What To Do When Your Child Goes Missing

Colette Buck | KHQ Local News Producer 

SPOKANE, Wash. - There were over 424,066 entries for missing children in the FBI's National Crime Information Center database in 2018.

While it may be scary to think about, children go missing from their homes, classrooms and neighborhoods everyday across the United States.

According to law enforcement, the best way to make sure your child returns home safety is to be prepared and know what you need to do if your child goes missing.

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children lists several steps you can take to ensure your child returns home safely.

The steps you should follow include:

Call law enforcement immediately. You are advised to call the police immediately before starting to search for your child yourself. Police are required to enter a missing child's name and information into the FBI's National Crime Information Center Missing Person File right away. There is no waiting period for minors under the age of 18.

Prepare to release vital information about your child, including photos. That includes their full name, their height and weight, their age, date of birth, what they were last seen wearing and any identifying features. Police advise you also include the names of their friends, locations of any frequently visited spots, any health issues they many have or any other relevant details.

Look in your immediate area. Police advise you start looking where you last saw your child. If it was inside your home, check all the beds, couches, piles of laundry, vehicles and inside your washer and dryer. If your child is older, make sure to ask police to investigate their social media for clues and remember to call the parents of your child's friends.

Make yourself available. The first 48 hours after your child goes missing are critical. While you may be inclined to help physically search for your child, your time is better served gathering and providing information to investigators. Check your home for any personal items that may be missing, and make sure to keep your phone handy in case police need to get in touch.

Inform the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. After you've contacted the police, contact the NCMEC by calling 1-800-THE-LOST (1-(800)-843-5678). They can help you by putting you in touch with national non-profits that can help with the search.

According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, kidnapping cases are rare, but they do happen. Being prepared and knowing what to do when your child goes missing can help increase the changes that they are found safe, regardless of how they went missing.

Trinity Mount Ministries - CyberTipline - NCMEC - Report Abuse! 1-800-843-5678

NCMEC’s CyberTipline is the nation’s centralized reporting system for the online exploitation of children. The public and electronic service providers can make reports of suspected online enticement of children for sexual acts, extra-familial child sexual molestation, child pornography, child sex tourism, child sex trafficking, unsolicited obscene materials sent to a child, misleading domain names, and misleading words or digital images on the internet.

What Happens to Information in a CyberTip?

NCMEC staff review each tip and work to find a potential location for the incident reported so that it may be made available to the appropriate law-enforcement agency for possible investigation. We also use the information from our CyberTipline reports to help shape our prevention and safety messages.

Is Your Image Out There?

Get Support

One of the worst things about sextortion is feeling like you’re facing everything alone. But you have people who care for you and want to help. Reach out to them!

A trusted adult can offer advice, help you report, and help you deal with other issues. It could be your mom, dad, an aunt, a school counselor, or anyone you trust and are comfortable talking to. You can also “self report” by making a report on your own to the CyberTipline.

Don’t Give Up

Having a sexual exploitative image of yourself exposed online is a scary experience. It can make you feel vulnerable and isolated, but remember, others have been in the same situation as you – and they’ve overcome it. Learn the steps you can take to limit the spread of the content.

Operation Independence Day Arrest Results in Guilty Plea

Sperry Man Admits to Sexual Exploitation of a Child

A man arrested as part of a month long operation to capture predators and identify child victims pleaded guilty Friday in federal court for sexual exploitation of a child, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.

Thomas Dustin Daughtry, 42, of Sperry, illegally engaged with the minor from Feb. 18, 2019 through June 25, 2019. In his plea agreement, Daughtry stated that he knowingly enticed a 15-year-old into engaging in sexually explicit conduct and persuaded the minor to send sexual images to him.

“The U.S. Attorney’s Office is a fierce advocate for Oklahoma’s children,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “Child predators like Mr. Daughtry use the internet as their hunting grounds to find vulnerable prey. Prosecutors and our law enforcement partners will remain vigilant in our own righteous hunt for these abusers and bring them forward to account for their crimes.”  

This prosecution resulted from Operation Independence Day, an investigation which was conducted in the month of July and resulted in nine individuals being charged federally in the Northern District of Oklahoma.

The nationwide operation relied on the 86 FBI-led Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Forces, which leverage the resources and intelligence of other federal, state, local and tribal partners. In total, law enforcement recovered or identified 103 child victims and arrested of 67 sex traffickers.

The FBI and Tulsa Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shannon Cozzoni is prosecuting the case.

Topic(s): 

Project Safe Childhood

Component(s): 

USAO - Oklahoma, Northern

Contact: 

Public Affairs 918-382-2755

Florida police arrest 23 suspected child predators and traffickers through online sting

By Morgan Phillips

Florida deputies arrested 23 suspected child predators and human traffickers during a recent four-day sting operation, all of which used online applications to seek out children, police said, according to Fox 13.

“Operation Intercept VII” targeted people who allegedly traveled to the county to meet minors for sex. The suspects arrested were between the ages of 21 and 77.

Those arrested allegedly responded to online ads, apps and social media websites, believing they were talking to children, but those "children" were actually undercover detectives. Police say one man sent over 90 sexually explicit photos to the detective.

The detectives provided an address for meet-ups, where authorities would be waiting. Deputies said several men brought condoms, one brought candy and one brought a sex toy.

“I wish I could say these operations were no longer needed but time and time again, even after we make dozens of arrests, these men keep coming back for more,” Sarasota County Sheriff Knight said in a press conference, according to Fox 13. “In this digital world we live in, innocent children are far too accessible to predators. That is why, as parents, we have to get serious about prevention. Parents are the first line of defense and we will never stop reminding our community of that.”

The sheriff’s office previously released a list of 15 apps about which parents should be leery. The apps, officials said, are often used by predators looking for children.

On Friday, investigators added yet more apps to that list.

The list included common dating apps such as Bumble, Grindr, Plenty of Fish and Zoosk. It also included messaging apps such as Snapchat, Whatsapp and Kik, and TikTok, an app beloved by Gen Z which allows users to create and share short videos.

Following the arrest of another 23 men for traveling to meet a child for sex, we are re-releasing our list of #AppsParentsShouldKnowAbout. During our latest initiative, #OperationInterceptVII, 23 men utilized apps including Plenty of Fish, HILY, MocoSpace and Zoosk to connect with boys and girls who they believed were 14-YEARS-OLD. Also new to our list is an app called "Monkey" - it is rated for kids "12 and up" but also has "mild sexual content and nudity."

PARENTS: WE WILL KEEP UPDATING THIS LIST SO LONG AS THESE MOBILE APPS ARE UTILIZED BY PEOPLE WHO WANT TO PREY ON YOUR CHILDREN. LOOK THROUGH YOUR CHILD'S PHONE. PREVENTION STARTS IN THE HOME.

National Center For Missing And Exploited Children Speaks About Online Safety

by Rachel Ellis


A man whose brother was abducted and killed before he was born is speaking out after the Simpsonville eleven year old drove two hundred miles to Charleston early Monday morning. The boy told police he planned to live with a man he met on Snapchat.

The eleven year old took his brother’s car and got lost on Rutledge Street when his GPS went out. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children said this is just one of many cases where there are many unanswered questions.

“You know you read the headlines and you think that’s where it’s going to be the worst and then you start getting the details and your head spins,” said Callahan Walsh, son of John Walsh, who founded the center.

He said it’s crucial for parents to know what their kids are doing online.

“There’s three things I always tell parents. One is know the technology. Get on those apps yourself and try to figure out how they work and you know see what apps your children are using. Number two is set ground rules and stick to them. Especially if there’s been bad behavior in the past. And number three is have ongoing conversations with your kids about safety,” said Walsh.

Walsh also added that online encounters have gone up and said it sometimes can be hard to keep track of the many apps that are right at our fingertips.

“It can be very difficult to provide parents with specific tips on specific apps because it’s sort of like whack a mole there. When one pops up it becomes popular and then three more like it pop up. so there’s always a constant landscape that’s changing. there’s always new apps with new features coming out,” said Walsh.

Ohio child sex trafficking sting nabs more than 100, including church leader, ER doctor

By Danielle Wallace - Fox News

Ohio police make over 100 arrests in massive human trafficking and child sex sting.

More than 100 are arrested in Ohio on charges linked to human trafficking and attempted unlawful sexual conduct with a minor. The arrests were made during a four-part simultaneous operation involving more than 30 law enforcement agencies. Over 40 women were also arrested for prostitution, with some being placed in a human trafficking rehabilitation program.

More than 100 people, including a medical doctor and a church youth director, were arrested as part of a massive human trafficking and child sex sting operation based in central Ohio, according to a report.

Those arrested included 24 men caught when they showed up at an undisclosed location with the intention of meeting a child for sex, Maj. Steven Tucker of the Franklin County Sheriff's Office said.

"They show up with sex toys, they show up with lubrication. They show up with things that clearly somebody isn't going to show up to a house with, unless they intended to engage in sexual activity."

— Maj. Steven Tucker, Franklin County Sheriff's Office

The 24 suspects were charged with attempted unlawful sexual conduct with a minor and importuning, Columbus’ WBNS-TV reported.

The total group of 104 suspects included Christian Gibson, 26, a former youth director at Redeemer's at Courtright Church in Columbus, and Austin Kosier, 31, an emergency room doctor, authorities said, adding that the sting was focused on Franklin, Fairfield and Delaware counties.

Christian Gibson, 26, left, a former church youth director, and Austin Kosier, 31, a medical doctor were both charged with attempted unlawful sexual conduct with a minor and importuning, authorities say.

Parents of Etan Patz Move Out of NYC 40 Years After Boy's Disappearance

The parents Etan Patz, the 6-year-old boy who disappeared from a New York City street while walking to the school bus, have moved out of the city — 40 years after losing their son.

Julie and Stan Patz sold their Prince Street loft and moved to Hawaii, where their other son Ari lives, the New York Post reported. The apartment sold for nearly $4 million in July, according to Street Easy.

Ari Patz was just 2 when Etan went missing. The couple also have a daughter, Shira, who was 8 at the time.

Julie had watched Etan from the window of the Prince Street home as he walked to his school bus stop on May 25, 1979. It was the first time he was making the trek by himself. 

But Etan never made it home that day. His parents later learned that he never even made it to school. Droves of police officers and bloodhounds descended on the streets of Manhattan, but the boy was never found, and the case eventually went cold. He was declared legally dead in 2001.

Then, in 2012, a man confessed to police that he killed Etan. Pedro Hernandez, who was an 18-year-old stock boy at a bodega near Etan’s bus stop, was arrested and charged with murder. After his 2016 trial, he was found guilty of kidnapping and murdering the little boy.

His remains have never been found.

President Ronal Reagan declared May 25 National Missing Children's Day in the U.S. on the fourth anniversary of Etan's disappearance. The designation spread worldwide in 2001, and May 25 became International Missing Children's Day.

Trinity Mount Ministries - CyberTipline - NCMEC - Report Abuse! 1-800-843-5678

NCMEC’s CyberTipline is the nation’s centralized reporting system for the online exploitation of children. The public and electronic service providers can make reports of suspected online enticement of children for sexual acts, extra-familial child sexual molestation, child pornography, child sex tourism, child sex trafficking, unsolicited obscene materials sent to a child, misleading domain names, and misleading words or digital images on the internet.

What Happens to Information in a CyberTip?

NCMEC staff review each tip and work to find a potential location for the incident reported so that it may be made available to the appropriate law-enforcement agency for possible investigation. We also use the information from our CyberTipline reports to help shape our prevention and safety messages.

Is Your Image Out There?

Get Support

One of the worst things about sextortion is feeling like you’re facing everything alone. But you have people who care for you and want to help. Reach out to them!

A trusted adult can offer advice, help you report, and help you deal with other issues. It could be your mom, dad, an aunt, a school counselor, or anyone you trust and are comfortable talking to. You can also “self report” by making a report on your own to the CyberTipline.

Don’t Give Up

Having a sexual exploitative image of yourself exposed online is a scary experience. It can make you feel vulnerable and isolated, but remember, others have been in the same situation as you – and they’ve overcome it. Learn the steps you can take to limit the spread of the content.

YouTube’s Fine & Child Safety Online

YouTube for targeting adverts at children as if they were adults shows progress is being made on both sides of the Atlantic, writes Steve Wood of the Information Commissioner’s Office

The conclusion of the Federal Trade Commission investigation into YouTube’s gathering of young people’s personal information (‘Woeful’ YouTube fine for child data breach, 5 September) shows progress is being made on both sides of the Atlantic towards a more children-friendly internet. The company was accused of treating younger users’ data in the same way it treats adult users’ data.

YouTube’s journey sounds similar to many other online services: it began targeting adults, found more and more children were using its service, and so continued to take commercial advantage of that. But the allegation is it didn’t treat those young people differently, gathering their data and using it to target content and adverts at them as though they were adult users.

In response to the FTC investigation, the company is now making changes, and we expect that other major platforms are planning to learn from this complaint. That impetus for change is mirrored in the UK, where the Information Commissioner’s Office code to ensure online services are better designed with children in mind will be with the secretary of state in November. This will ensure a privacy-by-default approach is taken by online services likely to be accessed by children, including standards that will require features such as location tracking to be switched off by default. It is welcome progress. The internet has evolved in a way that makes too little distinction between adults and children. Few parents would disagree that change is necessary.

Steve Wood
Deputy commissioner, ICO

Trinity Mount Ministries - DOJ - PROJECT SAFE CHILDHOOD - Justice News - UPDATE 9/30/2019

PROJECT SAFE CHILDHOOD

Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice.  Led by the U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.

JUSTICE NEWS

September 30, 2019

Press Release

Nassau County Man Pleads Guilty To Child Pornography Charge

September 30, 2019

Press Release

Chubbuck Man Sentenced to Over 19 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Child Pornography

September 30, 2019

Press Release

Bakersfield Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Receipt of Child Pornography

September 30, 2019

Press Release

San Antonio Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Attempting to Solicit a Minor for Sex

September 30, 2019

Press Release

Eastport Man Sentenced to Prison for Possessing Child Pornography

RESOURCES

Amber Alert

iKeepSafe

INOBTR ("I Know Better")

Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention

Office of Educational Technology Internet Safety

Read the Project Safe Childhood Fact Sheet »

Featured Videos

View the Project Safe Childhood Video Page »

Trinity Mount Ministries Shares International Missing Children Posts - Here's The Reason Why

By Brett Fletcher @TrinityMount

Trinity Mount Ministries is located in California, yet shares missing children posts globally. Child Sex Trafficking is a global problem and must be confronted and combatted globally.

A missing child could end up anywhere on this planet. Let's look everywhere for each and every missing child until they are located.

This is why Trinity Mount Ministries networks with international organizations and child advocates. Every missing child should be a global concern.

Brett Fletcher, MHRS, MS.Psy, Th.G, Founder of Trinity Mount Ministries

Thank you for your support!

Please Donate To Help Our Efforts!

https://fundrazr.com/missingchildren

Trinity Mount Ministries is located in California, yet shares missing children posts globally. Child Sex Trafficking is a global problem and must be confronted and combatted globally.

A missing child could end up anywhere on this planet. Let's look everywhere for each and every missing child until they are located.

This is why Trinity Mount Ministries networks with international organizations and child advocates. Every missing child should be a global concern.

Brett Fletcher, MHRS, MS.Psy, Th.G, Founder of Trinity Mount Ministries

Contact Information:

Address -
1200Franklin Mall 617, Santa Clara, California

Phone and Voicemail -
(408) 469-0422

Find Us On -

Blogger -
https://trinitymountministries.blogspot.com

Twitter - @TrinityMount
https://www.twitter.com/trinitymount 

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/trinitymount

Facebook -  https://www.facebook.com/trinitymount

FBI - Safe Online Surfing Challenge Launches

With Participation Growing, Cyber Safety Program Opens for 2019-20 School Year

The FBI’s Safe Online Surfing (SOS) Internet Challenge, which had record participation in 2018-2019, is reopening for the start of the new school year to help students navigate the web securely. As the FBI sees more and more crimes begin online, the growing participation numbers show that educators and caregivers also recognize the importance of teaching young people web literacy and safety.

“Many children and teens see Internet-enabled devices as essential to their lives—needed for everything from schoolwork to social connections,” said Unit Chief Jonathan Cox of the FBI’s Office of Public Affairs. “The fact that these tools feel like second nature, however, makes it easy for young people to forget the risks they can face online. The goals of the FBI’s SOS program are to make children aware of these threats and give them the knowledge they need to steer around them.”

Transcript / Download

The SOS program teaches young people about web terminology and how to recognize secure and trustworthy sites. Other lessons cover how to protect personal details online, create strong passwords, avoid viruses and scams, be wary of strangers, and be a good virtual citizen. Students in third through eighth grades visit the island that corresponds with their grade level and surf through activities that teach how to recognize hazards and respond appropriately. The entire curriculum is also available in Spanish.

More than 1 million students completed the program and took the SOS exam during the 2018-2019 school year—an 18 percent increase from the year before. Schools from all 50 states, D.C., Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands were among the 17,172 schools that competed in the challenge.

SOS activities are available to everyone, but teachers must register for a class to participate in the tests and competition. Any public, private, or home school in the United States and its territories with at least five students is eligible for the online challenge. Teachers manage their students’ participation in the program, and the FBI does not collect or store any student information.

Each month during the school year, the classes with the top exam scores nationwide receive an FBI-SOS certificate and may be congratulated in person by local FBI personnel.

Explore SOS activities and register at https://sos.fbi.gov.

Select Feedback from Participating Teachers, 2018-2019

“My sincere compliments on a very well designed and student-friendly website. My students are very excited about using the site for their digital citizenship lessons.”
- Yigo, Guam

"The FBI SOS program is wonderful! Thanks so much for all of your efforts in working to keep our students safe!”
- Hershey, Pennsylvania

“Thank you for this resource for my students! I use it every year. 
- Clayton, Delaware

Usage Statistics

In the 2018-2019 academic year, 1,071,975 students took the SOS examination. The largest number of participants were in the sixth grade.

Since October 2012, the FBI-SOS website has been visited nearly 3.6 million times, with a total of more than 10.6 million page views.

Resources

• FBI Safe Online Surfing Brochure

Videos

• FBI Safe Online Surfing (SOS) Program

Trinity Mount Ministries - CyberTipline - NCMEC - Report Abuse!

NCMEC’s CyberTipline is the nation’s centralized reporting system for the online exploitation of children. The public and electronic service providers can make reports of suspected online enticement of children for sexual acts, extra-familial child sexual molestation, child pornography, child sex tourism, child sex trafficking, unsolicited obscene materials sent to a child, misleading domain names, and misleading words or digital images on the internet.

What Happens to Information in a CyberTip?

NCMEC staff review each tip and work to find a potential location for the incident reported so that it may be made available to the appropriate law-enforcement agency for possible investigation. We also use the information from our CyberTipline reports to help shape our prevention and safety messages.

Is Your Image Out There?

Get Support

One of the worst things about sextortion is feeling like you’re facing everything alone. But you have people who care for you and want to help. Reach out to them!

A trusted adult can offer advice, help you report, and help you deal with other issues. It could be your mom, dad, an aunt, a school counselor, or anyone you trust and are comfortable talking to. You can also “self report” by making a report on your own to the CyberTipline.

Don’t Give Up

Having a sexual exploitative image of yourself exposed online is a scary experience. It can make you feel vulnerable and isolated, but remember, others have been in the same situation as you – and they’ve overcome it. Learn the steps you can take to limit the spread of the content.

Johnny Gosch Disappeared in West Des Moines 37 Years Ago Today

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa  —  It’s one of the most publicized missing persons cases in Iowa history.  On the morning of September 5th, 1982, 12-year old Johnny Gosch disappeared while delivering newspapers in West Des Moines.

Police have never made an arrest in the case nor named any suspects.  Over the years police have received thousands of tips but none have panned out.  Johnny was one of the first children who’s face appeared on a milk carton.  Missing posters with his face were plastered across central Iowa for years after his disappearance.

In 2014 a documentary on the search for Johnny Gosch was released.  It is available for purchase or rental through Amazon.

Johnny’s mother, Noreen Gosch, has never abandoned the search for her son.  She documents the case via a website for The Johnny Gosch Foundation which she created.  Noreen Gosch has reported numerous leads in the case throughout the years, even claiming to have met with Johnny in the late 1990’s when he told her he had been a victim of sex trafficking.  Authorities have not substantiated those claims.

If you have any information about any missing persons case, you can contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-THE LOST.