Iowa

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State Clearinghouse on Missing Children

Reason to Contact:
A state clearinghouse is usually run by law enforcement. It provides help in cases of parental child abduction. For abductions from another country to the United States, they can help locate a child. For abductions from the United States to another country, they can help parents in filing missing person reports. 

Iowa Clearinghouse, National Center for Missing and Exploited Children 
Missing Person Information Clearinghouse                
Division of Criminal Investigation 
215 E. 7th St 
Des Moines, IA 50319 
Phone: 515-725-6036 or 800-346-5507  
E-mail: mpicinfo@dps.state.ia.us
https://dps.iowa.gov/divisions/criminal-investigation

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Law Enforcement

Reason to Contact:
Contact your local police to file a missing person's report. Ask them to enter your child's name into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database. 

FBI Field Office
All inquiries should be directed to the FBI Field Office in Omaha, Nebraska
FBI Omaha
4411 South 121st Court
Omaha, Nebraska 68114-2000
Phone: 402-493-8688
omaha.fbi.gov

State Patrol
Iowa State Patrol
Phone: 515- 725-6090    
Email: spinfo@dps.state.ia.us
http://www.dps.state.ia.us/ISP/
Division of Criminal Investigation
http://www.dps.state.ia.us/DCI/

Dept. of Public Safety
Iowa Department of Public Safety
Phone: 515-725-6182
http://www.dps.state.ia.us/

Port Authority 
Mid-America Intermodal Authority Port District 
Phone: 217-222-3111 
http://www.maia-port.com/

Nationwide Resources: 
Taking a child from the United States, or attempting to, is a federal crime. So is keeping a child outside of the United States to block parental rights. These acts are crimes under the International Parental Kidnapping Crime Act (18 U.S.C. 1204). The FBI has jurisdictional authority to investigate federal crimes. If you have questions or believe someone has abducted your child outside of the United States or is planning to do so, contact a FBI field office in the United States. To find the FBI field office nearest to you, use this link: http://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field

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Prevention

Reason to Contact:
If you know your child is being taken to the airport as part of possible abduction, contact the airport for help. You should have copies of all custody and legal documents ready to send by email or fax, if needed. You can contact the State Department’s Office of Children’s Issues to assist you with this process. You can reach them at PreventAbduction@state.gov or by calling 888-407-4747. 

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Legal Assistance

Reason to Contact:
If you are involved in an international parental child abduction case in the United States or abroad, a legal aid group may be able to help you with your legal representation. Legal aid organizations provide free legal help or help at a low cost to eligible individuals. Eligibility is mainly based on income and resource limits. There are also rules on the types of cases they will take. 

For information about legal aid and other legal referral resources, visit

Follow the prompts for the particular state in which you are seeking legal services.

Iowa Supreme Court
Phone: 515-281-5911
http://www.iowacourts.gov/About_the_Courts/Supreme_Court/
Judicial Branch Family Law Forms
https://www.iowacourts.gov/for-the-public/court-forms

The Iowa Legislature General Assembly
Legislative Information Office: 515-281-5129
Email: lioinfo@legis.state.ia.us
http://www.legis.iowa.gov/index.aspx

The Iowa State Bar Association
Phone: 515-243-3179 or 800-457-3729
https://www.iowabar.org/

Iowa Office of the Attorney General
Phone:  515-281-5164
https://www.iowaattorneygeneral.gov/

Compensation Program for Crime Victims
Crime Victim Assistance Division
Department of Justice
Lucas Building
321 East 12th Street, Room 018
Des Moines, IA 50319-9029
Phone: 515-281-5044 or -800-373-5044
https://www.iowaattorneygeneral.gov/for-crime-victims

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Resource for State Statutes

Reason to Contact:
The resource below may help you determine your state custody laws and if your state has laws on abduction prevention. You may also want to consult the Attorney General’s Office website of your state or contact an attorney licensed to practice law in your state. Please note: the resource below may not be current and may change at any time. This resource is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.

Non-Profit Organization

National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC)
333 John Carlyle Street, Suite 125
Alexandria, VA 22314
Phone: 703-224-2150
www.missingkids.org

Last Updated: April 10, 2024