Runaway Really Reported?

[Guest]

Found out that a 16-year-old girl that used to stay with my family and I has been missing/ran away 3-4 days ago. No one she would typically reach out to has heard from her since the day after she went missing.
I reached out to her parents to find out if she had been reported missing and received a response a day later stating yes, but I have not located or seen any news reports, social media posts or any attempts from the parents trying to locate her anywhere.

Unfortunately, due to the past dynamics between the teen and her family I have to wonder if she has truly been reported missing.

How can I find out if she has truly been reported missing or not?

[ccsmod15]

Thanks for reaching out to us. We are very sorry to hear about this girl's situation. You are obviously concerned and it shows you really care about her and want to know for sure if a runaway report has been made. As you may be aware, if a minor runs away their parents are legally obligated to report that, so this could be a serious matter if it is unreported. We aren't sure if there is any definite way you, as a non-relative, non-guardian, could find out if a runaway report has been made. One option you might want to try is simply call the local police and ask them. If you do call them, you may want to explain that she used to live with you as that might inform them that you are not just a random stranger calling to ask about a youth. However, we are not sure if they would give that information out to you. You might also try networking with people that know the youth to see if you can get any information. And, obviously, you can try reaching out to the youth herself. If you are able to do that, please feel free to share our number with her: 1-800-RUNAWAY. We can also be reached via chat at the portal at www.1800runaway.org. If she needs to find shelter or other resources, we may be able to help.

Again, we understand this must be a stressful time for you and your family. Please take care and feel free to contact us anytime via phone or chat. We are confidential and open 24/7. You might also want to call the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (www.missingkids.org) and ask them your question as they may have more information about this type of situation. Their number is 1-800-843-5678. We hope that helps.

All the best,
NRS

[Guest]

Thank you, if she was reported, would there be some type of notification poster asking for help locating her or a missing poster?

[ccsmod2]

Hello There,
Thanks again for reaching out to The National Runaway Safeline. It would depend on the state and police department so it is hard to tell. Some police departments feel putting posters up are risky due to trafficking situations. While others would want to put up posters. You could contact your local police department and ask them how they would be able to handle runaway situations.
We hope this information helped with the situation. If you have any other questions or would like to explore more options please give us a call. Best of luck!
NRS