Amber's Legacy Has Helped Hundreds of Children

January 13th was the anniversary of the Amber Alert Program, which was created to help find and safely recover children who have gone missing. In honor of Amber's tragic story, we'd like to take the opportunity to address some important aspects of being prepared. Truthfully, stranger abductions are rare. It's more common for a child to run away, become lost or have been taken by a family member (usually because of custody cases) or someone else known to the child. 

Regardless of why the child is missing, the first few hours are pivotal. The safest course of action is to be prepared ahead of time—and have a continuously updated ID kit. Odds are that you'll never need to use it. But in the rare scenario that you do, it will prove to be invaluable in helping law enforcement with the search, and can assist with bringing your child home. ID kits should be chosen carefully and stored safely by parents and guardians.

First, download / print this electronic pdf to complete. You can quickly print this free, two-page version directly from the NCMEC site to help guide you. It has questions to easily fill in. The two most essential items are a high-quality photo (details below) and the child's description.

Take updated, high-quality color photos. This is arguably the most essential element of the ID kit. Below are tips: 

  • The child should be facing the camera.
  • Use a well-lit environment.
  • Show the entire face/head and also the top of the shoulders. 
  • Plain, solid backgrounds are helpful.
  • The most important factor is to capture how the child really looks. 
  • If your child's appearance changes, the kit photo should change as well. 
  • Try to take photos without anyone else in the image. 
  • You can print the photo, but always have access to a digital version.

Provide a complete description: This description should include the child's name, any nicknames the child will respond to, their DOB, whether they're male or female, hair color and hairstyle, eye color, weight, complexion, etc. It should also include whether the child wears glasses or braces, and if the youth has any identifying marks like specific freckles, moles, birthmarks, tattoos or piercings. Pertinent addresses and school information could also be helpful. 

While basic information wouldn't need to be updated frequently, good photos and height, weight and medical information do need to be updated every six months. Make sure to enlist the date each time you update.

If the unimaginable happens and the child in your care does go missing, immediately notify 911 and then contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. More information is listed at the top of this free ID Kit. It's better to know this information now, rather than if it ever becomes a reality. 

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