Subscribe to RSS Feed

Important Missing Children Charity   My heart goes out to all families who have missing children this past Holiday season. This is a very important charity that I wanted to give some attention to today. Please if you this you have found a Missing Child Please call 1-800-The-Lost. or Visit: http://www.missingkids.com/ Love & God Bless, -Darcy Child Kidnapping: It's Rare when Compared to the Many Other Dangers to Children by John Edward Gill Recent media coverage of missing or kidnapped children may have scared parents into thinking such horrible events are commonplace. They are not. Federal studies have shown about 150 to 200 cases annually of "stranger" abductions. Yet most of those cases involve people who either knew the children or who lived nearby, while others were babysitters or family friends. Actual numbers of children suddenly taken by complete strangers range between 20 to 50 children a year. And since there are approximately 4.1 million babies born in America each year, this means there are presently more than 40 mllion children age ten and below living in this country right now. But, still, parents and caretakers can learn from such tragedies by knowing how to prevent them. A few, simple common sense tips, which most parents realize, can help: don't leave children unattended; know about people who live in local neighborhoods; recognize individuals who might threaten children (and don't let them into your home); always know where children are and who is caring for them; and remember to give as many details about a child's age and clothing and the last whereabouts of any children who suddenly vanish when calling 911. However, parents must realize ALL dangers to children. Accidents, mainly with cars, bicycles, and walking or playing near streets take far more children than kidnappers---about 6,000 children a year, according to the Washington, D. C.-based National Safe Kids Campaign. Approximately 4,000 children age 18 and under lose their lives annually because of guns, reports the Children's Defense Fund; also in Washington, D.C. Most of these children are victims of accidental handling of guns in the home. ---------------------------------24-Hour Hotline------------------------------------------------------- If you think you have seen a missing child, contact the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678). Toll Free and Phone Free Numbers USA 800-843-5678 USA TTY 800-826-7653 Australia 011-800-0843-5678 Canada 800-843-5678 Europe 00-800-0843-5678 Hong Kong 022-800-0843-5678 Japan 011-800-0843-5678 or 0062-800-0843-5678 Mexico 001-800-843-5678 South Korea 001-800-0843-5678 Taiwan 00-800-843-5678 Callers without access to the USA 800/toll-free telephone system may dial 001-703-522-9320 to reach the Hotline. This is not a toll or phone free number. Facts About the Hotline The Hotline is toll-free for all the countries/regions listed above All calls to the Hotline are recorded Caller ID is available Language services are available   NCMEC's Hotline receives calls for service from Families and law-enforcement agencies calling to report a missing child and seek assistance in their search People reporting the sighting of a missing child and requesting safety information to better protect their children People reporting child-sexual exploitation Professionals seeking resources to assist them in their missing- and sexually exploited child cases Parents who need reunification assistance once their child is found National Child Pornography Tipline and CyberTipline NCMEC, in conjunction with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Customs Service, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, serves as the National Child Pornography Tipline (1-800-843-5678). The Tipline handles calls from individuals reporting the sexual exploitation of children through the production and distribution of pornography. For online reporting of child sexual exploitation, visit NCMEC's CyberTipline at www.CyberTipline.com. National Runaway Switchboard The Hotline has established a system of networking calls to the National Runaway Switchboard (NRS) in Chicago, Illinois. On average NCMEC transfers information from 20 such calls each day to NRS. This sharing of information ensures that both agencies talk with the caller about the runaway child to glean the facts needed to best assist him or her without either organization duplicating services or efforts to help the runaway child and that child's family. Visit the National Runaway Switchboard online at http://www.1800runaway.org.