In answer to your questions: Kidnapping: They were living together and when he came home, she and the kids were gone as well as 2000.00 dollars of his computer equipment and he was served with a restraining order. He had no idea what was coming. She robbed him and took the kids across state alledging violence and then filed for custody in Kansas. She won full custody. After the custody trial, she got all nice to him and let him see his kids. One day, he came over and there were bruises on his daughters face. (she was three years old). The ex couldn't tell him where she got the bruises. Then the ex mother in law showed up with the police and both the ex and the ex mother in law told the police he hit his daughter. With two witnesses and evidence, he was convicted of child abuse. Nevermind all the other crap and harrassment they had pulled on him in the past. So, yes, she kidnapped them and he has a criminal conviction. The court doesn't give him an option to appear telephonically.
But, there was some justice in the case. The SRS blamed the ex and took the kids and placed them in foster care and sued the ex for child support. The kids were not returned for an entire year. What goes around comes around. THAT was justice!