How to Find a Runaway

Runaway kids, regardless of their age, need to be found as quickly as possible. From the angry preteen with a backpack full of comic books and candy bars to the streetwise adolescent with a host of places to hide out, all are at risk. People may be quick to tell you that your little one will come home after a trip around the block or that your teen will call when she runs out of money. This may be true, but during the time between stepping out the door and calling home, a runaway is a prime target for people looking for someone to hurt.

Things You'll Need

• Fliers about the runaway

Instructions

1. Call the police. If your child is under 18, you do not have to wait until he's been missing for 24 hours. It's hard to call the police on your own child--you may worry about what people will think of you as a parent, how your child will react to knowing you called and what kind of trouble he might get into when he's caught. However, the police can distribute his photo and look for him as they patrol the streets. They also may be aware of popular places where runaways hang out and look for him there. Tell them the names of any friends your child might turn to and places he might go. If your child has any kind of medical condition--physical or psychiatric--let the police know. This will allow them to classify your child as "missing: endangered."

2. Call her friends and associates. Go to your cell phone provider's website (the address will be on your bill), log in and look at your child's cell phone usage. Call every number she has called in the past month; ask the people at those numbers if they've seen or heard from your child. Talk to the parents of your child's friends, and let them know the police have been notified; most people are reluctant to be caught up in situations involving the police and may worry about getting in trouble if they tell anything they know. Parents who know the police are involved may strongly encourage their kids to speak up. Let the friends know they won't be in trouble if they are hiding your child or know where she is, but they need to tell you. Remind them, if appropriate, that your child may get sick without medicine from home. Give the people you talk to your phone number, and ask them to call you if they hear anything.

3. Utilize social networking. Set up a group on Facebook that includes your child's photograph, identifying information, contact information for yourself and the police, and any other relevant information, such as where he was last seen. Invite all your friends, and ask them to mention the group on their accounts. Make sure the group is open to the public so that anyone who sees it can join.

   If you can, log into her own Facebook and Myspace accounts, and look for clues to where she might have gone. Post bulletins or status updates from her pages that state she is missing, and include your contact information. Do the same from any accounts you have, and ask friends and family to also publish the information on their pages.

4. Drive around your neighborhood and neighborhoods in which your child has friends. Stop at such places as convenience stores and coffee shops, and post fliers about your child (with management's permission). Cover bus stations and local bus stops with fliers.

5. Visit local schools and give fliers to the administration; children who run away often go to school with their friends, where they can pretend to be visiting relatives or homeschooled friends. It's easy for these kids to hide in plain sight, so make sure the administration passes the information on to teachers and other school staff.

6. Contact runaway shelters and hospitals, and give them the information about your child.

7. Make sure someone is near the home phone at all times, and keep your cell phone charged and nearby. If your child tries to contact you, he must be able to reach you.

8. Enlist the help of your child's friends. If her friends are posting on social networking sites and word gets out that not only you but her friends are concerned, she may make contact.

Tips & Warnings

• Watch your temper. Although it may be tempting to threaten everyone who might know where your child is, you'll get a lot further by saying something like, "I'm really worried about her and I know you want to help make sure she's safe" than, "If I find out where she is and who was hiding her, I'll kill him."

• If you're not sure how to access your child's cell phone records online, call your provider and let them know the situation. They'll be glad to help.

References

• Runaway Teens: Overall Runaway Statistics
• Focus Adolescent Services: Things to Do If Your Teen Runs Away

Resources

• Focus Adolescent Services