Ohio AG Yost releases 2024 Missing Children’s Report
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announced his campaign in January for the Republican nomination for governor in 2026. March 17, 2025 (WSYX)
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX) — Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost released the 2024 Ohio Missing Children Clearinghouse Report, coinciding with National Missing Children’s Day on May 25.
Every missing person is someone to somebody – a child, sibling, loved one or friend.
The report revealed that 21,342 people were reported missing in Ohio last year, a decrease of 1,032 from the previous year. Of these, 16,404 were missing children, 1,001 fewer than in 2023. Encouragingly, 96.5% of the reported missing children — or 15,834 — were recovered safely by year’s end. However, three children were found deceased.
"I am proud of the dedication shown by Ohio law enforcement to keep Ohio’s children safe and commit that my office will continue to do everything in its power to support that mission," Yost said.
The Clearinghouse Report is a result of collaboration between local law enforcement agencies and the National Crime Information Center (NCIC), which is operated by the U.S. Department of Justice. The NCIC maintains a database of missing person and criminal information based on data provided by local law enforcement. When a child goes missing, a report is created and entered into the NCIC database. Once found, the case is updated, and the report is closed.
The 2024 report detailed that Ohio had 8,415 runaway cases involving children who left home without permission, 37 cases of abductions by noncustodial parents, and nine cases of abductions by strangers. Additionally, Ohio issued 13 AMBER Alerts involving 15 children, with 14 recovered safely and one found deceased. There were also 17 Endangered Missing Child Alerts involving 18 children, with 17 recovered safely and one found deceased.
On May 17, families with missing loved ones joined law enforcement officers, advocates, and community members for Ohio’s Missing Persons Day, an awareness event hosted by the Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) at Wright State University. The annual event raises awareness about missing person cases throughout Ohio and offers support to affected families. The BCI’s Missing Persons Unit, part of the bureau’s Criminal Intelligence Unit, provides crucial assistance to families and local law enforcement in locating missing children and adults.
