It has always been your dream to have a family. Finally, you have children of your own. You never imagined that your children are going to go missing. It is every parent’s worst nightmare when they realized they do not know where their child is. Perhaps your child went missing on a school field trip. Maybe you simply woke up in the morning and your child was not in his or her bed. What should you do? There are resources available to help you. First, understand that you are not alone. Unfortunately, there are a lot of children who go missing in the United States every year. The good news is that the vast majority of these children are going to make it home safe and sound.
The Number of Children That Go Missing Every Year
You may be surprised to hear that there are a lot of children who go missing in the United States every year. Even though the percentage of children who go missing will vary based on geographic location and age, approximately 20 out of every 1,000 children go missing in the United States every year. This includes both children who are reported missing and children who are not recorded this time. Between 50 and 70 percent of all children who go missing are actually reported.
- If you notice that your child is missing, there are several possible reasons why. Some of the possible reasons why your child might have gone missing include:
- Your child simply ran away from home and would like to spend more time with a friend or another family member, which is why you should call your friends and family to see if your child has shown up there.
- Your child is taken by a parent who does not have custody who is upset, vengeful, or simply wants to spend more time with his or her child.
- Your child got lost or hurt somewhere, such as on a school field trip or other extracurricular activity.
- Even though most children who are victims of kidnapping are taken by someone they know, this is not always the case and there could have been something called a nonfamily abduction.
If your child has gone missing, it is important for you to enlist the help of trained professionals. The first thing you should do is report your child missing. Then, if there were legal proceedings in the past, is a good idea for you to notify the lawyer who helped you with the case. That way, you can get the ball rolling and get trained professionals out there looking for your child.
How Many Missing Children are Safely Recovered?
If your child has gone missing, it is only natural for you to be concerned. You might wonder where your child is. You might ask yourself how this happened. You might even be concerned that your child is currently sick or injured. Even though you may not find a respite easily, you should definitely ask yourself how many children are safely recovered of those who go missing.
Fortunately, the likelihood of you finding your child safe and well has gone up dramatically during the past few decades. Technological advances are on your side. These new pieces of technology have made it much easier for trained professionals to find children who go missing. According to information that has been published by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, technology has boosted the recovery rate drastically.
In 1990, just over 60 percent of children who went missing were recovered safely. In 2011, a repeat version of this study showed that more than 97 percent of children who go missing are recovered. Importantly, this most recent number only includes children who are considered to be “at-risk” and have been abducted by a stranger or a family member who is wanted on a felony arrest or who has been convicted of a felony charge. In recent years, more than 99 percent of children who are reported missing end up coming home alive.
If you are a parent and your child has gone missing, these numbers may not be enough to calm you down. You are not going to be able to relax until your child comes home safe and sound. On the other hand, these numbers should help you place your faith and trained professionals to understand how these cases usually unfold. Even though it is true that your child is special, and your case is unique, there are common themes that tend to emerge when children go missing. You need to let trained professionals do their job, follow their instincts, and help you bring your child home safe and sound. If you want to get involved in helping them find your child, we can help you.
Get Help Finding Your Missing Child
If you want to maximize your chances of recovering a missing child, make sure that you enlist the help of law enforcement professionals as soon as possible. Then, reach out to family members and friends to see if your child has shown up anywhere or if there are any leads you can use. After this, reach out to us and asked for our assistance.
We are The Committee for Missing Children and we have worked hard to help parents just like you recover missing children. We understand that there is nothing more stressful than a parent who is concerned about his or her child who has recently gone missing. Fortunately, we have worked hard to develop connections with some of the top names in our field. We will be happy to call in these connections to help you find your missing child. Furthermore, we have been through these cases before. We know how they work, and we can help you manage financial difficulties, alleviate your stress, and locate your child. To learn more about how we can help you find your missing child, please contact us today.