If you believe your child is missing, it is critical that you act immediately. If your child is missing from home, search the house. You should check closets, piles of laundry, in and under beds — anywhere a child could crawl into, hide, or possibly not be able to get out. Check with neighbors and friends. If you still cannot find your child, immediately call the police.
If your child disappears while you are away from home, such as on a shopping trip, notify the manager of the store, or contact the security office and ask for assistance in locating your child. Then immediately telephone the police.
When you call the police, try to stay calm. Identify yourself and your location and say, "Please send an officer, I want to report a missing child." You should give your child's name, date of birth, height, weight and any unique identifiers such as eyeglasses, pierced ears or orthodontic braces. In addition, you should tell them when you noticed the disappearance and when you last saw your child. Knowing what clothing the child was wearing when he or she disappeared will help the police.
Any significant and unexplained deviation from your child's daily routine should prompt a timely law enforcement response. Police response may be expedited if any of these circumstances exist: 1) your child is under 13 years of age, 2) your child is mentally incapacitated or drug dependent, or 3) your child is a potential victim of foul play or is with adults who may endanger the child's welfare.
Request that your child's name and identifying information be immediately entered into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) Missing Person File. This ensures that any law enforcement agency in the country will be able to identify your child if he or she is found in another community.
Help from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
After you have reported your child missing to the local police department, call NCMEC's 24-hour toll-free hotline, 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678). A case manager may be able to follow up with you and the officers investigating the case, and NCMEC may be able to refer you to a support group in your local community.
