MissingKids.org
Copyright © 2004-2020 National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. All rights reserved.
FIRST RESPONDER
Activate body camera or vehicle mounted
camera, if circumstances and policy allow.
Interview parent(s)/guardian(s)/person
who made the initial report.
Confirm the child is in fact missing.
Identify the circumstances of the missing episode.
Determine when, where, and by whom
the missing child was last seen.
Interview the individuals who last
had contact with the child.
Identify the child’s zone of safety for his or
her age and developmental stage. Determine
if the case involves a child with special
needs. If so, see Investigative Checklist for
Law Enforcement When Responding to
Missing Children With Special Needs.
Make an initial assessment, based on
the available information, of the type of
incident whether nonfamily abduction; family
abduction; runaway; or lost, injured, otherwise
missing, or a child with special needs.
Children on the autism spectrum are at high risk.
Immediately call for additional responders, search
nearby bodies of water, and notify a supervisor.
Obtain a detailed description of the missing
child, abductor, and any vehicles used.
Secure recent photos/videos of
the missing child/abductor.
Evaluate whether the circumstances meet
AMBER Alert criteria and/or other immediate
community notification protocol if not already
activated. Discuss plan activation with supervisor.
Advise the left-behind parent, in suspected
family abduction, to call NCMEC and if
any chance the child may be taken outside
the United States, the parent should also
contact the U.S. Department of State’s Office
of Children’s Issues to report a potential
kidnapping. Do not presume the child is safe.
Determine the need for external, rapid
deployment support, such as:
{
FBI’s Child Abduction Rapid
Deployment (CARD) team
{
Local or regional Child Abduction
Response Teams (CARTs)
{
NCMEC’s Team Adam
Relay detailed descriptive information to
communications unit for broadcast updates.
Determine need for additional personnel
including investigative and supervisory staff.
Brief and update all additional
responding personnel.
Obtain and note consent to search home
or building where incident took place even
if the premises have been previously
searched by family members or others.
Conduct an immediate, thorough search of
the missing child’s home even if the child was
reported missing from a different location.
Inquire if the child has access to the internet
and evaluate its potential role. Do not
overlook activity on social media accounts
or other online apps and platforms.
INVESTIGATIVE CHECKLIST
FOR FIRST RESPONDERS
This checklist is meant to provide a framework of recommended actions,
considerations, and activities to perform competent, productive, and
thorough missing/abducted children investigations with the goal of
better assisting families, victims, and the community.
INVESTIGATIVE CHECKLIST FOR FIRST RESPONDERS 2
MissingKids.org
Copyright © 2004-2020 National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. All rights reserved.
Seal/protect scene and area of the child’s
home, including the child’s personal articles
such as hairbrush, diary, photos, and items
with the child’s fingerprints/footprints/
teeth impressions. Determine if any of the
child’s personal items are missing. If possible,
photograph/take videos of these areas.
Evaluate the contents and appearance
of the child’s room/residence.
Ascertain if the child has a cellphone or other
electronic communication device and obtain
the most recent records of their use.
Extend search to surrounding areas and
vehicles, including those abandoned, and other
places of concealment such as abandoned
appliances, pools, wells, sheds, or other areas
considered to be “attractive nuisances.”
Treat areas of interest as potential crime
scenes including all areas where the child
may have been or was going to be located.
Determine if surveillance or security
cameras in the vicinity may have
captured relevant information.
Review sex offender registries to determine if
registered individuals live/work in the area or
might otherwise be associated with the case. Call
NCMEC at 1-800-THE-LOST
®
(1-800-843-5678)
to request assistance with this step.
Interview other family members, friends/
associates of the child, and friends
of the family to determine:
{
when each last saw the child.
{
what they think happened to the child.
{
if the child had complained about
being approached by anyone.
{
child’s social networking
accounts and usernames.
{
if the child utilizes chat apps
on their cellphone.
{
if the child has mentioned meeting anyone
online.
Ensure information regarding the missing
child is entered into the National Crime
Information Center’s (NCIC) Missing Person
File no more than two hours after receipt
of the report and any information about a
suspected abductor is entered into the NCIC
Wanted Person File. Ensure the entry includes
a Child Abduction (CA) flag if appropriate.
Prepare missing child poster/flier with the child/
abductor’s photo and descriptive information.
Distribute in appropriate geographic regions. Call
NCMEC at 1-800-THE-LOST
®
(1-800-843-5678)
for assistance with this step.
Prepare reports/make all required notifications.
Identify and separately interview everyone at the scene. Make sure their interview and identifying
information is properly recorded. To aid in this process, if possible, take pictures or record video
images of everyone present. Vehicle mounted or body cameras may be helpful with this task.
{
Note name, address, home/business
phone numbers of each person.
{
Determine each person’s relationship
to the missing child.
{
Note information each person
may have about the circumstances
surrounding the missing episode.
{
Determine when/where each
person last saw the child.
{
Ask each one, “What do you think
happened to the child?”
{
Obtain names/addresses/phone numbers
of the child’s friends/associates and other
relatives and friends of the family.
{
Determine if any suspicious activity
or people were seen in the area.
{
Determine if any people were seen who
seemed unusual, strange, or out-of-place.
{
Continue to keep communications unit
apprised of all appropriate developing
information for broadcast updates.
INVESTIGATIVE CHECKLIST FOR FIRST RESPONDERS 3
MissingKids.org
Copyright © 2004-2020 National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. All rights reserved.
SUPERVISORY OFFICER
Obtain briefing and written reports from
the first responding officer and other
personnel at the scene. Call and report the
case to the National Center for Missing
& Exploited Children (NCMEC).
Decide if circumstances meet the protocol in
place for activation of an AMBER Alert and/
or other immediate community notification
systems, if not already activated.
Determine if additional personnel are
needed to assist in the investigation.
Establish a command post away
from the child’s residence.
Review responding officer recommendations
for additional resources. Consider
further support from:
{
State/Territorial Police
{
Missing Child Clearinghouse
{
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
{
Specialized Units
{
Victim-Witness Services
{
United States Marshals Service (USMS)
Confirm all the required resources,
equipment, and assistance necessary to
conduct an efficient investigation have been
requested and expedite their availability.
Ensure coordination/cooperation among
all law enforcement personnel involved
in the investigation and search effort.
Verify all required notifications are made.
Ensure all agency policies and
procedures are in compliance.
Be available to make any decisions or
determinations as they develop.
Use media including print, radio, television,
and the internet/social media to assist in the
search throughout the duration of the case.
Collaborate with your agency’s
communications team (PIO/PAO) to
disseminate information appropriately to
the public. Designate a representative
to coordinate public communications
if your agency does not have one.
INVESTIGATIVE CHECKLIST FOR FIRST RESPONDERS 4
MissingKids.org
Copyright © 2004-2020 National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. All rights reserved.
INVESTIGATIVE OFFICER
Obtain briefing from the first responding
officer and other on-scene personnel.
Verify the accuracy of all descriptive
information and other details developed
during the preliminary investigation.
Initiate a neighborhood canvass using
a standardized questionnaire.
Obtain a brief, recent history of family dynamics.
Determine if social services or child
protective services have been or are
currently involved with the family.
Correct and investigate the reasons
for conflicting information offered by
witnesses and other individuals.
Provide relevant items and materials secured
from the scene(s) to specialized units and external
support agencies as need to aid in searches.
Review and evaluate all available
information and evidence collected.
Secure the child’s latest medical and dental
records and items suitable for DNA collection.
Contact landfill management and request
they delay or at least segregate garbage and
dumping containers from key investigative
areas in cases where it is suspected there may
be imminent danger to the missing child.
Develop and execute an investigative plan.
Conduct a criminal history background
check on all principal suspects, witnesses,
and participants in the investigation.
Determine what additional resources and
specialized services are required.
Ensure details of the case have been reported to
NCMEC. If the child is missing from placement,
NCMEC is to be notified within 24 hours. The
investigating agency, child welfare agency, and
NCMEC are to maintain close liaison for the
exchange of information and technical assistance.
Prepare and update bulletins for
local law enforcement agencies,
missing child clearinghouse, FBI, and
other appropriate agencies.
Establish a phone hotline for receipt of
tips and leads. Consider establishing
an email address and other methods of
electronically receiving leads as well.
Establish a leads management system to
prioritize leads and help ensure each one
is reviewed and followed-up. Request
support with this from NCMEC if needed.
This checklist is adapted from and to be used as a supplement to Missing and Abducted Children: A Law-Enforcement Guide to Case Investigation and Program
Management. That guide contains additional recommended checklists and materials and may be downloaded free of charge at MissingKids.org/ourwork/
publications. To request a free copy or assistance for specific cases, call NCMEC at 1-800-THE-LOST
®
(1-800-843-5678). This project was supported by Grant No.
2019-MU-MU-K012 awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. This document
is provided for informational purposes only in support of NCMEC’s mission to serve as a resource center for law enforcement, families, and the public to help
find missing children, reduce child sexual exploitation, and prevent child victimization and does not constitute legal advice or professional opinion about specific
facts. Information provided in this document may not remain current or accurate, so recipients should use this document only as a starting point for their own
independent research and analysis. If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional should be sought. The opinions,
findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the Department of
Justice. Copyright © 2004-2020 National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. All rights reserved. National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
®
and are
registered trademarks of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. The AMBER Alert logo is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Justice.
NCMEC Order #88.
