National Missing Children’s Day

Today marks the 29^th Annual National Missing Children’s Day.

Former President Ronald Reagan proclaimed May 25^th as National Missing Children’s Day in honor of the 1979 abduction of six year-old Ethan Patz whom went missing on his way to school in New York.

National Center for Missing and Exploited Children encourages parents to take 25 minutes talk to their children about safety.

Some of the tips that NCMEC offers while you are out and about are to tell your children that it is okay to say no to anything that makes them feel uncomfortable, practice what if situations, and stay away from vehicles whether they are occupied or not.

Summer activities are in full swing and Sauk Rapids Police Chief Perry Beise encourages parents to be mindful of where their children are at all times. “Make sure they call you when they get to where they are going, especially teens,” said Beise.

Beise suggests that children travel in known routes and that parent’s identify what routes are safe to take.

If children are approached by a suspicious person Beise says, “Tell your children that it is okay to move away from them.”

Beise said that the best advice for parents to tell their children if they are approached is to, “Keep fighting and keep kicking.”

Today reminds us of those missing and exploited from Minnesota within the last 29 years.