Ohio has witnessed an alarming spike in missing children cases this year, with over 1,000 children reported missing. This surge has sparked concerns among officials, parents, and community leaders. While many of these minors have safely returned home, the rising number of reports has raised questions.
Studies show that around 2,300 minors go missing every day in the U.S. In September alone, the Cleveland-Akron area reported more than 45 missing children. Sources also revealed that in August, 35 cases were reported.
Newburgh Heights Police Chief John Majoy, who also serves as the president of Cleveland Missing, an organization dedicated to locating missing children, expressed concerns about the increasing number of missing children. He suggests some may have fallen victim to human trafficking or gang involvement.
Operation We Will Find You in Northern Ohio resulted in 35 missing children being located over a roughly two-month period. @USMSCleveland #WWFY: https://t.co/Oc2XuM6gWg pic.twitter.com/wDLg4ziUMg
— U.S. Marshals Service (@USMarshalsHQ) May 26, 2023
Majoy said, “In 2023, for some reason, we’ve seen a lot more than we normally see, which is troubling in part because we don’t know what’s going on with some of these kids — whether they’re being trafficked or whether they’re involved in gang activity or drugs.”
While many recently reported missing children have been found safe, some remain unaccounted for. Keshaun Williams, a 15-year-old, has been missing for over 90 days. Volunteers from Cleveland Missing have been consistent in their search efforts where Williams was last seen.
Several teenagers, including Camryn Golias (17), Teonnah Thompkins (17), Maurice Hamrick (14), Honesty Howell (16), Elijah Hill (16), and Gideon Hefner (14), were reported missing within days of each other and have not been located for a week or longer.
Chief Majoy emphasized the need for public involvement. He said, “There’s just not enough police officers in the streets to do this as law enforcement. The public is our greatest asset. We can’t do this without the public.”
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost highlighted the challenges of dealing with inconsistent and unreliable data on missing minors. He cited the delay in updates by Cleveland police. Yost underscored the state government’s reliance on local partners for such data.
Yost stated, “I am fearful of all kinds of things that fall through the cracks that include missing children. He added, “I rely on the tenacity of a worried parent more than I do a harried bureaucrat whose job it is to put data into a computer.”
Comparative data from last year revealed a stark difference between Ohio and states with similar populations, like Michigan and North Carolina. In 2022, Ohio reported 1,455 missing children, Michigan recorded 425 cases and North Carolina reported 470 missing minors.
Breana Brown, a mother of four, has created an organization to increase support and awareness for missing children. “We have so many missing children; we want to prevent this from happening, so we need to buckle down,” she emphasized. “This is not a matter we should take lightly, not at all.”
With such an unprecedented surge in missing children cases, Ohio is grappling with a complex and deeply concerning issue. While some children have found their way back home, others remain missing. Their safety and well-being are a matter of top concern.
The efforts of law enforcement agencies, dedicated organizations like Cleveland Missing, and concerned citizens are vital to the solution. Ohio must remain steadfast in its commitment to prevent and resolve these distressing disappearances, ensuring the safety and future of its missing children.
