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Recognizing May 25, 2024 as National Missing Children’s Day in the City of Philadelphia.
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WHEREAS, The first National Missing Children’s Day was proclaimed by President Ronald Reagan on May 25, 1983, in memory of Etan Patz, a 6 year-old boy who disappeared from a New York City street corner on May 25, 1979; and
WHEREAS, Etan’s killer was convicted in 2017, but the case remains active because his body was never found; and
WHEREAS, Each year, the Department of Justice commemorates Missing Children’s Day by honoring the heroic and exemplary efforts of agencies, organizations and individuals engaged in the protection of children; and
WHEREAS, According to the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, over 375,000 reports of missing juveniles were made nationally in 2023, with the majority being family abductions; and
WHEREAS, Also in 2023, 1,200 children were successfully recovered through the AMBER Alert system, while another 180 recoveries were made thanks to wireless emergency alerts; and
WHEREAS, Troublingly, bad actors also utilize modern technology, with reports of online enticement of juveniles up by more than 300% between 2021 and 2023; and
WHEREAS, The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (“NCMEC”) exists as a resource to help prevent child abduction and sexual exploitation; help find missing children; and assist victims of child abduction and sexual exploitation, their families and the professionals who serve them; and
WHEREAS, NCMEC currently has 3,580 active cases of missing children; and
WHEREAS, NCMEC estimates that 19% of children reported missing in 2023 were victims of sex trafficking; and
WHEREAS, The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children urges the participation of local government, law enforcement, schools, community-based organizations, and families in the protection and education of all citizens about the threat of child abduction and sexual exploitation, appropriate protective measures, and ways to respond and seek help from law enforcement and social services; and
WHEREAS, National Missing Children’s Day is dedicated to encouraging parents, guardians, caregivers, and others concerned with the well-being of children to make child safety a priority; and
WHEREAS, This special day serves as a reminder to continue our efforts to reunite missing children with their families and an occasion to honor those dedicated to this cause; now, therefore be it
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That we hereby recognize May 25, 2024 as National Missing Children’s Day in the City of Philadelphia.
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