Local counties show hundreds of missing children reports
(WKBN) – Ohio keeps track of missing children in the state. It looks at where the children are reported missing, the likely cause, and how many are believed to have been abducted and recovered.
All the numbers are contained in the 2024 Ohio Missing Children Clearinghouse Report.
Last year, 16,404 children were reported missing in Ohio, 1,001 fewer than the year before. Most of the missing reports involved children between 13 and 17 years old.
The 2024 report shows 239 children reported missing in Trumbull County, 639 in Mahoning County and 55 in Columbiana County.
While Mahoning and Trumbull counties' numbers were some of the highest in the state, they were well below 2,792 in Franklin County, 2,769 in Montgomery County, and 2,727 in Cuyahoga County.
Most of the children who were missing, where a cause could be determined, were categorized as runaways at 8,415. Just 37 involved noncustodial parents, and nine involved abductions by strangers. The rest of the cases were undetermined.
Of the children reported missing, 96.5% were recovered safely by year's end. Three were found deceased.
In 2024, 13 AMBER Alerts were issued involving 15 children. Fourteen were recovered safely, one was found deceased.
The report also showed three attempted child abductions involving three girls and two boys.
National Missing Children's Day is May 25. The day is dedicated to encouraging parents, guardians, caregivers, and others concerned with the well-being of children to make child safety a priority. The commemoration serves as a reminder to continue our efforts to reunite missing children with their families and as an occasion to honor those dedicated to this cause.
In Ohio, the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation works with local law enforcement and the National Crime Information Center on missing children cases.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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