What to do if your child runs away

MARQUETTE — It’s a dreadful feeling for parents when they discover that their child has run away from home.

Marquette County isn’t typically a hotspot for runaway cases, but they do appear from time to time. Parents in this situation find themselves panicked, trying to decide the best first step toward locating their child. Fortunately, it’s as simple as calling 911.

Some believe that police can’t interfere until it has been 48 hours. This is a misconception: officers say it’s best to contact law enforcement immediately.

“In the event of a runaway child, it’s important that we get all the detailed information we can. This includes clothing description, physical descriptions, last known locations, friends,” said Captain of Patrol, Mike Laurila. “All that information is pertinent to us so we can be as detailed and as thorough as we can to help locate that person.”

When a child runs away from home, the incident is investigated by police. If it is discovered that the child left because they felt unsafe at home, officers take measures to protect the child’s well–being.

“We would look at that and determine why the child is afraid to go back home. In the event that is the case, we’ll investigate that as well and determine the best course of action for that child,” Laurila added. “If it is an unsafe environment for the child to return home to, we will take measures to make sure the child is placed in a safe are.”

Laurila added that the objective of these cases is always to return the child safely to their families.