Wisconsin father charged with international child kidnapping

WISCONSIN LAW JOURNAL STAFF//December 9, 2025//

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WISCONSIN LAW JOURNAL STAFF//December 9, 2025//

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IN BRIEF

Clyde Lewis Springfield is charged with international parental kidnapping.
Prosecutors say he took his four children to South Africa in violation of a custody agreement.
Springfield was extradited and arrested upon his return to the U.S. in November 2025.

A Wisconsin man was charged in federal court with international parental kidnapping.

According to a criminal complaint previously filed, Clyde Lewis Springfield, 41, on or about Oct. 29, 2021, left the United States with his four children and failed to return them on Nov. 3, 2021, in accordance with his child custody agreement. Travel records showed the defendant took his children to South Africa and did not return to the United States on their scheduled return flight.

Authorities obtained a federal criminal complaint against Springfield on Nov. 24, 2021.

Through the combined efforts of the Department of Justice and law enforcement, the children were located, rescued and returned to the United States on March 16, 2022. Through an international extradition process, Springfield was returned to the United States on Nov. 21, 2025, and arrested.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the West Allis Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and U.S. Marshals Services are investigating the case.

Tags: Family Law, U.S. Marshals Service, FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, law enforcement investigations, extradition law, child custody violation, Wisconsin federal charges, criminal law, international parental kidnapping

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