Who is a missing child?
In California, a missing person is someone whose whereabouts is unknown to the reporting party. Under California law, a missing child is a person 17 years of age or younger. (California Penal Code § 277.) A Missing Child includes any child who may have run away, been taken involuntarily, or may be in need of assistance. It includes a child illegally taken, held or hidden by a parent or non-parent family member. (California Penal Code §§ 277-280).How to report a missing person…
There is NO waiting period for reporting a person missing. All California police and sheriffs’ departments must accept any report, including a report by telephone, of a missing person, including runaways, without delay and will give priority to the handling of the report. You can request investigators to enter the child into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) Missing Persons File. There is no waiting period for entry into the NCIC database.What to do when your child is missing…
According to missingkids.com,- Immediately call your local law enforcement agency. Provide them with your childs:
- Name
- Date of birth
- Height
- Weight
- Descriptions of any other unique identifies such as eyeglasses and braces
- Descriptions of when and where your child went missing
- What your child was wearing when he/she went missing
- Request law enforcement enter your child’s name and identifying information into the FBI’s National Crime Information Center Missing Person File
- If your child is missing from home, search through:
- Closets
- Piles of laundry
- In and under beds
- Inside large appliances
- Vehicles – including trunks
- Anywhere else that a child may crawl or hide
National Resources
- National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) 699 Prince Street Alexandria, VA 22314–3175 Phone: (800) THE–LOST Phone: (800) 826–7653 (TTY) Phone: 703–274–3900 Fax: (703) 274–2200 (Fax) Web: www.missingkids.com Cyber Tipline: www.cybertipline.com
- U.S. Department of Justice, Office for Victims of Crime Office for Victims of Crime Office of Justice Program U.S. Department of Justice 810 Seventh Street NW. Washington, DC 20531 Phone: (202) 307–5983 Fax: (202) 514–6383 Web: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ovc
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) FBI Headquarters Special Investigations and Initiatives Unit Crimes Against Children Unit 935 Pennsylvania Avenue NW. Washington, DC 20535 Phone: 202–324–3666 Fax: 202–324–2731
- U.S. Department of Justice, Child Protection Division Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Office of Justice Programs U.S. Department of Justice 810 Seventh Street NW. Washington, DC 20531 Phone: (202) 616–3637 Fax: (202) 307–2819 (Fax) Web: http://www.ojjdp.gov
California Resources
- The Missing and Unidentified Persons Unit, California Department of Justice State of California Department of Justice Office of the Attorney General P.O. Box 944255 Sacramento, CA 94244-2550 Phone: (916) 227-3290 Web: www.oag.ca.gov/missing/mups Email: missing.persons@doj.ca.gov