CLEVELAND, Ohio-In 2023, the Ohio Missing Children Clearinghouse reported a concerning rise in missing children cases, with over 17,400 children reported missing, marking an increase of over 1,900 compared to the previous year.
Despite this surge, a glimmer of hope emerged as over 17,000 missing children were safely located by the end of the year. Tragically, five children were found deceased. The report indicates that a significant portion of the cases, over 9,000 reports, involved children classified as runaways. Northeast Ohio, particularly areas around Cleveland, Akron, and Canton, experienced some of the highest numbers, with over 5,400 missing child reports originating from this region, including nearly 3,000 from Cuyahoga County alone.
https://www.cleveland19.com/2024/05/24/ohio-sees-spike-missing-children-cases-2023/
