AbductionAwareness

Abduction Awareness

There are more than 362,000 family abductions each year in the US. Most of them sexually-motivated cases. About 10 percent, were serious cases where the child was murdered, ransomed or taken with the intent to keep.

It is our job as parents to know and understand the seriousness of child abduction and abuse so you and your family don't become a statistic.

On average, 2,425 children under the age of 18 were reported missing each day of the study year.

Most abductions occur by family members and other cases were runaways where they were missing for a short time and recovered.

Types of Abductions:

There are two major types of child abduction by a parent and by other persons.

Parental abduction:

An abduction by parent or guardian where

the child is under the age of 16 takes the

child without lawful authority or reasonable

excuse detains a child.

Abductions by stranger, relative or acquaintance.

Some abductions may occur by a relative,

distant parent, friend, acquaintance, authority

figure, or an absolute stranger.

A majority of child abductions are sexually motivated, and most child abductions involved female victims.

There are different motivational types of child abduction. custodial, maternal desire and sexual.

Why are children abducted?

It is often hard to understand why a human would do such an evil act, and can sometimes stem from childhood, where they themselves were victims and lash out or simply act out what they were introduced to at an early age.

The abuse can range from verbal, physical, mental as well as sexual abuse.

Custody Disputes:

There are also abductions that may occur due to a husband, wife or a broken relationship in which there may be a custody battle between them and the child. The child is often pulled in every which way before the court decides on the most best fit parent or guardian that will insure proper care for the child.

What is Parental Kidnapping?

"parental kidnapping" Abducted children suffer emotionally and sometimes physically at the hands of their abductors.

the abductor may tell them that the other parent doesn't want them or they are dead.

A parent, friend, family member or agent may sometimes abduct a child and retain or conceal them due to them not getting custody or visitation rights.

Some of the abductors will go to the extent of changing the there look, name and will most likely keep them out of school as not to be detected.

The parent abductor may also brainwash them into believing that they can’t trust anyone or they will take them away.

Keeping a child under secrecy is not as hard as you think! The parental abductor may shower them with clothes, electronics and toys. This way it brainwashes them into thinking that if they let there identity be known they will lose all of that and end up somewhere bad.

The Parental Kidnapping Protection Act:

The federal Parental Kidnapping Protection Act (PKPA), is an Act of Congress signed into law in 1980. The purpose of the Act was to establish national standards for the assertion of child custody jurisdiction within the United States. The Act does not explicitly state which is the proper state in which an initial child custody matter should be filed, but provides that the assertion of child custody jurisdiction by any State without consideration of the Act's requirements does not provide a resulting "full faith and credit" in other States.

In addition to its provisions for full faith and credit, the PKPA explicitly provides that a State cannot modify the child custody decree of another state without complying with the terms of the PKPA. Thus, if a State modifies a previous child custody order without compliance with the PKPA, the modification is not entitled to full faith and credit in other states.

In 1999, Congress enacted an amendment that explicitly includes “visitation” rights in the definition of “custody” rights covered by the Act. Accordingly, the determination or modification of either legal custody, residence or visitation rights must comply with the PKPA or risk a lack of enforcement in other states. http://www.moga.mo.gov/statutes/C500-599/5650000163.HTM

Also for more information on the reading of the parental kidnapping revisement here is a copy to the link for Missouri.http://www.moga.mo.gov/statutes/C500-599/5650000160.HTM http://www.moga.mo.gov/statutes/C500-599/5650000156.HTM http://www.moga.mo.gov/statutes/C500-599/5650000153.HTM

Why Do Women Abduct Newborns?

Thee are two types of child abduction. "maternal desire abduction” and "infant abduction"

These types of abductions usually involves a female stranger where they abduct a child and raise the child as there own. The reasons very from maternal desires, failed ,stressed relationship, mental illness or unable to bare children.

In many cases the woman who abduct children abduct them from hospitals, cars, health clinics homes and storers and may live miles away from where the abduction took place.

Some woman may even go to the extent of staging a pregnancy so they can cover there tracks. Once they decide they are going to follow through with there fantasy of having a child they may pose as hospital employes get a job at a day care to gain access to children.

Many case studies find that most of the woman have visited a hospital or have come into contact with a child. They may observe and case out places looking for an easy access and getaway. Hospital abductions have decreased over the years due to increased public awareness,heightened security and hospital employee training on such child abduction incidents.

In many cases woman who are planning on abducting a child usually don’t have a sex preference which makes male and female children at equal risk.

Abductions that are most physical are ones where the woman will confront the mother, father or persons wathing over your child.

International Parental Child Abduction:

A International Parent Abduction is when a parent brings them across an international border. There are serious matters when this happens. If you are in a broken marriage or relationship you should start to gather as much information as you can on your spouse such as driver's license and registration, social security, bank information, passport, parent's relatives, friends, business associates, telephone numbers and addresses of both international and the United States. If your child was abducted and you are certain that they may have been brought across the border the Hague Convention may be your answer.

Since 1993 the Hague Convention is a agency that recovers abducted children where a parent or family member abducts a child. There was one case In 2002, a woman in Massachusetts fought a two-year international custody battle in Egypt and then Cuba successfully recovered her son and daughter. The Hague Convention has conducted 49 successful International non-custodial child abduction recoveries from Mexico, Canada, El Salvador, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Panama, Venezuela, Germany, Nicaragua, Hungary, Denmark, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, India, Philippines, the People's Republic of China, Ecuador, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Peru and Cameroon, from 1992-2006.

Parents are considered to have equal legal custody of their child in the United States as well as foreign countries.

If there is no decree of custody prior to a parent abducting a child, both parents are considered to have equal legal custody of their child. A decree prohibits your child from traveling without your consent. You must obtain a decree of sole custody from the court as soon as possible. A well-written custody decree can be an important line of defense against international parental child abduction. This may be a great deterrent of a parental child abduction happening.

The court may also require the parent who has ties to a foreign country to post a bond.

Should an abduction take place the decree should state that both parties agreed to the terms of the Hague Convention and will apply if an abduction occurs.

If you have a decree make sure you get several copies and make sure you give a copy to your child’s school and advise them of who your child can be released to. You can also ask that your child to be entered into the

State Department passport name check system. If you have a court order that grants you sole custody and prohibits your child from traveling without you or the courts permission. The State Department may refuse to issue a U.S. passport for your child. Entering into the States Department will also notify you or your lawyer if an application for a passport was received in the United States, consulate abroad or U.S. embassy.

A foreign embassy or consulate may consider not to issue a passport if you provide to them a binding custody decree, but

not all countries comply as there is no international law.

When to File Missing Teenager Report:

If you are certain that your teen is missing try to remain calm. Gather all the information you can remember about your child so you can contact your local law enforcement. Have an accurate description, most recent picture, color clothes, hair color, eyes, hight, age, tattoos, birth marks, cell phone number, where were they going last time you saw them? Phone numbers of family, friends and acquaintances if possible. Also let the police know of any network sites that your child might be a member of such as, facebook, myspace etc. They might be able to have contacts that you normally would not have or know of.

Make sure that the police follows the federal guidelines and includes all the information of your child into the National Crime Information Center Missing Persons File, also known as NCIC.

Be sure to alert law enforcement to all information related to an existing Amber Alert account.

There is local and national resources for assistance in your search such as 1-800-RUN-AWAY

They may help by giving you resources in assistance with your search.

This resource has proven to save valuable time for the safe return of a missing or abducted person. Resources such as 1-800-RUN-AWAY are available to you and should be utilized as they may assist in the locating of necessary local and national resources for assistance in your search.

If your teen contacts you, friend or relative, remain calm and express your love for them, and a desire for their safe return.

Runaway Prevention:

In North America, runaway children or youth are widely regarded as a chronic and serious social problem. It is estimated that each year there are between 1.3 and 1.5 million runaway and homeless youth in the United States (Coco & Courtney, 1998; Cauce et al., 1994). This problem also exists in the United Kingdom, with runaway youths often congregating in London.

Current studies suggest that the primary cause of youth homelessness is family dysfunction in the form of parental neglect, physical or sexual abuse, family substance abuse, and family violence (Smollar, 1999; Robertson & Toro, 1998). Family conflict can also be caused by sudden and or drastic changes in the family composition (i.e. a divorce, re-marriage, death of a parent), parental substance abuse, youth's substance abuse, and youth's sexual activity.

A related term used for runaways is "throwaway youth". Normally a throwaway youth or child is someone who has been "locked out" or forced to leave home by his/her parents or caregivers. However, the distinction between runaways and throwaways is not clear as in many cases it depends on who provides the information. When the parents are asked they say the youth ran away, while the youth would say he or she was forced to leave, either directly or by circumstances. In most cases, youth run away because the situation at home is seen as unbearable and not because they are looking for excitement or fun.

Running away from home is considered a crime in some jurisdictions, but it is usually a status offense punished with probation, or not punished at all. Giving aid or assistance to a runaway instead of turning them in to the police is a more serious crime called "harboring a runaway", and is typically a misdemeanor. The law can vary considerably from one jurisdiction to another; in the United States there is a different law in every state. A 2003 FBI study showed that there were 123,581 arrests for runaway youths in the United States.

The Family and Youth Services Bureau of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services funds three grant programs to help runaway and homeless youth:

1.The Basic Center Program funds emergency shelters where youth can stay for up to 15 days. Shelters aim to
keep youth safe by providing them with immediate needs, such as food, clothing, shelter, and medical care. Shelters may also provide individual, group, and family counseling, and if desired, help reunite youth with their families.

2.The Transitional Living Program funds programs that help homeless youth develop skills that allow them to become independent and may prevent them from depending on social services in the future. Shelter, services,
and counseling are provided for up to 18 months for youth ages 16 to 21 who are unable to return to their homes.

3.The Street Outreach Program funds local youth service providers that reach out to homeless youth living on the streets and in unstable housing. The providers offer emergency shelter and other services to young people who have been, or who are at risk of being, sexually abused or exploited, with the goal of helping them leave the streets.

The Family and Youth Services Bureau also provides funding for the National Runaway Switchboard, a national hotline for runaway youth, youth who are thinking about running away or are in crisis, parents, and other concerned adults. Available 24 hours a day 365 days a year, the hotline (1-800-RUNAWAY) is confidential, anonymous, and free.

Runaway and Homeless Youth Act:

The U.S. Department of Justice estimated that 1.6 million persons under the age of 18 were homeless in 1999.

The Runaway and Homeless Youth Act is intended to assist in the prevention of youth exploitation on the streets and provide support with their reconnection to families, employment, schools and housing options.

The Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (RHYA) is a bill for which Congress appropriates on average $100 million, annually.

Reasons for becoming homeless:

1) Severe family conflict, which include:

a. Physical violence

b. Chronic neglect
c. Sexual abuse
d. Chemical dependency of a parent

e. Abandonment

f. Mental health issues

2) Thrown out of household, including:

a. Drug

b. Sexual orientation

c. School problems

e. Alcohol use

f. Pregnancy

There are over 1 million youths in America that are homeless. Many teens receive little assistance from child protective services and are left with few options resulting in running away from whatever problem situation they are in and eventually becoming homeless.

These youth are left with very little financial help in regards to housing, and therefore experience episodes of homelessness. There is some funding provided by the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act. It is estimated that many youths experiencing homelessness, or which had runaway, reported their needs being met, but still lacks the necessary resources needed to help combat the problem of homelessness surviving on the streets, gangs, drugs, and sexual exploitation.

Victim Of Fear:

Parents must be sure not to become victims of fear and end up projecting this fear onto their children. Many predators approach children online, posing as a new friend or email buddy. Children will many times innocently provide information to a possible abductor without even realizing it. Parents need to keep a close eye on their children's activities and online habits. Some offenders will attempt to lure children away by asking them to help find a lost pet. As the child becomes distracted with petting and playing with the animal, they are there for the taking. Children identify with the love of a pet and have a tendency to let down their guard to assist. They need to understand that sometimes people will use this tactic to harm them. One thing that many parents of missing children have in common is the fact that they did not do anything until their child became a victim.

Strangers:

Another method may involve someone taking photos of your child and telling them they would be great at acting or modeling. It may be legitimate, or it may not, but typically, legitimate representatives will first address the parent before taking pictures of a child.

Teach your child to never approach or get in someone's car and never go with anyone on foot, no matter what the story. He or she should never allow a stranger to take him or her anywhere for any reason.

Teach your child not to accept gifts or rides from or go with anyone who approaches them for any reason. They should also understand that people who are lost or really in need of assistance generally don't ask children for it.

Strangers may also use the Emergency approach to lure a child. Such as stating that there has been an accident and that there Mom, Dad or family member has been hurt.

The child must understand that they only leave with an adult they know very well and has been previously authorized by their parents or legal guardian to accompany them. Your child should never believe a stranger who says they were sent by you to pick them up.

Your child also needs to know that just because a stranger knows there name doesn’t mean they can be trusted. Predators are very observant and persistent when they are attracted to a child or even an adult. They should instantly think that “mommy” would never send someone they don't know.

Never put your children's names on any of there personal belongings as this can make it more easy for a predator to gain knowledge of the person. If you need to label something, do it with a symbol or code word that doesn’t reveal first or even last names.

Defend:

Some strangers may quickly approach the victim. Using the element of surprise and catching them off guard. It does not allow enough time for the child to think about what is happening and get away. They may disguise as an authority figure (firemen, police, mailmen) and ask the child to leave with them. They might offer the child with money, candy, toys, a pet. Educate and ingrain your children with the rules of “stranger danger” so that they understand implicitly and without having to think. If they ever get grabbed by a stranger train them to immediately go into survival mode. Start kicking, thrashing, punching, biting, and yell as loud as they can “This is not my parent” to draw attention. This will usually scare the abductor as they don’t want to attract attention.

Remember a predator has a goal. In order to get out of the situation you have to make a goal stronger then the abductor. Think I might die if I don’t get out of here. By thinking this way it will kick in your adrenaline and your body will go into survival mode. Do and think of whatever you can to escape the situation your in.

Know where your children are at all times and who they are with.
Never leave your child alone in a public place, stroller or car.
Always accompany younger children to a public restroom.
Always accompany your child on door-to-door activities, i.e. Halloween, school fundraising campaigns, etc.
Establish a routine for picking your children up from school or other events.
Agree on a simple code word for emergency situations. A trusted adult who knows the code word can pick up your child if necessary.
Make sure your child knows their full name, address and phone number.
Teach your child how to reach you (home, office, mobile)
Teach your child how to call the police.
Have a plan in case your child gets separated from you in public.
Teach your child to stay in groups of friends when going anywhere
Tell your children about child abductions in simple and easy to understand terms. Awareness can help them protect themselves.
Teach your child to recognize suspicious behavior and collect descriptions.
Always check first with your parents or the person in charge before you go anywhere or do anything.
Always take a friend when you play or go somewhere.
Stay safe when you’re home alone by keeping the door locked. Do not open the door for or talk to anyone who stops by unless the person is
a trusted family friend or relative.

Technologies that Prevent Children from Abduction:

A GPS positioning system is a new form of technology used in helping parents locate missing children.

This technology is used with software and hardware applications where they can track a location of a missing child within one meter.

The use of a accompanied by powerful hardware and software applications can provide accurate and timely reporting of a child's location within one meter, on a detailed map via a web site. A product called, Guardian Angel employs this type of technology.

There has recently been a company in Ireland and the UK “Blue Tree Services” that launched such technology. The child wears something that may look like a money belt or clip that can be placed on any item.

Parents track their child's movements through software called “BlueMap.” by using the software they can either track on the internet or use a hand-held PDA that also comes with the package. Parents can also set up boundaries through GPS mapping. The system alerts them if the child moves beyond a predetermined area. Height can also be set as a parameter. Other features include an emergency alarm, which lets children tell parents if they are in trouble.

There is also some GPS technologies that are integrated using the cell phone. The units incorporate a movement sensor, which detects whether it is being worn and not left in backpack at a friend's house or if it has suffered a shock such as a fall.

When a child is abducted the abductor may find the device and get rid of it. However this can be a great help with police as far as finding out vital information and last location of the abducted child.

The Center for Missing and Exploited Children:

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) is a private, non-profit organization established in the United States in 1984 under United States government mandate. The Center helps find children who have been reported missing by a parent abduction, child abduction or running away from home) and to help children who may be being abused or sexually abused. Largely funded by The US Justice Department, the NCMEC acts as clearinghouse of information and as a contact point to parents, children, law enforcement agencies, schools, and communities providing assistance to help locate missing children and to raise public awareness about ways to help prevent child abduction, child sexual abuse and child pornography.

National Center distributes photographs of missing children and accepts tips and information from the public. It also coordinates its activities with law enforcement agencies. The Center works with numerous state and federal agencies.

The Congressional mandate leading to establishment of the Center was advocated by John Walsh, Noreen Gosch and others as a result of frustration stemming from the lack of resources and coordination between law enforcement and other government agencies. NCMEC is committed to strengthening and enhancing these programs because it believes that education plays a major role in making children safer.

Effective September 5, 1995, applications seeking the return of or access to children in the United States under the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction are processed through the NCMEC for the United States Department of State, Office of Children's Issues under contract with the United States Department of State and the United States Department of Justice. As a result of its status as a government contractor as well as funding provided under the Missing Children's Act and Missing Children's Assistance Act, the National Center receives approximately US$30-million funding each year from the United States Government.

The Vanished Children's Alliance:

is an American non-profit charity organization based in San Jose, California. It was established in 1980 and incorporated as a 501(c)3 in 1981.

According to the organization's website, its mission is "providing for the prevention, location, recovery and reunification of missing and abducted children." It provides assistance to families of missing children both within the United States and overseas.

Code Adam:

is an internationally-recognized "missing child" safety program in the United States and Canada, originally created by Wal-Mart retail stores in 1994. It is named in memory of Adam Walsh, the 6-year-old son of John Walsh (the host of Fox's America's Most Wanted.). Adam was abducted from a Sears department store in Florida in 1981 and was later found murdered. Today, many department stores, retail shops, shopping malls, supermarkets, amusement parks, and museums participate in the Code Adam program. Legislation enacted by Congress in 2003 now mandates that all federal office buildings employ the program.

Wal-Mart along with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) and the departments of several state Attorneys General, has offered to assist in training workshops in order for other companies to implement the program. Social scientists point out that the fear of child abduction is out of all proportion to its incidence: in particular they point to the long-term persistence of retail kidnapping narratives in urban legends to highlight how parents have been sensitized to this issue for generations before the Adam Walsh case.

Companies that do implement the program generally place a Code Adam decal at the front of the business. Employees at these businesses are trained to do the following six steps according to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children:

1.If a visitor reports a child is missing, a detailed description of the child and what he or she is wearing is obtained. Additionally, all exterior access to the building is locked and monitored; anyone approaching a door is turned away.
2.The employee goes to the nearest in-house telephone and pages Code Adam, describing the child’s physical features and clothing. As designated employees monitor front entrances, other employees begin looking for the child.
3.If the child is not found within 10 minutes, law enforcement is called.
4.If the child is found and appears to have been lost and unharmed, the child is reunited with the searching family member.
5.If the child is found accompanied by someone other than a parent or legal guardian, reasonable efforts to delay their departure will be used without putting the child, staff, or visitors at risk. Law enforcement will be notified and given details about the person accompanying the child.

6. The Code Adam page will be canceled after the child is found or law enforcement arrives.

Missing Children Procedures:

If you ever find yourself in the unfortunate position of coming face to face with the reality of a missing child, you should immediately do the following.

Contact local law enforcement and inform them of the situation.

Request that your child be entered into National Crime and Information Center (N.C.I.C.).

Child Protection Education of America: 1-866-USA-CHILD
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children: 1-800-843-5678
Amber Alert International Safety Registry: www.aaisr.org

Missing children fall under one of four categories: runaways; non-custodial parent abduction; non-family abduction a friend of the family; stranger abduction; or abandoned children.

It is important for the parent to assess what potentially happened to their child with as little bias as possible. For example, if the parent recently argued with their child or if the child's best friend had an argument with their parents, the possibility would exist that the child is a runaway.

Once you discover that your child is missing, you will desperately want to get involved with the search. This can be a very difficult time and you may find it hard to have a lear head. Do everything in your power to remain calm. You will not necessarily be involved in the physical search, but rather help law enforcement officials in detailed information and answer any questions law enforcement officials may have.

You should also try as much as you can to stay home in case your child call. Set up a base station and get friends and family to help. Get a list of all the volunteers land lines, cell phone numbers and emails for easy contact in case more information becomes available.

Knowing what you can do, what others can do, and where to go for help will not only expedite the search and recovery of your child, but it also will help ease the emotional and financial burden of the search.

law enforcement will coordinate and have an established plan in the search and recovery efforts relating to missing children.

Here are some additional resources in helping with your child's search:

Runaway Hotline - 1-800-231-6946

National Runaway Switchboard - 1-800-621-4000

National Center for Missing and Exploited Children - 1-800-843-5678

Vanished Children's Alliance - 1-800-826-4743

Once your child has been located, remember to call or email all persons or organizations involved in the search, and don't forget the posters or other collateral materials that might have been placed and distributed in the community.

How to Search for Missing Children:

The search for a missing child should always begin without hesitation. The following information consists of steps you should take in the event of a missing child:

In the event of a missing child:

Immediately search the last known location of the child. If you are within a residence (house or apartment), search in, around and under all areas and things of which a child may have access.

If a child is missing in a public place, such as a store, shopping center or recreational park, immediately inform management or security service.

If the child remains missing, without delay, contact local law enforcement. Make sure the person responding to your call receives the child's personal information (name, age, and your contact information) and an accurate physical description, including all articles of clothing present at time of disappearance. Be sure that local law enforcement follows federal guidelines by including your child's information into the National Crime Information Center Missing Persons File, also known as NCIC.

After contacting local law enforcement, request assistance with your search effort from all persons in the immediate area of the child's last known location.

Also, utilize the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children by calling 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678).

Children Found:

Elizabeth Smart:

Elizabeth Ann Smart (born November 3, 1987) is an American woman who was abducted from her Salt Lake City, Utah bedroom on June 5, 2002 at the age of 14. She was found alive nine months later on March 12, 2003 in Sandy, Utah, about 18 miles from her home, in the company of Brian David Mitchell and Wanda Ileen Barzee, who were indicted for her kidnapping but ruled unfit to stand trial. Her abduction and recovery were widely reported and were the subject of a made-for-TV movie and a published book. She is now a music student at Brigham Young University and a political activist.

Ed and Lois Smart, with their six children, resided in the upper-class neighborhood of Federal Heights in Salt Lake City, Utah.On the evening of June 4, 2002, the family attended an award ceremony at Elizabeth's school. After the family returned home and got ready for bed, Ed made sure the doors were all locked, but he did not turn on the alarm. "If the children got up and moved (in the night), it would set the alarm off. And so we just said we’re not going to bother with it," Lois later explained.

In the early hours of the morning, Brian David Mitchell broke into the home and came to the bedroom that Elizabeth shared with her 9-year-old sister, Mary Katherine. While Mary Katherine pretended to be asleep, she watched the abduction, and later gave these statements as to what happened:

A white man about the height of her brother Charles (5 ft 8 in) about 30 or 40 years old, wearing light-colored clothes and a golf hat. (He was actually wearing black, did not have a golf hat and was 49.)

He had dark hair, and also dark hair on his arms and on the back of his hands.

The man threatened Elizabeth with a knife.

When Elizabeth said "ouch" after stubbing her toe on a chair, Mitchell said something that sounded like: "You
better be quiet, and I won’t hurt you."
She heard Elizabeth ask "Why are you doing this?" and though the answer was not clear, Mary Katherine thought
the answer might have been "for ransom.”
Mitchell was soft-spoken — even polite, calm, and nicely dressed.
Although Mitchell spoke to Elizabeth quietly, Mary Katherine thought Mitchell's voice seemed somehow familiar,

but she couldn’t pinpoint where or when she had heard it.

She never got a good look at Mitchell's face. This fact was kept a secret by the police during the investigation.

By listening to the creaking floor as Elizabeth and Mitchell walked, Mary Katherine thought she could tell where Mitchell and Elizabeth were, so when it seemed safe she hopped out of bed to tell her parents, but froze in terror when she nearly ran into Mitchell and Elizabeth as they seemed to be looking into her brothers' bedroom. Fearful that she had been spotted by the abductor, she crept back into her bed. "I thought, you know, be quiet, because if he hears you, he might take you too, and you're the only person who has seen this," Mary Katherine said in a later interview. "I was, like, shaking." She hid for an undetermined amount of time. Investigators later concluded that she may have been hiding over two hours before she felt safe enough to come out.

Just before 4 a.m., Mary Katherine came to her parents' bedroom and woke them up. She told them Elizabeth was gone, but her parents thought she was having a bad dream. Ed went from room to room, and didn’t find her. Mary Katherine told him, "You’re not going to find her. A man took her. A man took her with a gun." Still, the parents found this hard to believe until Lois spotted a screen window downstairs that had been cut with a knife. They immediately began contacting authorities, neighbors, family, and friends. The neighborhood was searched thoroughly and many of the neighbors were immediately there to help. Although this caused some problems with crime scene contamination, it was not considered a major cause for problems in the investigation. One of their neighbors who came to help was Jake Garn, a retired United States senator.

That morning, Ed went on television and asked the kidnapper to return his daughter. A massive search for Elizabeth began.

A massive community search effort, organized by the Laura Recovery Center, looked for Elizabeth in the days immediately following her abduction. Up to 2,000 volunteers a day were dispatched to the area surrounding her home trying to find any trace of the missing girl. Word spread quickly as an impromptu coalition of websites facilitated the distribution of information about Elizabeth Smart with pre-formatted flyers that could be downloaded for printing or immediately circulated online by email or Internet fax. Volunteers combed the hills near her family's home and extended the search using search dogs and aircraft. After many days of intensive searching, the community-led search was closed by the local volunteers and efforts were directed to other means of finding Elizabeth.

Although police had an eyewitness, Mary Katherine's report was not very helpful to investigators. Furthermore, there was almost no significant forensic evidence such as clear fingerprints or DNA samples to help identify the abductor, hindering the investigation. A search using bloodhound dogs was unsuccessful in following Mitchell and Elizabeth's path on foot. Police questioned and interviewed hundreds of potential suspects including one individual, Bret Michael Edmunds, a 26-year-old drifter who was pursued across the country but ultimately was cleared of suspicion in the case after being located in a West Virginia hospital suffering from a drug overdose. One by one, the leads that were pursued often put at-large criminals back in prison, but they did not produce the desired result of finding Elizabeth.

Ultimately, the Salt Lake City police signaled that their prime person of interest was Richard Ricci, being held in custody for unrelated reasons. Ricci, a handyman hired by the Smarts, was on parole for a 1983 attempted murder of police officer Mike Hill. He was charged with felony burglaries of homes in the area similar in circumstances to the break-in at the Smarts. Ricci later died in jail from a brain hemorrhage a few weeks after he refused to provide a confession to Utah corrections officers. With his death, it seemed that all leads were exhausted.

The Smarts and their extended family persistently maintained a presence in the local and national media, in order to keep Elizabeth's name in the press, providing the media with home videos of her as both a teenager and as a child, and created a website to serve as a resource center.

After many months, a breakthrough came in October 2002, when Mary Katherine was cleaning her room, and suddenly remembered where she had heard Mitchell's voice, of which she informed her parents.

The Smarts sought to help unemployed people in the community by paying them for odd jobs or handy work around the property. Mary Katherine now identified Mitchell as a man who had worked in the home for one day in November 2001, but who went by the name "Emmanuel." Lois and some of the children had met him downtown as he was asking for spare change. He was clean, soft-spoken, well-groomed, Caucasian, 5’8" tall, had dark hair, and was "about 45 years old". It seemed clear[citation needed] that "Emmanuel" was not his real name, but had something to do with his self-proclaimed calling as a minister to the homeless. He worked at the Smarts' home for five hours, helping on the roof and raking leaves. While they worked together on Ed's roof, he told Ed that he was traveling to different cities preaching to the homeless.

When this was reported to the police, they had doubts as to its reliability. Mary Katherine had barely heard the suspect's voice, for only a few minutes, in a whisper, several months previously, and after coming out of a sleep. That she suddenly remembered it as the voice of a man she had met for a few moments a year earlier was not seen as a trustworthy lead.

Tensions developed as the parents accused the police of not thoroughly following up on this lead. The family used the services of sketch artist Dalene Nielson to draw "Emmanuel's" face from memory. In February, this drawing was released to the media, with the assistance of John Walsh, who revealed it in an appearance on Larry King Live and on his own series, America's Most Wanted. The drawing was recognized by Emmanuel's family, who reported his actual name, Brian David Mitchell, to the police, and provided them with contemporary photographs of Mitchell.

On March 12, 2003, just over nine months after the abduction, Mitchell, who was now wanted by police for questioning, was spotted traveling with two companions in Sandy, Utah by an elderly couple who had heard of the kidnapping on America's Most Wanted the night before, and alerted police. The companions were Elizabeth Smart — disguised in a red wig, sunglasses, and veil — and Wanda Ileen Barzee. Smart was finally recognized by the officers during questioning, and was promptly reunited with her family. Mitchell and Barzee were taken into custody as suspected kidnappers.

Legal proceedings:

Brian David Mitchell (born October 18, 1953) and his wife, Wanda Ileen Barzee, were indicted by a Utah grand jury. His trial on these charges has been postponed indefinitely, following a court ruling that he is not mentally competent to stand trial.

For several months, Mitchell and Barzee were held on $10 million bond awaiting the outcome of mental competency tests. Prosecutors said that Mitchell and Barzee kidnapped Elizabeth to be Mitchell's "second wife",[citation needed] held her against her will in the foothills near Federal Heights until October 8,[citation needed] and then took her to California, where they stayed until March 5.[citation needed]

In January 2004, Barzee was found incompetent to stand trial on charges including kidnapping, sexual assault, and burglary. On July 26, 2005, Mitchell was also found incompetent to stand trial, facing the same charges. A district judge has ordered him held until he is deemed fit for trial. Barzee's condition has not improved since she was found incompetent to stand trial. Barzee has also refused "to take medication that might restore her mental competence."

In February 2006, a bill went before the Utah legislature to allow prosecutors to apply for forcible medication of defendants to restore their competence to face trial. Permission to forcibly medicate Wanda Barzee was also sought, relying upon the U.S. Supreme Court's 2003 Sell decision, which permits compulsory medication when the state can demonstrate a compelling interest is served by restoring a person's competence and that medication would not harm the individual or prevent them from defending themselves. In June 2006, a Utah judge approved the forcible medication of Barzee so that she could stand trial.

On Monday, December 18, 2006, Mitchell was again declared unfit to stand trial after screaming at a judge, during a hearing, to "forsake those robes and kneel in the dust." Doctors have been trying to treat Mitchell without drugs, but prosecutor Kent Morgan said after Monday's scene in court that a request was likely to be made for permission to forcibly administer drugs.

On December 12, 2008 it was reported that Mitchell could not be forcibly medicated to try to restore his mental competency, also claiming it is "unnecessary and needlessly harsh," and therefore a violation of the state constitution, to prolong trial proceedings to this length.

Both Mitchell and Barzee are incarcerated at the Utah State Hospital (mental health institution) where as of March 2009, Barzee was still being medicated until competent to stand trial.

Television interviews:

In October 2003, Elizabeth Smart and her parents were interviewed for a special segment of Dateline NBC. The interview, conducted by the Today show's Katie Couric, featured Elizabeth's first interview with any media outlet. Couric questioned Elizabeth's parents about their experiences while Elizabeth was missing, including the Smarts' personal opinions concerning Elizabeth's captors. Couric then interviewed Elizabeth about school and her life following her kidnapping.

Shortly after the Dateline interview, Elizabeth Smart and her family were featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show, where Winfrey questioned the Smarts about the kidnapping. One detail Elizabeth disclosed is that Mitchell forced her to keep a diary and to write in it daily. She knew he would read the entries she made, so she wrote such things as: "I like it here. They are nice to me." But below the entries in English, she wrote in French things such as: "I hate it here. I hate them. I want to be back with my family."

In July 2006, self-proclaimed victim's rights advocate and pundit Nancy Grace interviewed Elizabeth Smart and repeatedly asked her for information about her experience, in violation of the agreement that Elizabeth would not discuss her ordeal with Grace. During the course of the questioning, Elizabeth politely asked Grace to stop and stated, "I really am here to support the bill and not to go into what -- you know, what happened to me." When Grace persisted, asking Elizabeth what it was like to see out of a burqa her abductors forced her to wear, Elizabeth replied, "I'm really not going to talk about this at this time. ...to be frankly honest, I really don't appreciate you bringing all this up." Grace gave Elizabeth a sarcastic apology in which Grace appeared to be admonishing crime victim Elizabeth for not wanting to help other crime victims and avoided further questioning about the incident. Realizing that Elizabeth was not going to cooperate with Grace's victimization agenda, Grace then directed her questions to Senator Orrin Hatch for the remainder of the interview.

She also revealed that after her experience, she has more compassion for the homeless. Asked if she felt sorry for her captors, she stated that she was not referring to them and that they were homeless by choice and she had no compassion for their condition or what they did to her. But she went on to say, "It's hard to be cold. It's hard to not have enough to eat."

Book and film:

The Smart family published a book, Bringing Elizabeth Home, which was used as the basis of the television movie The Elizabeth Smart Story that aired November 9, 2003 on CBS. The Smarts claimed they wanted to avoid subjecting their daughter to the limelight, but that after realizing it was inevitable, they decided it would be preferable to allow a film authorized by them to be created, rather than allowing an unauthorized version to surface.[citation needed]

A lawyer for Mitchell said the national broadcast of the television film would further delay justice and considered filing a motion. The piece characterizes Mitchell and Barzee as deranged religious zealots, and provides no background on either of them. A small but detailed section of the book Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer describes Mitchell and his kidnapping of Smart in the larger context of Mormon fundamentalism. Elizabeth's uncle, Tom Smart, wrote a book called In Plain Sight: The Startling Truth Behind the Elizabeth Smart Investigation criticizing the investigation process by the Salt Lake City Police Department, as well as the media influences that led to her recovery.

Across the country, a woman who disappeared as a teen in 1996 had been living with a middle-school security guard who didn't allow her to leave his home for several years. Tanya Nicole Kach, now 24, was reunited with her family in 2005. She had been living at the man's home, about two miles from her father's house in the Pittsburgh suburb of McKeesport. The two met when Thomas Hose, 48, worked as a security guard at a school where Kach was a student. It was not immediately clear how she ended up at the home. Tanya was discovered when she approached a convenience-store owner and told him that she was not the girl he knew her to be and was being kept locked in a bedroom.

In Washington, DC, instead of pictures of her growing up, all that Carl Dodd had was a computer-generated speculation, created by a national missing-children's organization, of what the girl might look like as of 2006. The girl had been missing for 13 years and the last time Mr. Dodd saw her she was 4.

In April of 2006, U.S. Marshals, armed with the latest age-progressed photo of the missing child, now a teen, knocked on a door in the 200 block of N. Harrison St. in Wilmington, Delaware and saw what Mr. Dodd and others had been longing to see Marilyn, now 17, looking very much like her computer-generated composite, except for the hair, along with her mother, Mary Jane Byrd, 35, who fled with Marilyn from their home in the summer of 1993. In January 1994, a judge awarded Dodd full custody.

But the search for the child was stalled by problems with DC laws. Unfortunately, warrants for parents who fled with children were not enforceable outside the federal district. Detective Adams, Mr. Dodd and six other parents lobbied the Washington government for years before the law was altered in 2001 after Dodd, a truck driver, spent thousands of dollars on detectives and lawyers in an attempt to find his daughter. The eventual discovery ended one of the oldest missing child cases in the U.S.

Lost Children Network:

The Lost Children’s Network was established in 1996. The volunteer group has helped in the safe recovery of numerous missing children. The Lost Children’s Network is a non-profit volunteer organization founded with the intent to search for missing children by broadcasting national television programs and missing child alerts throughout the United States. A high percentage of missing children are taken across state lines, where local media coverage can’t reach. Therefore, nationally televised alerts are the most effective way to reach millions of viewers all over the country.

This service is provided free to families desperately searching for their missing children.However, the expense of such an undertaking can be very costly.

The Network has spent thousands of dollars in broadcasting on TV programs. There were about 500 30-second local spots last year. To date, missing child alerts have been telecast regionally on major TV Networks such as MSNBC ,CNN,, Family, Pax, Discovery, USA, Lifetime, Court TV, Sci-fi, FX, History, E!, Fox, UPN, CNBC, and CNBC

The first launch of the program received incredible response. Randy Smith ‘Smith, an independent television producer and music composer, had a personal interest in the missing children problem.His ex-wife disappeared with their two children for two years, and his niece was abducted by her mother at roughly the same time’.

Smith started recruited volunteer scriptwriters, cameramen and other talented production personnel to help bring the abduction stories to TV. Randy produced his first program in 1996 and donated it to Find The Children, one of the oldest missing children's organizations.

Randy did not have any formal membership or professional fundraisers, the network uses other alternative methods of finance. One important source is iGive.com which gives 20 percent of every purchase to the charitable cause of the shopper's choice with no added cost to consumers.

Smith launched the Lost Children's Network as an independent organization in 1997. Since then, the Network has helped families, law enforcement agencies and other missing children organizations locate 22 children in 24 months. There are no paid employees, including Smith, and the entire budget comes from donations.

Missing Children on Milk Cartons:

The use of milk cartons to locate missing children has dwindled over the years. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children is now using a more updated approach to inform the public of missing and abducted persons. You can now download screen-savers that flips through photographs of missing kids. The screen savers display a missing child’s picture and profile, specifically customized according to the region of the United States where the computer user is located. They also have what is called a wedget that you can get from some websites where you get a embedded code and place on your website, such as the one I have towards the top of my website. If you want to use it just go to the top of the widget and click on the widget button. It will then give you different embedded options to choose from. These resources are a great way to get more people involved in finding kids.

In the late 1970 and early 80’s there was a national shock of high profile missing children.

One of the most highly remembered cases was the disappearance of Etan Patz on May 25, 1979.

Etan Patz disappeared from a New York City street on his way to school. Etan’s father was a professional photographer who gathered black white photographs of his son to pass on to law enforcement officials.

The massive search along with national media coverage followed. The media was badgering how there is a lack of resources and plans in helping in the aid of missing children.

By 1981 there was 29 bodies found in Georgia and Atlanta. The bodies were found along roadsides, ponds, marshes and lakes. The suspect was arrested in 1981 and now serves a life sentence in prison.

The disappearance of Etan, Adam as well as the 29 missing children caused a nation wide movement and photographs of missing children were scene on milk-cartons as a way to reach out and make public awareness.

There has since been great improvements making the public aware of a missing child. such as (Amber Alert Program)

The agency works closely with law- enforcement agencies and broadcasts as well as displays any current Amber Alerts on the interstates, radio, T.V., internet and cell phones in the means of a safe recovery of a missing child.

In 1983 President Ronald Regan proclaimed May 25 National Missing Children’s Day

Day Care:

Choosing a daycare provider can be tiresome. You are entrusting an organization or group of strangers with the well-being of your child. This can be stressful for any parent. We all want our children to be in a safe and health environment, and not have to worry about there well being.

Try to choose a day care that has lots of activities that lead to creativity an learning. The center should have a cheerful, clean, bright atmosphere.

Get references from other people and verify that they have a day care license.

The providers should interact with the children in an energetic, patient, calm and enthusiastic manner. They should also have a solid, yet reasonable philosophy about discipline, feeding and sleeping. Furthermore, they should be educated with a background in child development, along with emergency first aid training and knowledge of CPR.

Make sure they have an emergency plan, with first aid kits, fire extinguishers, and childproof storage areas. Also look for signs of baby-proofing such as electrical outlets that are covered, and safety gates for stairs.

The center should follow set hours of operation, rules governing pick up and drop off, have a strict policy on sick children, and require all children have the necessary immunizations to reduce the spread of illness.

make sure the center has an open door policy that allows you to pop in unannounced. If they don’t allow that the odds are that it is most likely hiding something. Spend the necessary time to choose a center that is appropriate for both your child and for you. And trust your gut instinct when assessing a center's viability, because as most of us have learned, it's probably spot on.

Baby Sitter and Nanny’s: (Cams and hiding places)

If you decide to go the Nanny route

Using a “nanny-cam” with full consent and disclosure of your child care provider can be a wonderfully effective way to give you peace of mind while ensuring that your child is being properly cared for. It can also be a way of connecting with your family throughout the day in your absence. Simply inform the child care provider that you have installed surveillance cameras so you can participate in your child’s day a bit more. The knowledge that he or she is being monitored should be sufficient to assure appropriate care. and interaction for your child/children. If after reviewing the recorded material and you find some concerns, you can play it for the provider and discuss the issue openly and rationally. With respectful use, the nanny-cam can help strengthen the relationship between parent, child and childcare provider.

In the event your child's behavior patterns suddenly change or he/she is showing signs of excessive anxiety, or if you believe something is just not right with your provider, you might choose not to disclose the use of a nanny-cam. To protect your provider's privacy, place cams where he/she will most likely be interacting with your child. Be sure not to hide surveillance devices in private areas such as bathrooms or designated private bedrooms. Once you've reviewed the recorded material for enough time that you're confidant all is well, you may want to inform the provider that you will be installing a nanny-cam or remove them all together. Be advised that the relationship between parent and provider could be irreparably damaged if the monitoring devices are discovered. Yet this necessary intrusion is very much acceptable IIT there is in fact reasons found that would lead to a termination of the care giver or possibly even criminal charges brought about in the ordeal.

Is it Legal:

You finally decided on a day care provider or nanny to take care of your child at home and you chose one that you feel is a perfect match for your situation and your family. You also went over the rules and procedures that you would like followed . It is imperative that you pay close attention to your child’s personality and actions are they suddenly acting different? People have a tendency to put their best foot forward when under scrutiny, then suddenly change when they know they are not being observed or judged.

This is why many people decide to use a “nanny-cam.” Think of it as an insurance policy for the safety of your children and family.

Some people may consider “nanny-cams” to be a intrusive invasion of privacy and not trusting them,

especially when their actions are being secretly recorded. It is best when hiring a day care provider that you tell them upfront that you will be using a “Nanny-Cam” that way they can decide if they want to accept the job if offered.

Before parents install a surveillance device, they should do some research and find out if it is legal. Laws governing videotaping vary from state to state. Experts say it is legal in all 50 states to utilize a hidden camera to record a provider in your home without disclosure, however It is considered illegal to record audio without the consent of the provider in 15 states: New Hampshire, Oregon, Connecticut, California, Delaware, Florida, Nevada, Hawaii, Maryland, Illinois, Montana, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Washington.

If you distrust a provider enough to set up covert surveillance devices, they shouldn't be in your home caring for your children.

Here are a number of ideas one might consider when installing “hidden” cameras to obtain information clearly.

1. Clock

2. A toy or stuffed animal less likely to actually be played with (so as not to reveal the device)

3. Radio

4. Television set

5. Bookcase / China Cabinet

6. Smoke Detector

7. DVD/DVR player

8. Plant

9. Picture frame

10. Knick Knacks and other carefully placed displayed items

Statistics For Online Child Predators:

The Internet is a powerful, worldwide medium, and can be a danger to our children.

One of the attractions of the Internet is the anonymity of the user, and this is why it can be so dangerous. A child doesn't always know with whom he or she is interacting. Children may think they know, but unless it's a school friend or a relative, they really can't be sure.

Often we think of pedophiles as having access to children out on the playground and other places, but because of the way the Internet works, children can actually be interacting on their home computers with adults who pretend to be children. The dangers of children on the internet can be stressful to any parent.

Child sexual exploitation occurs in every economic, social, ethnic, and religious group in the world. Pedophiles and other sexual predators can use the Internet, with no precautions, to exchange names and addresses of other pedophiles and of potential child victims. Predators Hide behind screen names and communicate on social networks and chat rooms. Never before have pedophiles had the opportunity to communicate so freely and directly with each other as they do online. Offline, pedophiles typically operate in isolation. Teenagers who regularly log on to the Internet say they have received an unwanted sexual solicitation via the Web. Solicitations were defined as requests to engage in sexual activities or sexual talk, or to give out personal sexual information.

Their communication on the Internet provides validation, or virtual validation, for their behavior. They share their conquests, real and imagined. They discuss ways to contact and lure children online and exchange tips on seduction techniques. They are using the technology of the Internet to train and encourage each other to act out sexually with children. The Internet also serves as a tool for predators to exchange tips on the avoidance of law enforcement detection. The most common means by which sexual predators contact children over the Internet is through chat rooms, instant messages and email. 25% of kids online participate in real time chat and 13 million use instant messaging, the risks of such children, either knowingly or unknowingly, interacting with a predator is alarming.

About 89% of sexual solicitations were made in either chat rooms or instant messages.

To Report Illegal Online Activity

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) provides excellent resources concerning sexual exploitation of children and related issues for the lay public, counseling community, and law enforcement agencies. NCMEC has created an extensive web presence for its Exploited Child Unit: http://www.missingkids.com. These web pages provide background information on laws and legislation, tips and pointers for parents and children, and lists of preventive resources on the various aspects of child sexual exploitation.

In addition to its Web pages, NCMEC, in partnership with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Customs Service, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, serves as the National CyberTipline. To report possible illegal online activity related to child pornography, predation, or any other type of child sexual exploitation, call the CyberTipline: 800-843-5678

(800-TheLost) or contact their Web site: http://www.missingkids.com

Computer Savvy Children:

In this day and time where technology seems to change on a hourly basis, its no surprise that kids today may be a little bit more ahead of there time and may even know more then you when it comes to computers.

Going online together is a wonderful opportunity to instill cautious and responsible use of the Internet into your child. Try to get involved with your child and participate as he or she explores the valuable resources of the World Wide Web. If your child knows more about getting around the Internet than you do, ask him or her to be your guide! This is a great way for you to empower and build self-confidence in your child. Sharing the experience of surfing the Net is an effective, proactive parenting technique. It’s also a good idea for you and your child to have the same email address so you can share there experience in communicating with family and friends as this will carry on for the rest of there lives.

Signs To Look For:

Your child has a nervous look whenever you enter there room. They may be hiding pictures on computer files or have disks containing pornographic material. They may be up late and early hours on the computer. You walk into the room where they are on the computer and they quickly change the screen or drop down the window. You start to see changes in your child’s attitude and behavior. You may also start to see changes in your credit card statements.

At What Age Is It Ok To Start Using The Computer?

As your child starts to get older and has interest in being on the computer it is important to instill the rules and responsibilities as well is what is not allowed. Children start to show interest at about four to seven years of age.

They are usually interested in games and online learning material. as they get older they may start to get more involved involved in computers and use them for schoolwork, looking for colleges or jobs. This is where you as a parent have to instill to them at an early age the dangers and risks of internet sites, but at the same time encourage and support there journey and learning experience to the World Wide Web.