According to Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine, 49 children have been reported missing in Scioto County. In all, more than 18,688 children were reported missing in 2015, but DeWine says 97 percent were recovered safely. The report does not specify how many of the 49 that have been reported missing from Scioto County have been recovered. There are currently more than 700 children listed as missing in Ohio.
In recognition of National Missing Children’s Day Wednesday, DeWine released the 2015 Ohio Missing Children Clearinghouse report broken down by count.
“Protecting Ohio’s families and children is the mission that drives everything we do in the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, and all of us have a role to play in making sure missing kids return home safely,” DeWine said. “The safe recovery of a missing child requires coordination and a quick response among agencies as well as critical help and input from the public.”
156 children ages 0 to 5 were reported missing; 1,097 – ages 6 to 12; 17,435 were reportedly ages 13 to 17.
The clearinghouse also documented 17 attempted child abductions involving 13 girls and eight boys. The suspects were driving vehicles in 98 percent of the situations, and 36 percent of the incidents occurred while the children were walking to or from school.
There were 12 AMBER Alerts and 17 Endangered Missing Child Alerts issued in 2015. All of these children were recovered safely.
Meanwhile, National Missing Children’s Day is May 25, and the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) wants to remind parents of the tools available to assist in a quick recovery should a child be reported missing or abducted.
When a child is reported missing, the first few minutes and hours are crucial. Parents must have accurate and current information about the child, including photographs.
The BMV can issue State Identification (ID) cards, which include a digital photograph, to children of any age. The photographs and information can be quickly accessed by law enforcement if a child is reported missing or abducted. When a State ID is issued, the photos become part of a statewide Operator’s License/Identification database and can be readily accessed by law enforcement officials through the Ohio Attorney General’s secure Web site, the Ohio Law Enforcement Gateway.
An Ohio BMV-issued state ID card costs only $8.50 and is valid for up to four years. Parents of very young children may want to renew photos annually. Additional information is available on the Ohio BMV Web site: www.bmv.ohio.gov. The Web site also lists important information regarding what documents parents or guardians must bring for themselves and their children to prove their identity when applying for a State ID card.
