A California woman has been charged with international parental kidnapping after attempting to flee to Canada with her 12-year-old daughter whom she did not have legal custody of. The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced the charges on Thursday and detailed the events that led to her arrest.
According to officials, 55-year-old Mei Tian took an Uber with her daughter to the Rainbow Bridge in the evening hours of September 27th intending to enter Canada. During the crossing, Tian presented a letter claiming she had permission from her husband to take her daughter out of the country. However, a Customs and Border Protection officer suspected the signature was forged and deemed the letter inauthentic. As a result, Tian and her daughter were required to re-enter the United States.
Further investigation revealed that Tian had no legal right to take her daughter out of the country as a court order prohibited the girl from leaving. Records indicate that the pair had been “on the run” since August. The girl’s father is her sole custodian.
The investigation uncovered that the daughter was visiting her mother and was scheduled to return to her father on August 11th. However, the mother never returned her. Authorities believe Tian was planning to take her daughter to China after arriving in Canada.
Tian has been charged with international parental kidnapping and making a false statement to Customs and Border Protection officers. If convicted, she faces a maximum sentence of eight years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
Woman Charged with Parental Kidnapping After Attempting to Cross Rainbow Bridge in Niagara Falls