Dozens of kids missing in Virginia over just a few days - but police say not to worry
Virginia State Police have been compelled to address several social media posts raising alarm about missing children across the state.
'Virginia State Police is not investigating any reports of mass abductions in Virginia, nor is there evidence of mass abductions occurring in Virginia,' VSP said in a recent news release.
According to VSP data, last week there were 88 children reported missing to the Virginia Missing Children Clearinghouse, a center for missing child cases. This is below the 2025 weekly average of missing children in Virginia, which stands at 98 kids.
State police said most missing children are runaways, and most of them 'return shortly after being reported missing.'
Since January, 3,274 children have been reported missing to the clearinghouse, and as of Wednesday, 141 are still missing.
State police explained Virginia reports more missing children than other states on the National Center for Missing and Exploited Kids website because it forwards every missing child case, instead of many other clearinghouses that post their cases to their own website.
Virginia authorities also used two alert programs known as the CODI and Amber alerts. To activate a CODI Alert, the child's disappearance must be 'under suspicious circumstances or poses a credible threat as determined by law enforcement to the safety and health of the child,' state police explained.
An Amber Alert is issued when authorities believe the child has been abducted and is 'in imminent danger of serious bodily harm or death,' according to state police.
This year, 25 CODI Alerts and two Amber Alerts were issued, and all of the children were found, the news release said.
State police shared some tips for parents to keep their children safe.
'Make sure your child knows not to accept rides from strangers and not to trust a stranger who suggests they go off alone together for any reason,' authorities said.
Parents should also never leave their child alone in the car, 'even for a minute,' and they should tell their children 'to let you know immediately if another adult suggests keeping secrets from you,' according to the news release.
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