-year-old boy had been kidnapped by his father in Lannion (Côtes-d’Armor). He had been found safe the next day in Plouaret, about fifteen kilometers away. The father was sentenced, on October 1, to six months in prison with suspended sentence and obligation of psychological care by the criminal court of Saint-Brieuc.
The “kidnapping alert” plan is only activated if several criteria are met: there must be a proven kidnapping and not a simple disappearance, the victim must be a minor, his physical integrity or his life must be in danger and elements of information must make it possible to locate it.
Update : at 11:15 am with the fact that the child was found safe and sound.