Three decades ago, on August 18, 1993, a local girl vanished while riding her bicycle along a secluded rural road in Sauquoit, NY. Her abductor, a self-confessed killer, was apprehended after attempting to abduct another young girl in Massachusetts. Tragically, the whereabouts of her remains remain unknown. It is imperative that we unite in our efforts to prevent such heart-wrenching incidents. By fostering awareness and imparting knowledge about the dangers our children face, we can strengthen our community against threats in both the physical world and online.

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In 2024, the overall recovery rate of missing children reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) was 91%. That same year, NCMEC assisted law enforcement with 29,568 cases of missing children and helped bring 91% of them home. NCMEC is primarily funded by the United States Department of Justice and acts as an information clearinghouse and resource for parents, children, law enforcement agencies, schools, and communities, helping locate missing children and raise public awareness about preventing child abduction and child sexual abuse.

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The online threat landscape has also grown dramatically. In 2001, NCMEC received its first report from a tech company. By 2024, they were receiving approximately 70,000 new reports every day, with the majority submitted by tech companies. In 2024 alone (1/1/24 to 12/31/24), the CyberTipline received 20.5 million reports related to 29.2 million incidents of suspected child sexual exploitation. Reports regarding online enticement primarily involved girls (78%) and boys (15%), and in 8% of reports the child’s gender could not be determined.

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It is also important to recognize where many abductions come from. On average, 49% of child abductions are by family members, 27% by acquaintances, and 24% by individuals unknown to the victim. These realities reinforce why prevention, education, and awareness matter so much.

The mission of the Ride for Missing Children Mohawk Valley is to actively engage and enlighten our community about the critical issues of missing children and child exploitation. Through our Ride and various events, we diligently raise funds to provide financial support for missing children’s posters. Beginning in January 2026, we will also fund a full-time educator who will teach students in pre-K through 12th grade about personal safety and internet safety. Additionally, we strive to create a supportive network by bringing together families of missing individuals, fostering emotional support, genuine friendships, and instilling a sense of hope within these communities.