Finding Missing Children …best practices for 911 Centers and Ontario County’s CART team

1. Finding Missing Children…best practices for 911 Centersand Ontario County’s CART team NYS 911 Coordinators Association Spring 2008 Conference Presented by: Steve DeChick and Jeff Edwards Ontario County 911 Center - Canandaigua

2. How many children do you think are REPORTED missing every year in the USA? 800,000 So how many is that per day? OVER 2,000 During the time frame that these children are missing…how many do you think will be sexually abused? 1 out of every 5 females! 1 out of every 10 males! 1 out of every 7 are exploited for sex via the internet! Missing and Exploited Children

3. Missing and Abducted Children • An estimated 1.3 million children go missing each year • Only 797,500 of those are typically reported to law enforcement agencies.

4. How do we change this? • We MUST make the protection of our children our highest priority! • REMEMBER!!! There is NO WAITING PERIOD to report a child missing! • Why is it that we enter a stolen vehicle into NYSPIN so quickly…………………... but we wait to enter a missing child? • Enter a child into NYSPIN BEFORE the officer arrives! TIME IS IMPORTANT!

5. 4 Categories of Missing • Non-family abductions • Family abductions • Runaways/throwaways • Lost, injured or otherwise missing

6. Non-family Abductions • Child is taken through force or persuasion, usually in furtherance of additional victimization. • A non-family abduction is unlike the stereotypical kidnapping because the child is somehow familiar with the abductor.

7. Non-family abductions 58,200 per year • Most dangerous – worst of the worst • 1/2 are sexually assaulted (approx. 30,000 children) • 1/3 are physically assaulted (approx. 20,000 children

8. Stereotypical Kidnappings • Stranger abductions • 100 – 200 per year • 60 – 100 children are murdered each year in the course of a stereotypical abduction by an unknown offender.

9. Family Abductions 203,900 per year • 559 children per day on average • 1 child every 3 minutes • In the first 4 months of 2004, 30 children in California kidnapped by family members were also murdered. • 1 out of every 11 children that are killed are killed at the hands of a parent

10. Runaways / Throwaways • Runaways – usually a teenager who leaves home voluntarily for a variety of reasons. • Throwaways – a child who is deserted or abandoned; the child’s caretaker may not report the child as missing or make any effort to recover. • The throwaway child often comes in contact with law enforcement.

11. Runaways / Throwaways • 1,682,900 per year • 357,600 reported • 1,190,900 are endangered by sexual or physical assault, criminal companions, drug use or are under the age of 13.

12. Runaways / Throwaways • 38% travel less than 10 miles • 31% travel 10 – 50 miles • 31 % travel further than 50 miles • Average age is 15 – 17 years • Equal numbers of boys and girls

13. Lost, Injured or Otherwise Missing • Occurs when a child’s whereabouts are unknown and the child is trying to get home or make contact but is unable to do so because of injury, age, unforeseeable circumstances or miscommunication.

14. Lost, Injured or Otherwise Missing • 579,200 per year • 53,900 were missing due to injury • 182,200 were between the ages of 15-17 • 455,100 reported to law enforcement • 17,500 were missing 24 hours to 1 week. • 7,800 were missing 1 week to 6 months

15. Missing Children Homicide Investigation • Analysis of investigations of missing children where death was the outcome • 44 States • 577 cases (33 % unsolved) with 621 victims • 419 killers

16. Nature of Call • 58% missing person report • 24% body recovery • 9% runaway report • 9% abduction

17. Victim Composite • Most are female • 11.4 years old • Middle-class or “blue collar” family • Normal kid, not considered at risk • Good or average family

18. Why did the killer select “her”? • 57% opportunity • 15% previous knowledge of victim • 14% victim’s physical characteristics • 13% specific motivation

19. Deadly Victim-Offender Mix • Most (80%) victims were abducted within ¼ mile of their last known location; 65% were less that 200 feet from their home • 66% of the killers were at the abduction site for a legitimate reason • 29% lived in the area

20. The Carlie Brucia story

21. How long did they live? • 44% die within the first hour • 74% die within the first 3 hours • 1% survive more than a day • 40% were dead before they were reported missing

22. A Killers profile • White male • 27 years old, not married • Socially inept • Criminal history • Do you know where your level 3 sex offenders live?

23. Parent Kidnapping Prevention act of 1980 Missing Children Act of 1982 Missing Children’s Assistance Act 1984 National Child Search Assistance Act of 1990 International Parental Kidnapping Act of 1993 Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act (1997) Suzanne’s Law 2003 National Amber Alert 2003 Federal Statutes

24. Response to a Missing Child Case

25. Your role as an administrator • Have policies in place that identify the need for an Immediate dispatch of officers to the scene!!! – these are “in-progress” calls • Make sure that the call taker obtains a full description of the child including clothing worn and ALL information needed for an initial Missing Person file (Remember that it can be modified later if need be) • Responding officers are trained to search enroute to scene, therefore a broadcast ASAP of the best description that you can get is CRITICAL!

26. IF NOTHING ELSE, PLEASE REMEMBER THIS…. • When taking a call for ANY missing child, consider them to be in danger until proven otherwise!!! (and pray that they are not!)

27. Additional Roles and Responsibilities • Initiate BOLO to other officers and other agencies including surrounding counties! • Ensure notification to all state / federal jurisdictions that may be involved • Include any information – particularly vehicle information – about a potential abductor • Run “RNAM” for vehicles registered to any and all suspects! • Brief other communication staff in case tips or sightings are received • Have plan readily available in cases of activation of AMBER or full CART response

28. The child should be entered into NCIC immediately The person making the entry should know how to enter the child correctly Don’t forget “_C” flag if applicable Enter as much descriptive information as possible! If the child is known to be with an adult, enter the adult missing and cross-reference the entries Update with new information Entries into NYSPIN / NCIC

29. _C Flag (MKE Field) • AC – Acquaintance abduction – Foul Play/Life Threatening • FC – Family Abduction – Foul Play/Life Threatening • LC – Lost Juvenile – Foul Play/Life Threatening • SC – Stranger Abduction – Foul Play/Life Threatening • UC – Circumstances Unknown – Foul Play/Life Threatening

30. _C Child Abduction Flag: First introduced in 1997 to flag cases with reasonable indication or suspicion that a child has been abducted and/or is missing under circumstances suggesting foul play or threat to life. When “_C” is entered into the missing person MKE/ field, automatic notifications go to: The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children FBI’s Child Abduction & Serial Killer Unit NYS Violent Crime Analysis Program NCIC Entries for Abductions

31. File 11A • A File 11A also needs to be sent for any suspected abduction or attempted abduction

32. Amber Alert Activation • The child is 17 years of age or younger • Police must believe the child is in danger of serious bodily harm or death, either due to the actions of another person or due to a proven mental or physical condition.

33. Amber Alert Activation • Family abductions qualify only if a child is endangered by the actions of the abducting family member. • Activation will not occur without at least a preliminary investigation by the agency. • The “Authorization to Publicize” form signed by a parent or guardian is required to broadcast a child’s name.

34. NYSPIN – AMBER Alert Message • Fill out the NYSPIN “AMBER” message • Fax the AMBER Alert “authorization to publicize” form to NYS Police Communications Section • Should have already sent a File 6 and File 11A

35. CART – because our children matter most!

36. Jessica Lunsford CART Response to a Missing Child February 23, 2005

37. Jessica Lunsford • Age: 9 years • Sex: Female • Race: White • Hair: Brown • Eyes: Brown • Height: 4’ 10” • Weight: 70 lbs

38. Jessica Lunsford • Last seen wearing a pink night gown and white satin shorts • A purple stuffed dolphin toy she had recently won at the State fair was missing • Lives with her grandparents, Ruth and Archie Lunsford and her father, Mark Lunsford • Attends Faith Baptist Church

39. Jessica’s story

40. Assignments • Detectives located day-labor companies working in the area and conducted interviews • Detectives answered phones and researched leads • Detailed neighborhood canvasses and home searches were performed • Interviews were conducted with and the homes of sex offenders were searched • 138 neighborhood canvasses, data on 359 people was collected

41. Further Assignments • Grid searches on foot and in ATV’s • Interviewed children from Jessica’s church and school bus • Interviewed waste management, newspaper, and delivery employees and obtained lists of customers • Interviewed Faith Baptist Church employees and obtained lists of patrons and people the church had assisted.

42. What is CART • A team of individuals from various agencies, jurisdictions and organizations who are trained and prepared to respond to a missing, endangered or abducted child. • CART provides resources to to aid in the search and rescue effort and assists the agency of jurisdiction in its investigation.

43. Why CART • First few hours are critical • Many agencies have never had a child abduction in their jurisdiction • Most officers responding to a child abduction have never investigated a similar crime • One single agency will not have all the necessary resources • Accessing resources could take valuable time

44. CART IS • A force multiplier • Many to do much • Quick strike • A tool for investigation • A proven, organized way to respond to a missing or abducted child that improves the chance of recovery • Many resources

45. Sheriff’s Office City Police State Police Village Police Probation Parole Search and rescue Numerous others stakeholders Agreement outlining the roles and responsibilities of each of the parties involved to effect a plan, response, and outcome for the safe recovery of the abducted or missing children. Memorandums of Understanding

46. CART Activation Protocol • The Ontario County CART will be deployed in all Amber Alert cases; child abductions and disappearances not rising to the Amber Alert level and to recover endangered runaway children under the age of 18. • CART may deploy to assist in the recovery of any missing person in a life threatening environment or deemed to be endangered due to other circumstances. • CART will assist the lead local law enforcement agency and bring additional resources to the recovery effort.

47. CART Rollout • Rollout location for CART will need to be determined • A command post will need to be established • Once AMBER or CART is activated, be prepared for media responses and many phone calls! • Know the location for media briefings

48. Cart Team responses to Runaways • If it is determined that the child is a runaway: • Is the child in immediate danger ? • Is the child in the company of a known sex offender? • May need to activate response based on circumstances surrounding the runaway incident

49. CART Notifications • Activate reverse 911 • Notify local FBI office • Notify State clearinghouse and NCMEC • Contact CART coordinator • Notify public information officer and the media • Assign victim advocate to the family

50. CART - Initial Investigative Strategies • Search sex offender registry: Obtain list of offenders within the radius of the incident • Have the list ready for CART members • Prepare interview questionnaire • Check child abuse registry: Investigators will want to run parallel investigations and eliminate family members