Latest news with #NationalMissingChildren'sDay
Newsweek
3 days ago
- Newsweek
Missing Teen Girl Found Alive After Vanishing Month Ago En Route to School
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A 15-year-old girl who disappeared from South Los Angeles nearly a month ago while on her way to school was found safe and reunited with her family, the Los Angeles Police Department reported on Thursday. Jaiyana Evans, who had last been seen leaving her Watts home on May 1, was located Wednesday at around 10:30 p.m., the LAPD announced in a news release. "There was no criminal activity related to this missing, and no additional releasable information," LAPD Officer Drake Madison told Newsweek. The Context The case drew significant attention in Los Angeles as authorities and family members sought public assistance in the search for Evans. Each year, hundreds of thousands of minors are reported missing across the United States. Cases like Evans' underscore the importance of community involvement and timely police action when children disappear. Jaiyana Evans was found around 10:30 p.m. on Wednesday after she was reported missing nearly a month ago. Jaiyana Evans was found around 10:30 p.m. on Wednesday after she was reported missing nearly a month ago. Los Angeles Police Department What To Know The LAPD began its investigation after Evans was last seen around 7:13 a.m. on May 1, as she left her house to go to school. She did not return that day, leading her family to raise concerns about her well-being. During the nearly month-long search, the family and LAPD officials urged the public to provide tips that might lead to Evans' recovery. Authorities did not disclose how or where Evans was found. National Trends in Missing Person Cases Cases like Evans' reflect a nationwide challenge. In 2024, the FBI's National Crime Information Center reported over 533,000 missing person cases across the U.S. This includes nearly 350,000 cases of missing juveniles. Evans was found just three days after National Missing Children's Day, an annual observance to advocate for the safety and well-being of children. Over 63,000 children were reported missing in the state of California last year. What People Are Saying The LAPD, in a news release after Evans' disappearance: "Jaiyana has not been seen since, and her family is concerned about her well-being." Eileen M. Garry, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention acting administrator, in a statement about National Missing Children's Day: "Today's Missing Children's Day commemoration is a reminder that child safety must be a shared priority. Because, ultimately, we all have a role to play—parents, guardians, caregivers, concerned citizens, law enforcement, and other professionals. Together we are responsible for safeguarding our nation's most valuable resource: its young people." What Happens Next The LAPD has not announced further investigative steps or public briefings. Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact (213) 709-3784 or 1-877-LAPD-24-7 (1-877-527-3247) during weekends or non-business hours. Tips can also be submitted anonymously to the L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (800-222-8477) or online. Do you have a story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have any questions about this story? Contact LiveNews@
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives Releases Groundbreaking 'Minority and Missing Initiative Report'
Alexandria, Va, May 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On Saturday, May 25th, National Missing Children's Day, the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE) released its latest Minority and Missing Initiative Report, highlighting critical disparities in how missing persons cases involving communities of color are handled across the country. The report urges renewed commitment to protecting vulnerable children and families and serves as a call to action for law enforcement, policymakers, media, and the general public. The report was developed in partnership with the Safety Blitz Foundation's National Child ID Program, the NFL Alumni Association's Caring for Kids Campaign, the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), FBI-Law Enforcement Executive Development Association (FBI-LEEDA), and National Night Out. The report reflects findings from a year-long review of data from state agencies and leading organizations including the FBI's National Crime Information Center Missing Person File, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), and the National Human Trafficking Hotline. Key Findings: Key Recommendations: Voices of Support: 'The safety of our children is at the heart of our mission to protect and serve future generations. At the Pro Football Hall of Fame, we're proud to support this work by providing the Gift of Safety through the National Child ID Program,' said Coach Mike Singletary, Pro Football Hall of Fame Chicago Bears Linebacker. 'As one of the founding members, I'm proud to continue championing the National Child ID Program, which has always focused on protecting our most valuable asset—our children,' said Randy White, NFL Hall of Famer. 'As a father and grandfather, few things are more terrifying than the thought of a missing child. The Child ID Kit equips families with critical tools to immediately provide law enforcement with essential information, saving precious time searching for their loved one,' said Jerry Kramer, NFL Hall of Fame inductee. 'I am grateful for the work of NOBLE, NCAI, and FBI-LEEDA to compile the most comprehensive report on minority, missing, and murdered and missing Indigenous persons, bringing attention to these important crises. I look forward to continuing our work together to ensure every child is brought home safely to their families,' said Kenny Hansmire, Executive Director, National Child ID Program. 'We must continue our efforts until every child is safely home.' The Minority and Missing Initiative Report can be found here. ### About The National Organization of Black Law Enforcement ExecutivesSince 1976, The National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE) has served as the conscience of law enforcement by being committed to justice by action. NOBLE represents over 4,800 members internationally, who are primarily African American chief executive officers of law enforcement agencies at federal, state, county, and municipal levels, other law enforcement administrators, and criminal justice practitioners. For more information, visit and follow on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TwitterCONTACT: Vistra Communications NOBLE 813-961-4700 PR@
Yahoo
7 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Clear Channel Outdoor Launches Digital Billboard Campaign Across Texas to Find Missing Children
Clear Channel Outdoor, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Texas Center for the Missing and Local Police Team Up to Bring Missing Kids Home from Dallas, El Paso, Houston and San Antonio HOUSTON, May 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Clear Channel Outdoor (NYSE: CCO), Texas Center for the Missing (TCM), and The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) alongside the El Paso Police Department, Houston Police Department, and San Antonio Police Department, launched a new month-long campaign across Texas calling attention to the ongoing searches for local missing children. Coinciding with National Missing Children's Day (May 25), the digital out-of-home (DOOH) campaign highlights missing children's cases in four major markets including Dallas, El Paso, Houston and San Antonio, to help generate leads. The month-long campaign will be broadcasted thousands of times, producing millions of market impressions across the state's four major media markets. On Friday, May 23rd, CCO held press conferences in each Texas market where families of the missing children, along with local law enforcement working on these unsolved cases, spoke throughout the state and urged the public to share any information they have regarding the disappearance or whereabouts of these children, some who are now adults. Clear Channel Outdoor is providing this month-long public service campaign at no cost in partnership with Texas Center for the Missing (TCM), Houston's Amber Alert Provider. This is one element of CCO's ongoing partnership with TCM and part of a larger campaign to raise awareness about local missing children in these four major Texas markets. To date, more than 17 Texas children have been reunited with their families as a direct result of this collaboration. The country is in the midst of a persistent missing and exploited children crisis nationwide. The Texas Department of Public Safety Missing Persons Clearinghouse received 44,783 missing person reports in 2024 with 31,864 being juveniles. Photos are one of the most vital tools for law enforcement when searching for a missing child and have the power to produce leads that can unveil crucial information and help safely recover children. The new billboard campaign enables TCM to reach a broad audience across Texas by distributing photos of missing children in targeted areas that can aid law enforcement with a search. "We are proud to partner with Texas Center for the Missing to launch this critically important out-of-home campaign that has historically helped reunite missing children with their families across the state of Texas," said Lee Vela, Vice President, Public Affairs-Houston, Clear Channel Outdoor. "As a local Houston resident, it's an honor for my team and I to make this initiative a priority every year. Texas is our home and our children's safety is of the utmost importance to foster healthier communities. We are hopeful this year's campaign will generate leads to finding these missing children and offer their families the hope they deserve." "For over a decade, Texas Center for the Missing has enjoyed a meaningful collaboration with Clear Channel Outdoor that has had positive results not only for National Missing Children's Day but for ongoing efforts on behalf of missing Texans statewide," said Melissa Turnquist, CEO of Texas Center for the Missing. "We believe that digital out-of-home campaigns have been and continue to be an invaluable tool in finding missing children and saving lives. We are grateful for Clear Channel's commitment to our community and are eager to reunite more families throughout the state of Texas as a result of this year's campaign." For this year's campaign, the missing child's photo is included in each message, and in some cases, the child's age-progression photo is shown if the child has been missing for an extended period. 2025 Missing Children Cases featured across Texas in this program include: Dallas: Misty Lynn McGinn, a teen, now 22 — missing from the City of Rice just south of Dallas. Misty has been missing since April 19, 2020, when she was 17 years old. She was last seen at her home in the City of Rice, just South of Dallas. She reportedly suffers from mental health issues and was not on her medication at the time when she went missing. She has a rose tattoo on her left forearm, wears glasses and her hair was dyed reddish pink. El Paso: Jean Gabriel Benitez and Allison Garcia who disappeared in March of 2024 and November of 2024 respectively. On March 18, 2024, Jean Gabriel Benitez went missing from his home. He is 5'7" and weighs approximately 130 pounds. He has brown eyes and light brown hair. On November 2, 2024, Allison Garcia left home and did not return. She could reportedly be in Mexico. Houston: Devine Tollett, missing since April 1, 2018. Devine was just 18 years old when she vanished on April 1, 2018. That day, she never came home to her condo after finishing her shift at work in Houston. Since then, her family has been desperately searching for answers and holding on to hope. Investigators need anyone with information to come forward and help bring closure for Devine's family. Devine is African American, with long black hair and warm brown eyes. She's about 5'1" tall and weighs around 130 pounds. San Antonio: Nevaeh Woods missing since March 2025. Nevaeh was last seen on March 1, 2025 in the 6400 block of Firestone parkway. She is right-handed and has straight shoulder length hair. In 1983, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed May 25th National Missing Children's Day. National Missing Children's Day is a reminder to all parents and guardians of the need for high-quality photographs of their children for use in case of an emergency, and for the need for everyone to pay close attention to posters and photographs of missing children. For regional missing children alerts, visit About Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings, Channel Outdoor Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:CCO) is at the forefront of driving innovation in the out-of-home advertising industry. Our dynamic advertising platform is broadening the pool of advertisers using our medium through the expansion of digital billboards and displays and the integration of data analytics and programmatic capabilities that deliver measurable campaigns that are simpler to buy. By leveraging the scale, reach and flexibility of our diverse portfolio of assets, we connect advertisers with millions of consumers every month. About Texas Center for the MissingTexas Center for the Missing (TCM) is a Houston-based nonprofit and is the Amber Alert AND Silver Alert provider for the 14-county Houston-Galveston region. TCM offers crisis intervention, prevention, and community education services related to child abductions, runaways, internet lures, and endangered adults. To decrease the number of missing children, we at Texas Center for the Missing know that children and families need to be educated about how to remain safe, law enforcement needs to be trained on how and when to activate local Amber Alerts AND Silver Alerts, and the community at large needs to be aware of the painful reality faced by searching families. Since its founding in 2000, TCM has directly served more than 500,200 children and families. In addition, TCM has trained 8,400 law enforcement officers and provided assistance in more than 2,900 missing persons cases. We are at the ready to activate community resources 24/7 to get a missing at-risk child or endangered adult home quickly and safely. Your support directly affects our ability to serve the Greater Houston community with the best and most time efficient resources available. For more information, visit or watch our latest videos at: Connect with Texas Center for the Missing on Facebook at or on Instagram Bringing hope and healing to the missing and their families through crisis intervention, prevention, and community education. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Clear Channel Outdoor Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Yahoo
'I will always be looking:' El Paso teens featured on missing children billboards
Jean Gabriel Benitez, then 16 years old, was last seen getting ready for school March 18, 2024, but when his mother arrived home, he was nowhere to be found. More than a year later, his mother, Karina Roman, continues her search for her son, hoping he is safe and will return home. She pleads for the community to help find her son. "About a year and two months ago, my son left the house and he never came back,' Roman said in Spanish as tears rolled down her face. 'We haven't heard anything. I left him in the morning as he was getting ready for school. I left to drop off my (other) son at school, when I came back, he wasn't at the house anymore. "We just want him to come back. We just want to know if he is okay." Benitez, who will turn 18 later this month, is one of two El Pasoans being highlighted on a monthlong digital billboard campaign. The billboards will be shown throughout El Paso in both English and Spanish. They are being posted as part of National Missing Children's Day by the Texas Center for the Missing, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Clear Channel Outdoor, and the El Paso Police Department. National Missing Children's Day is May 25. The other missing El Pasoan being highlighted is Allison Garcia, now 17 years old. She left home Nov. 2, 2024, and never returned. Law enforcement authorities believed she could be in Mexico. Roman and her family have been suffering in agony as they search for Benitez, a former ROTC student at William H. Burges High School. The family has no idea why he left, where he could be or who he is with. "I love him very much," Roman said as she wiped away tears. "I have always been there for him and will always be there for him. I will always be looking for him. Doesn't matter what the situation was or whatever happened, my family and I just want to know that he is okay. We will be here if he needs anything. We will always be there for him." More: Where is Angel Marie Avalos? Pregnant teen disappeared 5 years ago in El Paso County Benitez, a 5 feet, 7 inches tall teen with brown eyes and brown hair, being featured on the billboards brings her hope that her son will be found and she can hug him again. She is pleading for the community's help to reunite her with her son. 'I feel a little more relieved that more people will be able to see him,' the heartbroken mother said as her younger son stood by her side. 'It is going to reach more people, and hopefully someone will see him or he himself will see it. It is very difficult. I am just hoping he is okay. Please if somebody knows something, reach out. "If anybody knows anything about him, please let us know, because it has been a long time and a year of agony." Missing-person bulletins in English and Spanish featuring Benitez and Garcia will be displayed about 1,000 times a day on billboards in El Paso for a month, said Eric Lucero, market manager for Clear Channel Outdoor. The billboard will be seen by 75 percent of El Pasoans traveling on Interstate 10 and other roads in the city, he added. About 17 missing children over the past several years have been found through the annual billboard campaign in El Paso, Houston, Dallas and San Antonio, Lucero said. Missing children have been featured on billboards throughout Texas for more than a decade. More: Missing El Paso woman found after deputies sought public's help There were 44,783 people reported missing last year in Texas, with 31,864 being juveniles. In El Paso County, 1,109 juveniles and 280 adults were reported missing in 2024, the Texas Department of Public Safety Missing Persons Clearinghouse reported. Anyone with information on Benitez or Garcia is urged to call the El Paso Police Department at 915-832-4400. Aaron Martinez covers the criminal justice system for the El Paso Times. He may be reached at amartinez1@ or on X/Twitter @AMartinezEPT. This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: El Paso mother hopes missing children billboard will help find son
Daily Mirror
25-05-2025
- Daily Mirror
'I peddled heroin at 14 then ran away from home - here's exactly why I did it'
As statistics show an alarming number of children go missing from care and are more likely to be exploited, groomed or trafficked, the Mirror asks what we can do to give these children a better start in life. A perfect storm of defiance and vulnerability puts children in care at an incredibly high risk of going missing. 'Unwanted, unloved and uncared for' are the heartbreaking words used by artist, author and advocate for foster children Louise Allen to describe her own feelings when she was a kid in care. With 1 in 10 children in the care system going missing, compared to 1 in 200 children brought up outside it, the Missing People charity says that while each case is individual, in many cases, kids are unhappy in their foster homes. But with 75,000 of the 170,000 people who go missing in the UK every year being children, the numbers are alarming. In an exclusive interview with The Mirror to mark National Missing Children's Day today (May 25), Louise Allen, now 58, from Somerset, reflects on her own tough childhood. Growing up in care in the 1970s, Louise ended up peddling heroin from Oxford to London, before running away from home when she was just 15. 'I was just 14 when me and some other girls started moving heroin from Oxford to London,' she recalls 'It wasn't roadmen who ran the county lines back then, but rockabillies, who looked for vulnerable children to take advantage of. We would take packages in little army canvas bags with anarchy badges all over them and just hand over the packages for cash, before catching the train back and going down the pub. 'I didn't understand the consequences. It only became scary when one of the girls was sexually abused by one of the rockabillies in front of us, and we couldn't do anything about it. When you grow up in an abusive environment, you often see the world very differently to others - you don't get scared easily.' Children like Louise were also groomed and exploited. An alarming 48 per cent of looked-after children identified as exploited went missing in 2020, with each of these going missing, on average, 10.6 times a year. Local authorities identified more than 1,200 looked-after children who were victims of trafficking in 2020. On average, these kids went missing eight times per year. FAMILIES OF THE MISSING Missing people: Facts and Myths Every year, 170,000 people vanish in the UK – that's one person every 90 seconds. Fortunately, most return home within a few days, often without the need for a public appeal. For adults over 18, going missing isn't illegal, but the police will want to ensure their safety. If there are concerns for their welfare, a public appeal might be launched. Importantly, you don't need to wait 24 hours to report someone missing. If their absence is unusual, contact the police immediately. Any child who goes missing will be looked for by police though they are not often given public facing appeals. How the Missing People charity Supports Families Missing People works closely with the police to amplify missing appeals and provide vital support to families. They offer practical help in searches and emotional support to those affected. If you need assistance or want to see your loved one's appeal on the Missed map, call their Helpline on 116 000. It's free, confidential and non-judgemental. They are also there to listen if you are thinking of disappearing or have already left. The Role of Public Appeals Not all missing cases are made public. In situations involving domestic abuse or severe mental health issues, publicity might do more harm than good. That is one reason why you will only see a fraction of missing cases on the Missed map. When sharing appeals, it's crucial to use the official channels from the Missing People website or via the share button on the Missed map. This ensures that once the person is found, all traces of the appeal are removed, respecting their privacy. The Mirror is committed to removing digital footprints of shared appeals, ensuring the missing person's right to be forgotten is upheld. By sharing official appeals, you help protect the privacy and dignity of those who have been found. Now a happily married mum, Louise has fostered children for 13 years and says the social care system needs reforming if vulnerable children are to be given the chance of happy, successful lives. She says the lack of cohesion between the different agencies makes it easier for kids in care to go missing - something our Missed campaign has highlighted needs to change. Recalling her efforts to track down a missing teenager who had been staying with her, she says: 'Children in care go missing because they don't feel grounded or loved. It's easier for them to go missing. I remember trying to track down someone who was living with me just last year, and I couldn't find them through their social worker.' The profile of foster carers is incredibly important, according to Louise. 'Often the best foster carers are those who have life experience, have been through adversity themselves, have empathy and awareness and the strength of character to stand up for a child who needs help,' she says. 'My mum was a child when she had me and was forced to go down the adoption route. 'I was placed with a family who were already on social services' radar for emotionally and physically abusing a little boy. Yet they still placed me there. I never felt like I fitted in or that I was wanted or loved. Living in Oxford was difficult because I was poor yet surrounded by wealth, and I was olive-skinned, unlike my adoptive family and friends - I later found out my birth father was Jewish and birth mother was half Italian. 'Before I ran away at 15, I was beaten so badly that I smashed a rib and cracked my head on the kitchen sink. That night (when she ran away), I remember walking five miles to Oxford Rail Station and getting on a train and ending up in Portsmouth. I still to this day have a picture of when I first arrived, looking lost and lonely on the beach.' Exceptionally resourceful because of her upbringing, Louise knew how to fend for herself, collecting loose change from phone boxes and finding a filthy bedsit in a shared house frequented by drug users. No one came looking for her, so she took on cleaning jobs, educated herself and eventually enrolled at art school, becoming a teacher at 22. Now, more than 40 years since she ran away, she says: 'Young people are still being groomed, trafficked and exploited - I see it all the time. I didn't feel wanted, so there was nothing for me to lose by running away. I came so close to so much danger, and the fact of the matter is that there are people out there who know how to spot and take advantage of vulnerable children.' Also, when young people leave care, their support stops, according to Louise, who launched a national recruitment campaign called Louise and a charity called Spark Sisterhood, which creates learning, mentoring and employment opportunities for girls in - and leaving - care. 'Children run away from care because they don't feel loved and wanted. The most vulnerable are those who are neurodivergent, autistic, have ADHD or have permanent brain damage from foetal drug/alcohol syndrome,' she explains. 'Often these children go through schools and placements where they have not received an EHCP (education health care plan). I know this from experience after looking after children with the syndrome. Sadly, groomers are very powerful. Gang leaders know what to look for and who to target, and no one is keeping an eye on these children. 'The different agencies haven't joined up. We've lost 22,000 street police, and we're creating a perfect storm for child abuse. We owe these children so much more.' 'I don't want children in care to go through what I went through' Running away at the age of 12 because of problems at home and being placed in more than 15 different homes as a teenager, Victoria Odude's mental health rapidly deteriorated. Now 26, the Londoner says: 'I was depressed and felt alone because there was no one in my corner. I didn't even have a suitcase - just a few things in a backpack or a black bag. I remember being moved all around the UK and feeling alone and scared. 'I had one amazing foster carer - I was only there for six months, and to this day, I still spend Christmas and Easter with her family. She taught me how to cook. We'd garden together, and she was really involved in my education and paid for a tutor to help me catch up on the school work I'd missed. 'She made me feel wanted and would introduce me, saying 'this is my daughter Victoria.' It was never meant to be long-term, so I had to move to a children's home, and I ran away. I got into trouble with gangs and used drugs and alcohol. Once I learned what exploitation and grooming meant - and related it to what I went through - it was eye-opening. 'A lot of the time, children aren't given any say in where they are placed, and some foster carers change as soon as the social worker has left. Now I'm an advisor for Missing People and I'm an advocate for children in care, because I don't want them to go through what I went through. 'We need to listen to young children in care and not just make decisions on their behalf without getting to know them. Their mental health should be a priority, and their voices should be heard. "Missing People relies on public donations to continue our vital work. Please donate today to help us be there for every missing person and their loved ones for as long as they need us." The Mirror is using its platform to launch Missed – a campaign to shine a light on underrepresented public-facing missing persons in the UK in collaboration with Missing People Charity. Because every missing person, no matter their background or circumstances, is someone's loved one. And they are always Missed.
