Dear John, This Father’s Day I want to talk to you about the most common form of child abductions in America—family abductions—which were reported 20 times more often to us here at the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) than non-family abductions over the last year. You might think that this type of abduction is less serious because “at least they’re with their mom or dad” but that’s not the case. Sadly, of the 45,305 family abduction cases that NCMEC has worked on to date, 98 children have been located deceased. This is why I’m asking you for your support. Please consider making a gift that will help bring missing children home quickly and safely today.
Children abducted by a parent are often told lies to justify abruptly leaving home. After they’ve left the state or the country, they often remain isolated out of fear of being noticed or getting caught. Many times they are kept out of school, away from parks and neighbors, and without any contact with friends or family members. Once children are found, reunification can be a difficult process, but fortunately, kids are resilient—and we’re here to help. Take a look at the story of Ed Mena, a close friend of NCMEC, and the father of three boys who are now safe in his custody after their mother illegally took two of them to Mexico for a year.
We work with parents like Ed every day to help them find their missing children and to provide technical legal assistance, especially in complicated international cases. We support them emotionally through our network of mental health professionals and through our Team HOPE, which is made up of parents/guardians who have directly experienced having a missing or exploited child of their own. This Father’s Day support this life saving work by joining families like Ed’s and donating to NCMEC today. Stay safe and healthy.
Sincerely,
John Walsh
Co-Founder
The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children | 