More than 10,000 children reported missing in New York every year

More than 10,000 children are reported missing in New York State each year, according to the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services Missing Persons Clearinghouse annual report, with 94% classified as runaways.

Every year since 1983, May 25th is recognized as Missing Children’s Day after U.S. President Ronald Reagan signed a proclamation.

The proclamation followed the 1979 disappearance of a six-year-old boy, Etan Patz, on his way to school in New York City.

Each year, the U.S. Department of Justice commemorates Missing Children’s Day by honoring the heroic and exemplary efforts of agencies, organizations, and individuals to protect children- like the local nonprofit in the Hudson Valley- Hope Alive 845.

Missing Children’s Day is dedicated to encouraging parents, guardians, caregivers, and others concerned with the well-being of children to make child safety a priority. It serves as a reminder to continue our efforts to reunite missing children with their families and an occasion to honor those dedicated to this noble cause. As part of this initiative, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a National Missing Children’s Day Poster Contest, which invites fifth-grade students to create a poster to include the theme “Bringing Our Missing Children Home”.

The Missing and Exploited Children’s Training and Technical Assistance Program works in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Justice to coordinate the National Missing Children’s Day Poster Contest and Missing Children's Day activities. This collaboration aims to increase knowledge about child safety and provide comprehensive services to support state and local efforts to build capacity and expand the use of evidence-based practices to prevent and respond to child abduction and exploitation.

Right now, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children lists 39 missing children reported in New York since January 1, 2026.