National observance calls attention to plight of missing children

May 25 was National Missing Children's Day. This day is dedicated to the joint effort of U. S. citizens to do everything in their power to stop the on-going, everyday problem of missing children. Between 1979 and 1981 a series of high-profile missing children cases became national headlines.

According to www.missingkids.com, three such cases contributed to the shock of the nation's consciousness bringing attention to the seriousness of child victimization and forever changing the response by law enforcement agencies to reports of missing children.

On May 25, 1979, Etan Patz disappeared from a New York City street on his way to school. Even before cases of missing children routinely garnered national media attention, Etan's case quickly received a lot of coverage. His father, a professional photographer, disseminated black-and-white photographs of Etan in an effort to find him. The massive search and media attention that followed focused the nation's attention on the problem of child abduction and lack of plans to address it and make further plans of better protecting the nation's children.

For almost three years, national media attention was focused on Atlanta, Ga., where the bodies of young boys and girls were discovered in lakes, marshes and in ponds along roadside trails. By the time a suspect was arrested and identified in 1981, 29 bodies were recovered. The suspect was found, convicted and now serves a life sentence in prison.

Also according to www.missingkids.com, on July 27, 1981, 6-year-old Adam Walsh disappeared from a Florida shopping mall. His parents, John and Revé Walsh, immediately turned to law enforcement agencies to help find their son. To their disappointment, there was no coordinated effort among law enforcement to search for their son on a state or national level and no organization to help them in their time of need and desperation to save their child.

The tragedies of these children and others exposed a serious flaw in the United States. There was no coordinated effort between federal, state and local law enforcement, no national response system in place and no central resource to help families on the search for lost loved ones.

The momentum that began with the disappearance of Etan, Adam and the 29 missing and murdered children of Atlanta led to photographs of missing children on milk cartons and, ultimately, a nationwide movement.

In 1983, President Ronald Regan proclaimed May 25 National Missing Children's Day. Each administration since has honored this annual reminder to the nation to renew efforts to reunite missing children with their families and make child protection a national priority. 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 the posters and photographs of missing children.

Many local agencies offer help as well. The Vernon County Ambulance District offers fingerprinting for children and will also take photos of children to have on record.

The Vernon County Sheriff's Office and Nevada police and fire departments also offer assistance to citizens in keeping their children safe and urge parents join these local agencies in their fight for the safety of children and to teach children excellent safety habits and the rules about talking to strangers and wandering alone.