How to Report a Runaway Teen
Dealing with the fear and guilt associated with your teenager running away can be emotionally crippling. Dealing with it while also following the right steps to get your teen back home healthy and safe can be nearly impossible. The first step is to contact the correct authorities to report your teen missing, and take care to obtain the information you need to track the progress of the investigation.
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Instructions
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Contact your local police. The best way is to call 911. Be prepared to offer identifying information, such as height, weight, age, whether he wears glasses or braces, etc. Also mention the clothes you most recently saw him wearing.
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Call other authorities, such as a county sheriff, state police and the police in neighboring cities. File a report in as many jurisdictions as possible, including the local FBI office and border patrol if applicable.
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Call missing children's hotlines like the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children or the National Runaway Hotline.
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Tips & Warnings
Keep in mind that, contrary to popular cop shows, there is not a mandatory waiting period before you can report a child missing.
When you call, ask the person taking your information for a case number and the name of the person who will be working your case. This will make it easier to keep track of the investigation as it progresses.
