Danger now? Call 911Missing child? Call 1-800-THE-LOST

Missing children

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How to read this map, and more phone lines

How to read this map

The map works like a tree. Tap a name to open it. Start with your state, then pick a county, then pick a child. Each child's page shows what NCMEC shared, our milk carton, and links to NCMEC's own poster. The places are close, not exact.

Need help right now? These phone lines are real people, not AI.

  • Is a child in danger right now? Call 911.
  • Do you know something about a missing child? Call 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678). Someone answers day and night.
  • Pick your state to see its own line.

How to report a missing child · Back to the map · Short videos

Short videos

Watch and learn

Why we do this work · 46 seconds

Report / Help

Is a child missing? Do these things now.

Your child is missing

1. Call the police right away. If you think your child is in danger, call 911.

2. In a store? Tell the store manager or security first. Then call the police. Many stores have a plan called Code Adam.

3. At home? Look fast in closets, piles of laundry, in and under beds, inside big appliances, and in cars. Look in the trunk too. Look anywhere a child could crawl or hide.

4. Tell the police:

  • your child's name and birthday
  • how tall they are and how much they weigh
  • things that stand out, like glasses or braces
  • what they were wearing
  • when you saw they were gone

Give them a recent photo if you have one.

5. After you call the police, call NCMEC at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678). They answer day and night. A police report may not reach NCMEC by itself.

6. Only the police can ask for an AMBER Alert. Each state has its own rules for it.

7. You do not have to do this alone. NCMEC's Team HOPE is free help by phone from people who have been there: 866-305-HOPE (866-305-4673).

I think I saw a missing child

1. Is anyone in danger right now? Call 911.

2. If not, call the police number on the child's poster. Or call NCMEC at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678), day or night. You can also use "Report a Sighting" on the child's official NCMEC poster.

3. Don't go up to the child or the person with them. Don't do anything that could put you or the child in danger.

4. Remember or write down:

  • where you saw them (street, store, or highway)
  • what time it was
  • what they looked like and what they wore
  • any car: color, kind, and license plate
  • which way they went

Phone lines

  • Is a child in danger right now? Call 911.
  • Do you know something about a missing child? Call 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678). Someone answers day and night.
  • Pick your state to see its own line.