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Within the Ohio Attorney General's Office is the Ohio Missing Children Clearinghouse, where statistics and information about missing children can help us understand the bigger picture for our troubled and vulnerable kids.
In the most recent report, we learned 2023 actually saw an increase in the number of Ohio children who went missing. In fact, more people of all ages went missing last year -- 22,374 total (an increase of 1,757 over the previous year). Of that number, 17,405 were children (an increase of 1,850 over the previous year).
Those are alarming figures, though not as high as what the state saw in 2015-2019. Perhaps a more important figure on which to focus is that authorities say 98% of missing children were recovered safely by the end of the year. Tragically, five of the missing children were found dead and 367 are still missing.
The report indicates 74 missing children in Columbiana County. Mahoning County registered 541 for 2023.
But largely because of determined law enforcement officers and the availability of tools such as the Amber Alert or Endangered Missing Child Alert, even the most challenging cases are being solved.
Attorney General Dave Yost gave one example, in introducing this year's report:
"On the morning of May 9, a 6-year-old girl with special needs was reported missing to the Pike County Sheriff's Office. The sheriff's search rapidly expanded, with neighboring law enforcement agencies, fire departments, civilian search groups and multiple K-9 teams rushing to the area," Yost wrote. "My office's Bureau of Criminal Investigation issued an Endangered Missing Child Alert, and special agents and criminal intelligence analysts from BCI joined the search. Media outlets in southern Ohio picked up the alert, broadcasting the girl's picture, publicizing the tip line, and emphasizing the need for the public's help.
"Twelve hours into the search, the girl was found unharmed and was reunited with her parents. The swift and coordinated work of multiple law enforcement agencies made all the difference, as it almost always does. "
Yost has every right to be proud of those agencies, and it is a reminder to Ohioans of the concerted effort that goes into keeping our kids safe.
While the data show there is work to do -- and that there will always be a need for that effort -- we can be grateful there are so many willing to take on the challenge.