AMBER Alert Europe shared 766 endangered missing children in the first quarter of 2016. This number almost doubled compared to last year’s Q1. For 3 children an AMBER Alert was issued, whilst in the first quarter of 2015 4 AMBER Alerts were issued.

Two of the AMBER Alerts that were issued in the first quarter of this year, were issued on the same day in January. The AMBER Alerts were issued for two 14-year old girls from the Czech Republic. Both children have been found. The third AMBER Alert was issued in Greece for a 4-year old boy, who was abducted by his father. He was later found safe and sound as well.

766 missing children

In the first quarter of 2016 AMBER Alert Europe mapped 766 missing children as reported by law enforcement and police mandated organisations from 22 European Union Member States and Switzerland[1]. Facts and figures:

  • Law enforcement provided in 72% of the cases a photo of the missing child
  • Hungary accounts for 47% of all endangered missing children, followed by the UK (19%)
  • 36% of the children went missing in February
  • 57% were girls
  • 78% of the children was recovered within one month

2016_Q1_infographic_AAEU

[1] AMBER Alert Europe maps information on missing children which was made publicly available by official sources from law enforcement or other police mandated organisations from 21 European member states and Switzerland. Please see here for an overview of websites mapped by AMBER Alert Europe. The number of children reported as missing will be considerable higher than those who are given publicity. This is because the vast majority of missing children are found quickly, not every case is suitable for publicity and of those that are publicised, not all are put on a website (often because other means of publicity are more appropriate).