Father Charged with Felony Kidnapping After Taking Son from Daycare Center

by Ryan Yousefi March 4, 2025

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Israel Smith {BSO}

A custody dispute escalated into a criminal investigation after a father was charged with felony kidnapping for allegedly picking up his son from daycare and refusing to return him, prompting the mother to call the police.

According to a Margate Police Department incident report, on Thursday, February 27, officers responded to an unnamed daycare center regarding the unauthorized removal of a 2-year-old child.

Records show the daycare facility reported to law enforcement that Israel Smith, 30, of Miami, identified as the child’s father, had allegedly taken his son without permission. The child’s mother also informed police that Smith was not authorized to pick up their child and had neither requested permission nor provided notice that he was collecting the child.

According to court records, no existing custody agreement or court order grants Smith legal rights to take custody of the child.

Upon investigation, officers contacted Smith via phone, at which point he admitted to taking his son and stated he was in Miami-Dade County. He also confirmed he had intended to return the child by 9:00 p.m. but refused to do so after learning that law enforcement had been contacted.

Records show that on February 28, police contacted Smith, who cited law enforcement involvement when asked why the child was not returned to daycare the following morning. He declined to allow officers to speak with the child but agreed to visit a nearby police station for a welfare check.

During the subsequent investigation, the mother believed that she and her son were in danger because she was a key witness set to testify against Smith in an upcoming trial for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. She told officers that she was concerned that he might harm their son in retaliation for her cooperation with law enforcement.

With this new information, investigators performed a background check on Smith, confirming that he is currently being prosecuted in Broward County. The victim is a cooperating witness scheduled to testify this month. Due to the circumstances of the ongoing crime, Smith’s bond in that case was immediately revoked, and a warrant was placed for his arrest.

Based on the findings of the investigation, investigators determined that Smith should be charged with the kidnapping of a child under the age of 13 and detaining the child with the intent to terrorize the mother and interfere with governmental proceedings.

Records show he was taken into custody on February 28 at a Wawa in Hollywood. The safety and well-being of the child are not mentioned in the report.

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Author Profile

Ryan Yousefi

Ryan Yousefi has lived in Coral Springs for over 30 years. He has worked as a writer for multiples outlets over the years, including the Miami New Times where he has covered sports and culture since 2013. He holds a Bachelor's Degree and a Master's Degree in Business Healthcare Management from Western Governors University.