Maryland · Maryland Code — Criminal Law Article
Md. Code, Crim. Law § 3-503: (a) (1) A person may not, without color of right: (i) forcibly abduct, take, or carry away a child under the age of 12 years from: 1
What this law says, in plain English
This statute prohibits forcibly abducting, enticing, or secretly harboring children under age 12, and kidnapping children under age 16 by force or fraud. Violations are felonies punishable by up to 20–30 years imprisonment, or life without parole if combined with rape or first-degree sexual offense.
Facing this? Know exactly what happens next.
MOFRD turns this code section into your situation: the deadlines that apply to you, the forms your county uses, and the resolution paths people in your position actually take. Free for 3 days — no card required.
This page is legal information, not legal advice. Code text is sourced from official publications and may lag amendments — always confirm at the official source linked above. Plain-English summaries and relationship data are AI-derived and reviewed on an ongoing basis; verify with a licensed attorney before acting.