Missing Child

Missing Children: Facts and Statistics

There are over 800,000 children that go missing every year in the United States alone. Some of these children are abducted, while others runaway, become lost, or injured. 90% of parents reported having lost a child at one point in their lifetime, whether it is temporarily in a public place or something more serious like abduction. While about 77% of these cases are resolved by the families, about 13% of them require the help of law enforcement.

There are some government safeguards in place to help recover missing children, such as the Amber Alert, televisions shows and websites based on child location, and general law enforcement. These reaction-based solutions are relatively successful in child relocation, but what about a preventative method? Prevention begins with the parents or guardians of a child.

There are some simple steps that parents can take to better safeguard against child abduction. Consider purchasing a child location device or following these simple suggestions for avoiding child abduction.

Parental Methods of Prevention

• Know your child’s location at all times.
• Never leave your child alone.
• Accompany your child to the bathroom.
• Establish a routine for picking up your children.
• Have a plan in case you get separated from your child.
• Do not write your child’s name on their clothing or personal effects.
• Promote a dialogue between children and parents.
• Learn about your child’s acquaintances.
• Complete a background check on all babysitters.
• Create a neighborhood watch in your community.
• Get to know your neighbors and make sure your children feel comfortable approaching them in case of emergency.
• Research sex offenders in your neighborhood.
• Organize your child’s personal information and a recent photo in case of abduction.
• Consider purchasing a child location device.
• Keep up-to-date medical history and fingerprint cards.

What to Teach Your Kids About Child Safety

• Teach your children to reach out to familiar adults in case of emergency or speak up if they need help.
• Children should not accept rides or gifts from strangers.
• Create a code word that any adult picking up your child will know and use so your child knows who to trust.
• Teach your child his or her full name, phone number, and address.
• Teach your child all of your phone numbers.
• Teach your child how to call the police.
• Tell your child to stay in groups when going anywhere.
• Make your child aware of abductions and dangerous situations.

Family Child Abduction

There are different types of missing children: family child abductions, endangered runaways, non-family child abductions, lost, injured, or otherwise missing children. The largest number of missing children are runaways, followed by non-family child abductions, then lost, injured, or otherwise missing children, and finally, the smallest category, but the one in which the child is at greatest risk of injury or death: family abductions. Family abductions are a serious matter. These types of abductions usually occur when families are split apart through custody battles or other types of separation. One of the parents decides to take illegal action and abduct the child without the permission of the other parent. To take the child from their normal surroundings, these parents use defamation tactics to prove to the child that the other parent doesn’t love him or her anymore. These children may live the life of a fugitive, always on the run with the non-custodial parent, stripped away from their home, friends, school, and family.

To read more about familiar abduction, visit:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/kidswalk/then_and_now.htm This site has general safety tips for children and adults as well as how to establish a safe routine for picking up your kids.

Tips for Children and Teens: Preventing Child Abduction

Have you ever separated from your mom or dad in a crowded place? It's scary, isn't it? Then you know how your parents feel when they can't find you! You might not think that it's a big deal to wander off while you're in the store with your mom or dad, but think about how scared they will be when they can't find you. Most of the time, you wander back and everything is okay. But when you’re alone without your parents, there is a chance that you will be abducted. Child abduction is when a person takes you against your will. Child abductors are bad people who make you do things that make you feel uncomfortable. Here's the hard part: could you spot an abductor on the street? Could you tell which person in a crowd is a kidnapper? Unfortunately, kidnappers don't always look or act differently. They may try to give you candy or presents and offer to be your friend. Just remember that strange adults can harm you. The good news is that most kids or young adults who are abducted return home safely. If one of your friends is ever taken, know that they have a team of the toughest, most intelligent and resourceful law enforcement personnel trying to find them: the police. The FBI helps the local and state police investigate the kidnapping. Remember that child abduction is very rare. However, it is important to use your good sense in all situations.

This excerpt is from the FBI’s Child Abduction Safety Tips website.

For more information please visit: The FBI’s Tips for Kids http://www.fbi.gov/kids/k5th/safety3.htm
This website offers kids excellent tips on ways that they can stay safe.

Guidelines for Reducing Risk

• Limit play areas to indoors, fenced backyards, or public areas, where adults and children are present. Tell your children they may not, under any circumstances, leave that area unless they check with you first.
• Establish rules for when children are walking to and from school, a friend's house, an after-school activity, etc., such as walking with at least one other friend (the more, the better) or an adult or responsible teen (especially for younger children) and make sure that they follow a pre-established route. Make it a rule that they never follow a different route home unless they check with you first.
• Get to know your neighbors and establish a sense of community in which everyone (even those without children at home) takes responsibility for the children in the neighborhood. For example, establish an agreement with neighbors where children can go if they sense that they are in a dangerous situation.
• Talk with (not at) your kids about dangerous situations. Find out how they perceive the risks of different situations. As you listen, pick up on beliefs that you need to correct ("A stranger is someone who doesn't know my name," or "I would just beat up someone who tried to hurt me.") and other issues that you need to address.
• Be especially attentive to your children who are very social, eager to please, compliant, or relatively fearless. It will be harder for children with these personality characteristics to follow the personal safety rules when they are actually in a situation.
• Working and/or busy parents must take the time to understand their children and their habits.
• Don't assume the opinion, "You know how kids are today!" Make sure that you are a proactive parent.
• Make sure that all of your child's caregivers (including extended family members) know your rules and abide by them, including where to play, when to check first, when they need to supervise (be physically present with the child), etc.
• Keep a recent photograph (within 6 months) of your child. Know your child's current height, weight, and eye color.
• Know your child's friends, their parents, addresses and contact numbers.
• Have a set of rules for your kids to follow and enforce them.

Consider purchasing a child location device so you can always keep track of your kids.

Child Abduction Statistics and Resources

Important Resources
The Amber Watch Foundation http://www.amberwatchfoundation.org/
SafeKids.com: http://safekids.com/
National Center for Missing & Exploited Children: http://www.missingkids.com
The FBI’s Crimes Against Children: http://www.fbi.gov/hq/cid/cac/crimesmain.htm

Important Tips
The FBI’s Tips for Kids: http://www.fbi.gov/kids/k5th/safety3.htm
KidSave.com: http://www.kidsave.com/child_safety_information.html
National Center for Missing & Exploited Children: http://www.missingkids.com