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NCMEC Missing Children Reports

The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children's reporting and classification of missing children cases, including the types of reports and the organization's role in assisting law enforcement and families.

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Jan 29, 2026

How does NCMEC define and count a 'missing child' in its datasets?

treats a “” not as a single legal status but as any child for whom NCMEC has been asked to provide assistance—typically through reports made by families, law enforcement, or child-welfare professional...