This is a hard topic for me to try to explain, having two children myself. I see the terror and fear in parent’s faces when I arrive after they call. They can not find their child who was just playing outside moments earlier. On the report of a missing child, here is what usually happens.
Your child is playing out front; you periodically look outside to check on them. A few moments go by, maybe longer since you were doing laundry. You don’t hear the happy playing kids voices anymore from out front so you go to check. You see a few kids down the street but not yours. Its 5:00 p.m. you look around the house, in the yard, call out their name, and no answer. You go back out front, and figure he went to his friend’s house. Your child, (lets say who is 5 yrs. old), usually answers up by now.
You go to his friend’s house and sure enough, his friend is there, but not your son. His friend says that your son stayed out front after he had to go in for dinner. You start to worry, but no panic yet. He’s got to be around. It’s dusk now, about 5:40.
You check the yard and house again, and now start walking up and down the street calling his name. No answer. A neighbor child tells you that a strange car with a man in it was asking the kids earlier if they had seen a lost dog. Panic begins to creep in now, should you call the police? He has always come home before; you’ll give him another 10 minutes. You call every friend he has, no luck. It’s dark now, and around 6:15. You’re getting bad thoughts now and panic has arrived. You finally make the 911 call. The dispatcher asks you information about your child, his height, hair, eye color, and the clothing that they were wearing. OH GOD, you’re so nervous that you can’t remember what he was wearing.
When the police car arrives out front, and the officer gets out of the car alone, without your child, panic is in full swing. Thinking that the worst has happened to your child, you burst into tears. The officer asks you information about your child, his friends, favorite places to go, hiding spots. The officer checks your house, yard, and car even though you said you already checked. The officer has called other officers into the area to begin an area check in the neighborhood. If available, a helicopter may even be brought in. Its now almost 7:00.
As police search for your child, the officer may ask for detailed information on your child such as who their dentist or doctor is and if any recent photos have been taken. The officer may even have you sign a release for dental x-rays in case they are needed to identify a body. (A standard question in a missing person report) Now, panic is in full swing.
Suddenly you hear the crackle of the police radio that a juvenile matching your son’s description has been found a few blocks away at a local park. It seems like hours (but actually only 3 minutes) for the officer to drive up. You are on the verge of a nervous breakdown as the officer opens the door and lifts out a small child. You cry out in joy as you see that it is your son. You run up and grab your son, almost squeezing the air out of him as you hug him, angry that he walked away but thankful that he is safe. You thank the police officers, thank god, and walk into your house with your son. Its 7:30 now, 2 1/2 hrs. since your child wandered off.
Luckily, in my city, that is the usual outcome to a missing juvenile call. Most of the calls I get dispatched to are either runaway juveniles, or a lost child who is often found after a short but emotion filled intense search. What if the above example continued on without the child being found? Bloodhounds along with search and rescue teams will be called out, all available police units will be mobilized for a search, organizations (usually volunteer) who deal with missing or abducted children will be contacted to assist with volunteers, flyers, searches and the media. The media can be helpful in getting the child’s photo out. I can only imagine the feelings of fear and emptiness that go through a parent’s head upon the realization that your child is really missing, REALLY gone. I have lost my kids before for a few minutes and I get panicked in that short time. I can’t imagine the pain of hours, days, or months going by, not knowing where a child could be. But it does happen. Some parents have to go through that emotional roller coaster. My heart goes out to them.
Most kidnappings or abductions are usually parental abductions, or a custody dispute. Still illegal, but very common.
The other type is the most feared type. Stranger abductions. Whether for sexual gratification, a wanted child of their own, or a sick self-gratification, the result is the same. Your child is in danger, and time is critical. Here are some tips to avoid losing your child to a kidnapper, and some things to remember that can help the police if your child does become a victim.
See all the tips – Click Below:
Here are some Tips:
• First, a kidnapper is going to look for an easy target. A neighborhood with kids about, no adults in view or a child who walks up to his car when asked something. What’s easier? He simply has to reach out and grab a child, pull them in a car, and disappear forever. Now the same kidnapper comes in your neighborhood, good, kids running about. But what’s this, a few adults sitting out front, reading, washing a car, playing with kids, Oh No, they are looking at him. Better get out of here before they get a good look at him. As he drives out, he sees a lone child walking around the corner. AHH might as well try this kid. The kidnapper asks the kid for directions. The kid sees the kidnapper is a stranger and ignores him. The kidnapper pulls the car to the curb and stops, calls to the child again and opens the door. The child yells for help and runs. The kidnapper wants NO attention brought to him so he quickly leaves for easier targets. No kidnapping suspect wants attention that can identify him or her. Teach your children to avoid strangers, and to scream or yell for help if they feel threatened. Keep an eye on your kids when they play. A yard is great, but alot of kids want to play “out front”. Maybe neighbors can all keep an eye out, or take turns watching the kids. If an abductor sees even one adult in view of his intended target, chances are he will pass up that child.
• Tell all the neighborhood kids to promptly tell a parent, neighbor, baby-sitter, etc. of any suspicious persons or cars in the area. People who are not familiar to the area, starting up conversations with children, asking kids for help looking for lost pets, offering toys or candy, all should be warning signs. If your children do not know a person, they should avoid conversations or close contact with strangers when you are not with them.
• If you see a strange car cruising through the neighborhood, jot down the license plate and description of the car and driver. It may be nothing. But then again, that may be the bit of information needed to get a child back alive and unharmed.
• Teach your children self defense moves or strikes to free themselves from an attacker if grabbed. Kick, hit, bite, punch, scream, anything and everything to get away.
• Remember what your child is wearing when they go outside. It helps a lot during a search to look for particular clothing worn by your child rather than just a physical description. Tell your children the importance of letting you know when they leave, change friends houses, or even come home. You should know every moment where your child is. A little leeway can be given for older teens, but the same rules apply, since older kids can be kidnapped too. Kidnappings occur from babies taken from a hospital, up to adults taken by force or with a weapon.
• Don’t let hours slip by if you cant find your child, especially a small child. Time is critical. After an initial search, call the police. We would rather get canceled half way to your house when you find your child, than to respond 3 hours later wishing we got the call hours earlier when it was still light. Think about how far someone can travel in 3 hours. Even on foot! Now a car!
• Have a recent photo of your child. Alot of city functions offer child fingerprinting and photographing, I have even seen companies donate equipment to videotape your child. You don’t want to search for a photo at a critical time, then to only find one from 2 yrs. ago.
• Remember if the dispatcher ask alot of questions on the phone, it’s to relay the information to officers arriving in the area to begin a search. The more information we have, the quicker we get it, the better chance we have of bringing your child home safe.
• The more information you have, the more information you give your children, the better chance we all have of keeping our children safe and sound.
