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Posters asking for the safe return of missing California
teen, Sierra LaMar, show messages and well-wishes. Credit: Los Angeles Times |
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) indicates that over 2,100 children are reported missing in America each day. Last year, the Department of Justice reported 94,152 children missing in California. In the same year 63,346 runaways returned on his/her own, 17,840 lost children were located by law enforcement and 36 children were found deceased.
Children who return home often benefit from care and assistance as they transition back to their lives. Over the last three fiscal years, the California Victim Compensation Program has provided over $1.3 million to kidnapped and rescued children in California for services including medical, dental and mental health treatment. In the most tragic of circumstances, eligible parents and guardians are provided funding to help bury their loved ones.
The NCMEC found that in 81% of attempted abduction cases, children escaped would-be abductors through their own actions by yelling, kicking, pulling away, running away or attracting attention.
Understanding prevention and safety is necessary to reduce the number of missing children. Take a moment to review this list of helpful resources and information:
- The Take 25 campaign urges parents to take 25 minutes to talk to their children about safety, abduction and prevention. NCMEC has produced a list of safety tips as a part of its national child safety campaign.
- The AMBER Alert™ Program is a voluntary partnership between law enforcement agencies, broadcasters, transportation agencies and the wireless industry for the most serious child abduction cases. Through May 16, 2012, the program has helped safely recover 584 children.
- NetSmartz provides age-appropriate resources to teach children and teens to be safer on- and offline. Games, videos, tip sheets and presentations are designed for children, teens, parents, guardians, educators and law enforcement to help empower our communities to make safer decisions.
- Legislation plays an important role in keeping our communities safe. On September 9, 2010, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed Assembly Bill 1844 which provides tougher penalties for sexual offenders. This legislation, also known as Chelsea’s Law, was introduced in collaboration with Brent and Kelly King in response to the murder of their 17-year-old daughter Chelsea by a registered sex offender.
We keep Sierra LaMar in our thoughts and hope for her safe return. I hope you will join me in remembering her and all the children who have yet to be found. Let us do all we can to teach safety and prevention to our young ones.
To learn more about NCMEC, call the toll-free, 24-hour hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST or visit the web site at http://www.missingkids.com./
