May 21, 2003

Lansing - Governor Jennifer M. Granholm has declared May 25, 2003, as "Missing Children’s Day" in Michigan. Missing Children’s Day is a national observance that seeks to raise public awareness of missing children and the need to address this national problem.

"This day reminds Michigan citizens not to forget the children who are still missing and not to give up hope in finding them and reuniting them with their families," stated Governor Jennifer M. Granholm.

The Michigan State Police and the Family Independence Agency (FIA) are encouraging citizens to "Light the Way Home" for missing children this Memorial Day weekend. By leaving your vehicle lights on while you are driving and keeping your porch light on during the nights of May 23 through May 26, you can encourage runaways and missing children to call home.

"Even though leaving your porch and vehicle lights on this holiday weekend may be a small gesture, it becomes a powerful statement when you consider that citizens all across the state will join in this symbolic act," stated Colonel Tadarial J. Sturdivant, director of the Michigan State Police.

As of April 13, 2003, a total of 1,591 missing juveniles were listed in Michigan’s computerized Law Enforcement Information Network (LEIN). In 2001, more than 725,000 missing children were reported to police agencies across the country. Locating and safely returning these children to their homes is a national and international objective.

"The safety of all missing children, whether abducted or runaways, is of critical concern to our agency and the families we serve," said FIA Director Nannette Bowler. "I encourage Michigan’s citizens to visit our web site to help us locate those children who are missing from the state’s child welfare system. The site can be found at www.michigan.gov/fia. Help us locate these missing children."

Former President Ronald Reagan introduced National Missing Children’s Day in 1983 to commemorate the date a six-year old boy from New York disappeared. The child was never found.