Abduction-cost of not educating children

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Anthony Jennings
  • 96th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  Do your children know what to do if approached by a stranger who tries to lure them to go with him or her? 

That was the main objective of the Child Abduction Safety Briefing hosted at Eglin's Child Development Center, the modular CDC and the Youth Center July 10. The 68th Electronic Warfare Squadron coordinated with the Okaloosa County's Crime Scene Investigation Unit and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to help educate parents on the importance of arming their children with the knowledge of how to avoid becoming a victim of child abduction. 

"I think about the possibilities everyday, it is good to know that there are countermeasures that I can teach my kids so they won't become prey to abduction," said Amanda Van Wagenen, 96th Medical Operations Squadron mental health technician.

More than 800,000 children go missing every year - that is one every 40 seconds. Approximately 300,000 of those are abducted by family members while 50,000 are taken by non-family members. 

"It can happen anywhere and parents should be prepared for, God forbid, the unthinkable," said Officer Steven Marlow, Community Policing Officer for the Ft. Walton County Police Department. 

Staff Sgt. James Archer, 68th EWS, both advocated and spearheaded the event which offered National Child Identification Program kits that included an inkless fingerprint kit, wallet cards, and DNA collection swabs. It also provided brochures and pencils with a 1-800 number to call in the event of abduction. All in an effort to help parents better protect their children. 

"I have three kids myself, and I know that if anything happened to them, my whole world would be turned upside down," said Sergeant Archer. "I felt that by reaching out to parents through this safety briefing, perhaps we could spare some of them the heart ache and pain." 

The event focused on stressing to parents and children to know their surroundings and the people they may encounter in them. 

"It's O.K. to let you kids know the truth about what is out there and the possible consequences of their actions," said Officer Marlow. "The truth may open their eyes."