NCMEC

Water safety doesn't have an off-season. For children on the autism spectrum who wander, water can pose a serious risk year-round. Know nearby water hazards. If a child goes missing on foot, SEARCH WATER FIRST. Learn more: ncmec.org/autism

James Woods was just 17 when he died by suicide after being targeted in a sextortion scheme in 2022. Nearly four years later, an arrest has been made in Ivory Coast. Our hearts remain with James’ family as they continue to seek justice for their son. fox8.com/news/arrest-...

For nearly 40 years, Gladys T. Johnson was known only as Jane Doe. Hear how NCMEC forensic artist Colin McNally helped give Gladys her name back. www.youtube.com/watch?v=avop...

For nearly 40 years, her family waited for answers. Gladys T. Johnson was just 18 when she disappeared in 1986. Then, a facial reconstruction created by NCMEC and shared on social media led to a breakthrough. Read More: www.ncmec.org/blog/2026/th...

How can we encourage kids and teens to be upstanders, not bystanders, when someone shares fake or intimate images without consent?

Some online relationships aren't what they seem. Our "Healthy Relationships" video explores sextortion, online enticement, and trafficking, without blame or shame. Help youth recognize red flags and know where to turn for support. More here: ncmec.org/netsmartz/topics/sextortion

Have you seen this child? Alecia Lawrence, 17, has been missing since June 10, 2026. She's believed to be in the Savannah, Georgia, area, over 200 miles away from where she went missing in Americus, Georgia.

“My love for my son has and will never change, and neither has my hope of bringing him home.” Nearly 15 years after Angel Garcia disappeared from Hartford, Connecticut, his mother, Laura, is still searching for answers. www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWBh...

A NCMEC CyberTip sent to Parker County Sheriff's Office in Texas leads to charges of a teen who used AI to generate nude images of another child before uploading them to TikTok. https://cbsn.ws/4hZw83Q

NCMEC is releasing a new age progression image showing what Angel Garcia, who went missing 15 years ago, may look like today at 34 years old. Read our latest blog: https://www.ncmec.org/blog/2026/my-son-deserves-to-be-found-family-still-seeking-answers-after-15-years

Nine NCMEC CyberTipline reports were linked to a Philadelphia man arrested after returning from a cruise in Florida. Customs officers found child sexual abuse material on his devices at Port Everglades. John Mario Galvin, 42, now faces two federal charges. www.local10.com/news/local/2...

The best day to talk with your kids about online safety was yesterday. The second-best day is today.

After losing their son, James, to sextortion, Tamia and Tim Woods turned their grief into a mission to protect other children. Honored at NCMEC's 2026 Hope Gala, they continue to educate families and share James' story. www.ncmec.org/blog/2026/a-...

The beat is a throwback. The safety tips still hold up. Check first. Take a friend. Tell people “NO.” Tell a trusted adult. Revisit a NetSmartz classic and share these four safety rules with a new generation. www.youtube.com/watch?v=kO7O...

'Child Pornography' shifts the blame onto the child and minimizes the abuse they experienced. CSAM (Child Sexual Abuse Material) makes it clear that these are crime-scene pictures of the sexual abuse of a child. Learn why language matters: ncmec.org/theissues/csam

¿Sabes con quién juega tu hijo(a) en línea o qué haría si algo le pareciera extraño o indebido? No hace falta ser experto en juegos en línea para hablar sobre seguridad de los videojuegos. La Guía de Juego Seguro de NCMEC es gratuita y te puede ayudar: www.ncmec.org/netsmartz/es...

After 9-year-old Amber Hagerman was abducted and found deceased, Diana Simone pushed for a faster way to alert communities. Her efforts helped change how we search for missing children. ncmec.org/blog/2026/30-years-of-amber-alerts-meet-the-woman-behind-the-idea

MISSING IN GEORGIA: Have you seen Brayden Love? The 15-year-old has not been seen or heard from since July 9, when he left his Macon home. Brayden may still be near Macon or could travel to the Savannah area. Please share. If you know anything, call 1-800-THE-LOST. www.wjcl.com/article/miss...

Two NCMEC CyberTips helped lead to the arrest of a Norfolk, NE, man. Police say the reports involved suspected child sexual abuse material shared on Kik. Investigators later found more than 200 suspected CSAM images on seized devices. www.wowt.com/2026/09/25/c...

Two children missing from Washington state since December 2023 have been found safe in Virginia. After a request from Redmond Police and NCMEC, the U.S. Marshals Service Missing Child Unit helped trace the children to the Washington, D.C., area. komonews.com/news/local/u...

“Our honorees didn’t spend their careers in the child protection field,” said NCMEC CEO Michelle DeLaune. “They didn’t claim to have all the answers. They simply saw something they could do to make the world safer for children, and they did it.” www.ncmec.org/blog/2026/nc...

HAVE YOU SEEN ME? 15-year-old Debra Moore has been missing since July 20, 2025, from Highlands, Texas. Debra may go by the name 'Dawn.' Have info? Call NCMEC at 1-800-THE-LOST or the Harris County Sheriff's Office at 1-713-755-5300. Poster: missingkids.org/poster/NCMC/2056788/1

Having nudes online is scary, but there’s hope. Take It Down is a free tool to help remove nude, partially nude, or explicit photos & videos taken before you were 18. ➡️ https://takeitdown.ncmec.org

Lights, applause, and a shared sense of purpose filled the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium as NCMEC welcomed honorees, advocates and supporters for the 2026 #HOPEGala. The evening celebrated powerful stories and the impact of a community united by a single mission: a safer childhood for every child.

Photos are powerful tools in the search for missing children. Sign up for missing child alerts in your community and help bring them home: http://adamprogram.com

🚨 MISSING 🚨 Rayford Reed was 14 when he went missing from Sequim, Washington, on March 7, 2023. If you have any information about Rayford or his disappearance, please contact NCMEC at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678) or the Clallam County Sheriff's Office at (360) 417-2459.

See cyberbullying? Don’t add to it. Help kids understand that liking, sharing, or commenting on hurtful content can cause more harm. Talk about ways they can support others and help stop cyberbullying: https://www.ncmec.org/netsmartz/topics/cyberbullying

Meet Gracie! This 1-year-old black Lab is the newest member of Indiana’s ICAC Task Force. Gracie is trained to sniff out hidden electronics, including laptops, flash drives and tiny SD cards that could contain critical evidence in child exploitation investigations. fox59.com/news/indiana...

If this has happened to you, it may feel overwhelming or like there is no way out, but there is hope. Know that you are not alone, and NCMEC is here to help. Make a report to NCMEC's CyberTipline here: https://report.cybertip.org/

What’s the first thing you’d tell your child to do if they were being cyberbullied?

79 missing and endangered children. One monthlong operation. Operation Meridian located children ages 6–17 across Ohio and beyond in what officials are calling the largest missing-child operation in state history. www.usatoday.com/story/news/n...

REPORTING CSAM WORKS. Tips submitted to NCMEC’s CyberTipline help law enforcement identify offenders, rescue children, and prevent future abuse. If you see something, report it: cybertipline.org

Do you know who your child games with online?

Sextortion can escalate in minutes. “No Escape Room” + our NEW parent guide help you understand the risks and prevent them together. Learn more here: www.ncmec.org/blog/2026/ne...

When an endangered child went missing in Hawaiʻi, K9 Trina followed their scent to a brush-covered area about 150 yards from home. The child was located in good health and reunited with family. www.khon2.com/big-island-n...

Heading out for Labor Day weekend? Whether you’re traveling, spending time outdoors or enjoying the last days of summer, take a minute to review NCMEC’s "Going Out" checklist. Help keep the children in your life safer: NCMEC.org/KidSmartz

He thought he was talking to a girl his age. He wasn’t... NO ESCAPE ROOM shows how fast things can spiral when you trust the wrong person online. Watch the story unfold: https://noescaperoom.org/

Does your child know what to do if a stranger sends them a private message on social media?

What’s one social media rule your family has?

Follow or unfollow? Sometimes it’s worth taking a second look. Encourage kids and teens to think about who they connect with, what they share, and how those interactions make them feel. Get more tips for navigating social media safely: NCMEC.org/NetSmartz/Social-Media

“Deepfake” isn’t the full story. When AI is used to create fake sexualized images of children, it’s digital forgery, and it’s never victimless. Learn more in NCMEC’s Internet Safety & GAI Presentation for Parents: https://go.missingkids.org/internet-safety-and-gai-presentation

That’s NOT me! When Clicky & Nettie uncover AI-made fakes in Falsizone, they team up with Gig to stop it! Can they patch things up before it’s too late? Watch the full video at http://netsmartzkids.org/videos

Normalize asking your child: • Who are you talking to online? • Do you know them in real life? • Has anyone made you uncomfortable? What question would you add?

K-9 Maverick to the rescue! 🐾 Earlier this month, an 18-month-old boy went missing in rural Boone County. Maverick tracked his scent for more than a mile through rough, hilly terrain, leading search crews right to the toddler. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDi-VuIljkM

“The family’s not giving up, and we’re not giving up either.” Today marks 20 years since 2-year-old Trenton Duckett was last seen in Florida. A new age progression shows Trenton at 22. Read more: ncmec.org/blog/2026/20-years-of-not-knowing-trenton-ducketts-dad-still-searching-for-his-son

Add kindness to the back-to-school checklist. Help kids think about the role they play in creating safer, more positive online spaces. Get more tips at ncmec.org/netsmartz/topics/cyberbullying.

Operation Statewide Shield has led to the recovery of 163 missing children, ranging in age from 2 months to 17 years old. The first-of-its-kind statewide effort in Florida located children across six other states, Puerto Rico, and 12 countries. www.fox13news.com/news/163-mis...

The back-to-school checklist is almost complete. Don't forget online safety. NCMEC's free resources can help families, caregivers, and educators prepare children for a safer school year online. Get started: https://www.ncmec.org/backtoschool