May 25 is National Missing Children's Day in the US

Today is National Missing Children's Day in the US

Today marks the 28th annual National Missing Children's Day. First proclaimed by President Ronald Reagan and observed by each administration since, National Missing Children’s Day serves as a reminder to the nation about the importance of child safety and remembering children who are still missing.

May 25th marks the anniversary of the day when 6-year-old Etan Patz disappeared from a New York street corner on his way to school. Etan's story captivated the nation. His photo, taken by his father, a professional photographer, appeared in media across the nation and around the world. As a result, Etan became the poster-child for a movement and his photo came to symbolize the anguish and trauma of thousands of searching families.

For three decades, the search for Etan has continued. Just as that day when President Reagan proclaimed the first National Missing Children's Day, Etan is still missing. The widespread attention brought to his case and others eventually led to a nationwide commitment to help locate and recover missing children.

The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) honors this commitment by reminding parents, guardians, and others to make child safety a national priority and encourages them to participate in the Take 25 campaign.