May 25 is National Missing Children's Day

To the editor:

Every year in America, an estimated 800,000 children are reported missing, more than 2,000 children each day. Of that number, 200,000 are abducted by family members, and 58,000 are abducted by non-family members.

The primary motive for non-members' abductions is sexual. Each year, 115 children are victims of the most serious abductions, taken by non-family members and either murdered, held for ransom or taken with the intent to keep.

The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children wants parents to know there are things they can do to keep children safer, and they urge parents to take 25 minutes to talk to their children about safety. There are several ways to protect children from predators.

An analysis of attempted abduction cases by NCMEC found that in 81 percent of the cases, children escaped would-be abductors through their own actions, by yelling, kicking, pulling away, running away or attracting attention. Sign up for the National Child Watch Team, a free program sponsored by Child Shield, USA, and get on the web and read material from www.missingkids.com or from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children web site, www.take25.org and read the 25 ways to make kids safer.

If you would like to join the National Child Watch Team, call me or send me an email. If you would like a report of the 25 ways to make kids safer, I will send you more information. This is a growing concern everywhere; the last time I looked up the registered sexual predators in this county, there were over 100.

My email is ronhughes@cinci.rr.com, or I may be contacted at (937) 402-7943.

Sincerely,
Ron Hughes
Child Shield Affiliate
Hughes Protective Services
Hillsboro