Louisiana Clearinghouse for Missing and Exploited Children

Each of the 50 states, plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Canada, and the Netherlands, provides resources for missing children, their families, and the professionals who serve them. These resources are referred to as missing-child clearinghouses.

The NCMEC maintains a liaison with each missing-child clearinghouse and helps ensure they are familiar with the many resources available. NCMEC provides missing-child clearinghouses with training, technical assistance, and vital information to assist them in handling missing-child cases.

Missing-child clearinghouses vary in services due to state and territorial mandates and the agencies in which they operate. Their primary areas of focus are networking, information dissemination, training development and delivery, data collection, and providing technical assistance in cases of missing and sexually exploited children. NCMEC and the clearinghouses work together to ensure a comprehensive approach to child protection.

History of the Louisiana Clearinghouse for Missing and Exploited Children

Created in 1985 by the Louisiana Legislature, LACMEC is the central repository of information about missing and exploited children. Parents, guardians, law enforcement, and NCMEC provide details and photos to LACMEC, which are distributed to local law enforcement agencies across the state and nation to aid in recovery.

LACMEC also provides parents and guardians with guidance on their role in helping their children return home, along with information about local and national resources.

What to Do If Your Child Is Missing

Contact your local law enforcement immediately! The first 24 hours are often the most critical for locating a missing child.

• • If missing from home, thoroughly search the house, checking any place a child could hide or fall asleep.
  • If missing from a public location (e.g., shopping center), notify the store manager and security, then call the police.
  • If you believe your child has run away, contact their friends, as they may know your child’s whereabouts, and share this with law enforcement.
  • When speaking with law enforcement, remain as calm as possible. Identify yourself, give your location, and request that an officer be sent to take a report.
  • Provide descriptive details such as name, height, weight, date of birth, clothing, and any identifiers (glasses, braces, piercings).
  • Follow police instructions carefully and answer their questions fully.
  • Request that your child be immediately entered into the NCIC Missing Person File (required by state and federal law).
  • Contact the Louisiana Clearinghouse for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-434-8007.
  • Contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678).