What to do if your kid is missing

POLOKWANE – However, it is also parents’ responsibility to make sure their children are well taken care of, especially after school, and that arrangements are made for the children to be collected after school to avoid false alarms when children are taken by friends’ parents for safety reasons.
This follows several incidents where children are reported missing, when in fact, they are in the care of someone known to the parents.
This leads to parents panicking because they can’t find their kids and reporting them missing.
Review spoke to the Westenburg Police Spokesperson, Const Maphure Manamela, who said there is no specific waiting period before someone can be reported missing.

There is no specific waiting period before someone can be reported missing

“When you are satisfied that indeed your child might be missing, you may file a report at your nearest police station,” she explained.
Manamela added that if a child was last seen at school then it would be wise for parents to retrace their steps and begin their search at the school and then take it further by asking friends, family and fellow parents whether they have seen or heard from your child.
When filing a missing persons report, it is important to have the following information with you and readily available – Age, ‘last seen’ time, a recent photo, what the child was wearing, full information about the child and any additional information regarding health concerns among others.
She added parents should educate their children about the dangers of talking to or leaving with strangers and teach them to be vigilant.
“Learners who wait outside the school for transport should avoid taking things from strangers or walking with them.
They should also be careful of people who might use them to sell drugs and their parents should make them aware of ‘stranger danger’,” Manamela concluded.
raeesak@nmgroup.co.za