Did you know that the majority of missing children are not abducted by a stranger? In fact, more than 90% of the children reported missing to NCMEC last year ran away. And while it may seem that these cases are less critical, at NCMEC, we know that’s far from the case.
There are many misconceptions when it comes to children who run. One common belief is that these kids are not truly in danger because they choose to leave voluntarily and will eventually return. And while it may be true that many children make the decision to leave, the risks they face once they’re out in the world alone are tremendous: homelessness, sexual and physical abuse, exposure to substance abuse and child sex trafficking.
In 2024 alone, there were more than 29,000 missing child cases reported to NCMEC, and of those, over 27,000 were classified as endangered runaways. One in seven were likely victims of child sex trafficking.
