History Main / AccidentalKidnapping

* ''Series/TheNanny'': Happens in "The Nanny Napper", when Fran takes a baby from an ethnic woman who had her hands full on a subway. Fran and Maxwell considered caring for it until they see a criminal sketch for Fran on TV.

* In the ''Series/LawAndOrderSpecialVictimsUnit'' episode "Coerced", a mentally ill man takes a boy from his home after mistaking him for his own estranged son. He's eventually deemed [[InsanityDefense not guilty by reason of mental disease]] and is sentenced to treatment rather than punishment.

When a character accidentally kidnaps someone else. This can have any number of causes behind it, ranging from honest mistakes and ContrivedCoincidence[=s=] to AlcoholInducedIdiocy.

* Fanfic/OverGamer: When trying to escape from the police, Kirito accidentally abducts Silica(who he had been shielding from gunfire at the time) and takes her back to his lair.

* Possible in the ''Franchise/SuperSmashBros'' event "Enough With The Kidnapping" where both Bowser and Jr. alongside a Boss Galaga that only affects Peach attempt to kidnap her. Nabbit is also a kidnapper and presumably works for Bowser and while he could also in theory kidnap Peach herself he could also accidentally kidnap Boswer and his son.

[[folder:Web Comics]]
* In ''WebComic/YokokasQuest'', anyone who wanders through Betel's barrier ends up settling in the village and forgetting their previous lives. After leaving the barrier, Kalliv just wants to go home to his real family (but can't remember where it is), and Yfa's family are shocked that Yfa has returned after disappearing for years.

* In the Princess Minerva OVA, the villainess Dynastar sends her two henchwomen Orchid and Pyrocession to kidnap the titular princess, they end up nabbing her lady in waiting Blue Morris who was dressed as her so she can fight in a tournament, they gag her and [[BagOfKidnapping stuff her into a sack]], after opening the sack Dynastar realizes she’s not the princess and uses her as a hostage.

* In ''Webcomic/AxisPowersHetalia'', [[NationsAsPeople (North) Italy and Romano (South Italy)]] once kidnapped England, but only because he happened to fall into a hole that some kids dug in their yard. They weren't too happy about the situation, and even less happy when Germany dragged England back after he managed to escape.

* In ''VideoGame/GhostTrick'', the BigBad's allies [[ThoseTwoBadGuys Beauty and Dandy]] were supposed to kidnap the Justice Minister's daughter Amelie in order to force him to carry out Jowd's execution order. In a bizarre twist of fate, Dandy instead grabs ''Jowd's own daughter'', Kamila (who is around the same age as Amelie but otherwise looks nothing like her). While it's argued that a child being held hostage is a big deal no matter what, this turns the situation into a NiceJobFixingItVillain scenario by (a) letting [[PlayerCharacter Sissel]] learn Kamila's story first-hand and use it to force Jowd to finally tell the truth about it, (b) giving [[DeathSeeker Jowd]] a new helping of determination, and (c) easing the Justice Minister's worries James just enough for him to reveal ''another'' batch of related information.

* In ''Film/{{Memento}}'', Leonard wakes up in a hotel room and finds a gun in the desk drawer and a man gagged and bound in the closet. He knew what he was doing when he kidnapped him, but because of his condition he's constantly wondering WhatDidIDoLastNight.

[[folder:Live Action TV]]

* Played straight in the finale of ''Series/DarkAngel''. Max and the gang are surrounded by their foes while at work, forcing them to take their collegues hostage.

* ''ComicStrip/DickTracy'': In the Crewy Lou storyline, Crewy steals Tess Tracy's car in order to make a getaway. However, she fails to notice Bonny Ann Braids napping in the backseat, turning it not merely into an unintentional kidnapping, but making it [[ItsPersonal personal]] for Tracy.

* In ''VideoGame/GhostTrick'', the BigBad's allies [[ThoseTwoBadGuys Beauty and Dandy]] were supposed to kidnap the Justice Minister's daughter Amelie in order to force him to carry out Jowd's execution order. In a bizzare twist of fate, Dandy instead grabs ''Jowd's own daughter'', Kamila (who is around the same age as Amelie, but otherwise looks nothing like her). While it's argued that a child being held hostage is a big deal no matter what, this turns the situation into a NiceJobFixingItVillain scenario by (a) letting [[PlayerCharacter Sissel]] learn Kamila's story first-hand and use it to force Jowd to finally tell the truth about it, (b) giving [[DeathSeeker Jowd]] a new helping of determination, and (c) easing the Justice Minister's worries James just enough for him to reveal ''another'' batch of related information.

* At the end of episode ten of ''Podcast/PokemonWorldTourUnited'', Team Rocket tries to kidnap a Nurse Joy from the Pokémon Center in Pewter. Cobalt gets in the way, and is summarily kidnapped by Team Rocket. This prompts Rose to call Cira for help to launch a rescue mission in the next episode.

* The ''WesternAnimation/KingOfTheHill'' episode "Lupe's Revenge", where on a field trip to Mexico, Peggy accidentally brings along a local girl, and is arrested for kidnapping when trying to bring her back (and the only way to get her out of it was to prove to the judge that she brought the girl to America by mistake because her Spanish comprehension is bad).

* Done in ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'', in "Return to Omashu". The gang lead some freedom fighters out of the city, and accidentally get the Fire Nation Govenor's toddler son as well. He was just following [[TeamPet Momo]] after the latter flew into their house to get food.

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[[folder: Comic Books ]]

* This happens in the upcoming crossover series ''ComicBook/CartoonNetworkSuperSecretCrisisWar'' when the villains take WesternAnimation/EdEddNEddy entirely by mistake.

[[folder: Film - Animated]]

[[folder: Film - Live-Action]]

[[folder: Literature ]]

[[folder: Live Action TV ]]

[[folder: Urban Legends]]

[[folder: Video Games]]

[[folder: Real Life ]]

* ''Burglar Bill'' steals a useful-looking wooden box with little holes in the lid, and gets it home before he finds a baby asleep in it. He proves to be a surprisingly good accidental father, which leads to him and the baby's mother, Burglar Betty, getting married and going straight.

* In ''VideoGame/GhostTrick'', the BigBad's allies [[ThoseTwoBadGuys Beauty and Dandy]] were supposed to kidnap the Justice Minister's daughter Amelie in order to force him to carry out Jowd's execution order. In a bizzare twist of fate, Dandy instead grabs ''Jowd's own daughter'', Kamila (who is around the same age as Amelie, but otherwise looks nothing like her). While it's argued that a child being held hostage is a big deal no matter what, this turns the situation into a NiceJobFixingItVillain scenario by (a) letting [[PlayerCharacter Sissel]] learn Kamila's story first-hand and use it to force Jowd to finally tell the truth about it, (b) giving [[DeathSeeker Jowd]] a new helping of determination, and (c) easing the Justice Minister's worries just enough for him to reveal ''another'' batch of related information.

* In ''Disney/ReturnToNeverland'', Captain Hook kidnaps Wendy's daughter Jane thinking she was Wendy herself in an attempt to use her as bait for Peter Pan.

* In ''WebComic/YokokasQuest'', anyone who wanders through Betel's barrier ends up settling in the village and forgetting their previous lives. After leaving the barrier, Mao resents being taken against his will, Kalliv just wants to go home (but can't remember where it is), and Yfa's family are shocked that Yfa has returned after disappearing for years.

* In ''YokokasQuest'', anyone who wanders through Betel's barrier ends up settling in the village and forgetting their previous lives. After leaving the barrier, Mao resents being taken against his will, Kalliv just wants to go home (but can't remember where it is), and Yfa's family are shocked that Yfa has returned after disappearing for years.

* In the ''Series/LawAndOrderSpecialVictimsUnit'' episode "Coerced", a mentally ill man takes a boy from his home after mistaking him for his own estranged son. He's eventually deemed not guilty by reason of mental disease and is sentenced to treatment rather than punishment.

* Early in ''Series/BurnNotice'', [[BruceWayneHeldHostage Mike gets kidnapped during a bank heist]]. So a few seasons later when he calls to say he's involved in a hostage situation, everyone assumed he got kidnapped again.

* It happens on ''Series/TheNanny'', when Fran takes a baby from an ethnic woman who had her hands full on a subway. Fran and Maxwell considered caring for it until they see a criminal sketch for Fran on TV.

* In Akira Kurosawa's film ''Film/HighandLow'', the kidnappers snatch not the son of the industrialist they were after, but the child of his chauffeur.

* When WebVideo/AndreTheBlackNerd showed up for WebVideo/TheNostalgiaCritic's ''WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles2014'' review with WebVideo/TheAngryVideoGameNerd, the Critic was distracted on the phone, and absentmindedly directed him to a closet and locked the door. When the Critic discovered him months later, Andre rather cheerfully demanded compensation by forcing the Critic to review ''Film/TheSmurfs'' with him.