Approximately 300 children were kidnapped in Colombia in 2008, the
country’s family welfare agency said Wednesday. In most cases common
criminals were responsible for the kidnappings.
According to Elira Forero, director of the agency, most kidnappings were to extort the parents.
“There are several cases that came to light this year of children being kidnapped by their own parents or strangers seeking a ransom,” Forero told Caracol Radio.
The family welfare agency used national television time in 2008 to seek the return of missing children.
Forero made an appeal to kidnappers who are currently holding children to return them to their parents.