Abducted Swedish boy found in Southern Nevada, returned to father

By Jackie Valley

Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2013 | 10:08 a.m.

A 3-year-old Swedish boy abducted by his mother last year has been found in Southern Nevada, according to the Nevada Attorney General’s Office.

The child will be returned to his father, 29-year-old Damian Juarez, in Sweden, officials said. Investigators executed a warrant, issued by Clark County Family Court, on Friday and recovered the boy, who was then placed in protective custody.

Authorities said Juarez and the boy’s mother, 29-year-old Anastasjia Mitrofanova, had a joint child custody agreement issued in Sweden. Juarez is originally from Argentina, and Mitrofanova is from Tajikistan.

Mitrofanova allegedly told the Swedish court she had no plans to leave the country but then fled shortly thereafter with the child in November 2012, officials said.

A Swedish court granted Juarez sole custody in June 2013. Swedish authorities have filed criminal charges against the mother.

The abduction had resulted in a Europe-wide arrest warrant being issued and added to Interpol, the international database, officials said.

Nevada Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto filed a proceeding for the return of the child under a statute she had sponsored during the 2011 legislative session.

The Nevada Attorney General’s Office did not comment on the location of the mother or her criminal status in the United States.