Shoreline resident fighting child abduction

It’s been nearly five years since Jeffery Morehouse’s son was kidnapped and taken to Japan.

Morehouse was on his way back from a business trip when he received a call from police tell him that his son, “Mochi” Atomu Imoto Morehouse, and his ex-wife were missing. He later found out she kidnapped their son and brought him to Japan.

“I know the region he is in,” the Shoreline resident told KIRO Radio. “I don’t know where he is being held.”

Since learning of his son’s kidnapping, Morehouse has fought to get his son back. During that time, he learned Mochi is one of 400 American children that have been kidnapped and brought to Japan since 1994.

In response, Morehouse created the Bring Abducted Children Home organization in 2011.

His son’s kidnapping followed efforts to prevent just that from happening. Morehouse proactively contacted Japanese consulates to warn them of his ex-wife’s desire to bring Mochi to Japan. He put passport and travel restraints on his son.

Morehouse learned his ex-wife took Mochi to a consulate in Portland, Ore., where a passport was obtained for their son. Morehouse did make contact with the consulate prior to his son’s disappearance.

In the past two years, Morehouse has gone through eight court hearings. His ex-wife tried to gain joint-custody of Mochi, but failed, he said.

Morehouse asked his ex-wife to reveal where Mochi is being held, but she refused.

“It’s not uncommon that I’ll wake up and hear my son’s voice in my head,” he said. “Then I’ll wake up again and realize he’s still missing.”