An Ogden boy who was kidnapped by his natural father two years ago has been found in Australia, and local police are trying to get the boy back.
Detective John Panter said Thursday that Christian Atwater, now four, is currently with his stepmother, and his father, Joseph C. Atwater, is in police custody charged with prohibited non-citizenship.The boy's mother, Anna Warren, asked local police for help in Aug. 1987, after Christian was taken from her by the father, Panter said. Atwater was wanted for unlawful flight to avoid prosecution because he took the child against a court order.
Warren could not be reached for comment on Thursday.
Panter said Atwater was picked up by the National Australian Police on July 30. The man was using a false name, Joseph Davidson, and local police are attempting to get the father and boy back to Ogden.
"I requested help from the FBI in trying to find the boy," Panter said. "I'm now working with the Office of International Affairs in Washington, D.C. Our main concern is to get the child back."
Panter said he does not know when Christian and his mother will be reunited because of all the paperwork and legalities in getting a child back who is living in another country.
"This is just an unusual case because I've never had one (custodial interference) who's gone out of the country," Panter said. The detective said he was notified by Australian police earlier this week when they had discovered that Atwater was wanted in this country.
"I handle these all the time and this one is the longest," Panter said. "Most people take their children out of state, not out of the country."