According to the FBI, an estimated 460,000 children come up missing every year in the United States. In 2021, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime found the United States reported more kidnappings than all other Western countries, with 56,652 kidnappings — approximately 30% of which are Americans under the age of 18. Cleveland, Ohio is one of the most alarming cases, with over 18,000 children recorded missing every year. 

Thousands of these children and vulnerable adults are abducted into human trafficking. This illicit industry is the modern-day form of slavery, as these innocent lives are brought into a world of unimaginable horror. The spectre of human trafficking looms large as missing children cases continue to rise in developing countries and persist in the U.S. 

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, luring victims through social media has become more prominent. Traffickers posing online as friendly faces is often used first to build a relationship with the child, then over time, the criminals may groom the child and lead them into dangerous situations. Younger kids are more affected by this because they can be easily influenced, and safe child care options greatly decreased during quarantine. 

Predators also typically lie about their age and play into a likeable (though untrustworthy) persona to gain their victims’ trust. These minors are influenced to then meet up with their abductors, making it easier for them to be coerced and taken. There are many other factors as to why children willingly meet up with predators they meet too. 

According to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), a common myth is that these traffickers are complete strangers to their targets. In fact, it’s more often than not a family member or friend of the child’s family who doesn’t have the permission of the child’s parents to take care of them. “A desire to take back control of their lives or being lured by traffickers or gangs who promise safety, family, love and belonging,” NCMEC goes on to state.  

Many of these kids are considered runaways at the age of 16, which adds to the aforementioned high statistics. Classifications as runaways disqualify the child from an amber alert, and law enforcement may neglect their case or neglect looking for them. These cases are more often overlooked and not public knowledge, making it extremely difficult to gain help and support from the public. Many of these children are left to survive on their own and with little resources. Some are even left without a choice and begin to engage in criminal activity to survive, often leading themselves into human trafficking. 

“It all starts in the households, social media and other distractions should be limited to young kids,” Officer Mohammed Farah said. “The parents should educate themselves and understand the seriousness of missing children, parents need to be more aware of their children,” “

Human trafficking is one of the most prominent crimes in the world, with roughly 26.7 million victims — an estimated over 3.3 million of them being children. Around 30% of missing children are being trafficked in the United States alone. One of the most recent cases involves a two-week child trafficking operation that took place in July of 2023 in Florida. The FBI found 200 sex trafficked victims, with 59 of them being missing children. Over 120 were identified and suspected of child exploitation.

Many police departments and academies train their officers how to spot and help fight the scourge of human trafficking, including right here in Columbia Heights.

“They started off by teaching you about the general laws of missing children,” Farah said. “We went over missing children cases in the U.S. and cases here in Minnesota. We were taught how to request amber alerts and send them out into the public.”

Missing children is one of the most shocking and tragic issues the world faces today. Many of these cases aren’t shown recognition and sometimes may not even be searched for by law enforcement. Advocating for children’s safety can be done in various ways: just one way is to stay informed about child safety issues and spread awareness. Speaking up for these children and informing your community makes a difference too, as together a safer environment for children can be made. For more information regarding this topic, visit missingkids.org.