American father Hasan Mamud has found his missing eight-year-old son in Thailand after almost two years of searching following the child's abduction by his mother.
The boy's 45-year-old mother, identified in media reports by news outlet The Thaiger as an American named Linda, was arrested in Bangkok on August 19, 2026. Law enforcement authorities have not released her full surname.
The custody dispute originated in early 2025 when a United States court awarded sole legal custody of the child to Mamud while the family was residing in the US. The judge stripped Linda of her parental custody rights due to her severe alcoholism and ongoing mental health issues.
Child custody dispute and international search
Despite the binding judicial decision, Linda took the boy and disappeared from the country. Mamud subsequently launched an extensive campaign to find his son, hiring a private detective, creating a dedicated search website, and spending more than a year raising public awareness about the case.
Private investigators in parental abduction cases typically trace digital footprints, financial activity, and travel registries to track missing children across international borders. In August 2026, the Federal Bureau of Investigation received a critical lead indicating that Linda and her son were residing in Thailand.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, which operates international legal attaché offices to coordinate with foreign authorities, alerted law enforcement in Thailand. Thai authorities responded by revoking Linda's permission to stay in the country and apprehending her in Bangkok, the nation's capital.
Legal proceedings and separate Japanese incident
Officers located the eight-year-old boy in her company and confirmed that he was safe. Authorities have not yet disclosed what legal proceedings Linda will face in Thailand or whether she will be extradited to the United States to face parental kidnapping charges.
The discovery comes alongside another recent child safety incident reported in Asia. In Japan, police were notified after a man left his seven-year-old son alone on Mount Fuji while continuing his ascent up the mountain with his older child.
A worker at a mountain hut located at an altitude of approximately 2,500 metres above sea level spotted the young boy sitting alone and immediately alerted local law enforcement. Mount Fuji, Japan's highest peak at 3,776 metres, features numerous stations and rest huts along its climbing routes to assist hikers.
