The Role of the Ohio Attorney General’s Office in Missing Person Incidents Brent Currence Bureau of Criminal Investigation Special Operations Ohio Attorney General’s Office Today’s Discussion • • • • • Scope & Scale Legislation BCI & MPU Overview Case Studies Vision WHO ARE OUR MISSING CHILDREN? • Lost, Injured or Otherwise Missing (Endangered) • Runaway/Thrownaway • Family Abductions • Non-Family Abductions (including stereotypical kidnappings) Who Are Our Missing Adults? • • • • • Disability Involuntary Endangered Catastrophe Lost, Injured or Otherwise Missing Under 21 21 and older All Ages Total 550,424 128,436 678,860 Juvenile 500,892 107 500,999 Endangered 16,548 32,971 49,519 Involuntary 9,611 9,897 19,508 Disability 6,340 23,225 29,565 Catastrophe 183 262 445 Other 16,850 61,974 78,824 Female 294,691 49,967 334,658 Male 255,711 78,461 334,172 Unknown 22 8 30 NCIC Breakdown • 2011- End of the year – – – – 85,158 active missing person records 37,371 missing under 18 9,832 missing between age of 18 & 20 37,995 Missing adults • 678,860 missing persons entered in 2011 – – – – 322,598 used MPC field in NCIC entry 316,743 coded as runaway 9,596 abducted by stranger 384 abducted by parent Unidentified Persons 2011 NCIC files • Total Active Unidentified Persons 01/01/2011 – 7,721 • Total entered during 2011 – Deceased persons- 743 – Catastrophe victims- 36 – Living victims- 251 – Total for 2011- 1,030 • Records cleared- 848 Scope and Scale • Current Ohio Stats – 1066- 703 children/ 363 adults currently are entered missing in Ohio – 18,000 to 20,000/ year children entered into NCIC – Adults???? – 44 found deceased – Over 7,000 active unidentified nationwide Ohio Missing Found Deceased • Of the 44 found deceased, 17 had alert issued – 1 AMBER Alert – 0 Endangered Missing Child Alerts – 7 Endangered Missing Adult Alerts – 9 local media alerts • 35 were adults (24 males, 11 females) • 9 were children (6 males, 3 females) Ohio Missing Found Deceased Causes of Death Adult Males Adult Females Homicide Suicide Weather Accidental Homicide Suicide Weather Accidental 5 11 1 7 6 4 1 0 Ohio Missing Found Deceased Causes of Death Juvenile Males Juvenile Females Homicide Suicide Weather Accidental Homicide Suicide Weather Accidental 1 2 0 3 3 0 0 0 Summary • Suicide is most common cause of death (17) – Most common with adult males • Homicide is 2nd (15) – Most common with adult & Juvenile females • Accidental is 3rd (10) – Most common for juvenile males – Includes drug overdose, hit-skip crashes, other types of car crashes, drowning Understanding The Stats • Missing adult males threatening suicide should require an immediate and thorough investigative response. • Missing adult and teen females with no explanation of disappearance are high risk to being a victim of a homicide. • Infants reported missing is being used by parents to cover up a homicide or accidental death. • Adult males living high risk life style are susceptible to accidental death. Many were under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs. Ohio Missing Person Laws • O.R.C. 2901.30 Missing Child Report – LE shall take report if parent, legal custodian, caregiver or guardian reports a child missing – Shall take prompt action to locate the child – No rule or policy permitted that discourages reporting – Immediate entry of child’s information into NCIC • O.R.C. 2901.42 Missing Adult – Required to have procedure to respond • 18 to 21 years- immediate NCIC entry • Over 21 Red flags present- up to 7 days to enter into NCIC • Over 21 No red flags- up to 30 days to enter into NCIC Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) • Serves as the State’s official crime lab serving the criminal justice community • Also provides expert criminal investigative services to local, state and federal law enforcement agencies upon request • 3 main divisions – Identification Division – Investigations Division – Laboratory Division BCI Investigations Division • • • • • • • Crime Scene Unit Criminal Intelligence Unit Cyber Crimes Unit Special Investigations Unit Missing Persons Unit Technical Operations Unit Crimes Against Children Unit National Perspective • Created with USDOJ request • Every State has a Missing Persons Unit or Clearinghouse – Officially created in 1992 – Many differences is operations and responsibility • Ohio originally focused towards missing children’s issues and stats • Expanded responsibility in 2008 • Involved in many different missing person issues Resources Utilized • Law enforcement – State- BCI, OSHP, CART, other clearinghouses, local task forces – Federal- FBI, ICE, US Marshal’s, US State Dept. • Non-profit – – – – – – NCMEC NamUs Let’s Bring Them home National Runaway Switchboard Team Hope A Child Is Missing Ohio Missing Persons Unit • Assist law enforcement with missing children investigations – Act as intermediary between law enforcement and parents – Phone calls – Post photos ( 2011-98% & 2012- 98.9% clearance rate) & poster system • Receive tips and leads • Locator – – – – Access to all BCI Units and coordination of other resources MySpace/Facebook and other social websites Lexis Nexis/TLO and other public records Coordination of investigations involving other jurisdictions Ohio Missing Persons Unit • Provide guidance and recommendations – Investigative guidance – Legal advice – Resource recommendations • • • • Training Notification system for AMBER Alerts Issues Missing Adult, Endangered Missing Child Alerts Save a life! Overview of Operations Flow • Call for assistance • Obtain information on missing and all involved – Confirm report has been taken, entered into NCIC • Utilize information resources to develop possible locations, suspects, further criminalization • Evaluate needs and provide resource recommendations • Utilize tools to publicize case or issue alerts • Long term cases What Are The Alerts: • All of the alerts are an “additional tool” to use to help locate a missing child or adult “at risk” of serious physical injury or death • All of the alerts utilize the media to help alert the general public of this missing person • The alerts can also use other partners to broadcast the information • Basically is a broadcast “Media Release” sent to all media outlets statewide Basic Understanding of Each Alert • AMBER Alert – This alert is for “abducted” children – It is designed to be issued quickly, because if “bad guy” intends to kill the child, the child is usually killed very quickly after the abduction • Missing Child Alert – Alternative to AMBER Alerts if your case does not meet AMBER criteria, but child is still “at risk” and can be any type of missing child – Not released as quickly as AMBER and does not use all the same resources • Missing Adult Alert – For Elderly (65 yrs. and older) or for any adult with a mental disability – The mental disability must be diagnosed by a medical professional AMBER Alert • Law Enforcement confirms child is under 18 yrs. of age. • Law enforcement believes the abduction poses a credible threat of immediate danger of serious bodily harm or death to the child. • There is sufficient descriptive information about the child, the suspect and/or the circumstances surrounding the abduction to believe that activation of the alert will help locate the child. • A law enforcement agency determines that the child is not a runaway and has not been abducted as a result of a family abduction, unless the investigation determines that the child is in immediate danger of serious bodily harm or death. Endangered Missing Child Alert • Victim under 18 years of age • Missing Child – Runaway, Lost Non-Witnessed / Non-Confirmed Abduction, Child is missing with circumstances unknown • Child’s missing status confirmed by law enforcement and victim is in danger of serious bodily harm or death. • There is enough descriptive information concerning the circumstances, suspect, vehicle, and victim where the public would be able to assist. Endangered Missing Adult Alert • The local investigating law enforcement agency confirms that the individual is missing. • The individual is 65 years of age or older or any adult that has a mental impairment. • The disappearance of the individual poses a credible threat of immediate danger of serious bodily harm or death to the individual. • There is sufficient descriptive information about the individual and the circumstances surrounding the individual's disappearance to indicate that activation of the alert will help locate the individual. Runaway Case Study • 12/28/2012, 15 year old girl reported missing • Circumstances – – – – Missing was having issues with parents Missing spent a lot of time online, few local friends She took her cell phone, but it was turned off Took hard drive out of computer • Agency took report, searched house, interviewed friends and family • Search warrant for Facebook – Suspect 20 yr. old male in Indianapolis Runaway Case Study • Agency receive little cooperation from Indianapolis Metro PD – Served search warrant on 20 yr. old • We were contacted to assist – – – – – – Posted on website and issued alert Created profile of suspects and neighborhood Sent SIU Agent Utilized CIU for phone analysis Created new profile Contacted NCMEC & Indiana Clearinghouse for assistance Runaway Case Study • Information posted on AGO, NCMEC and Indiana websites • Follow up on tips and leads • Interviewed clerk at gas station, cell mapped, review of station video, process station • Indianapolis Metro PD stopped at suspects house 3 times per day • Coordinated meeting with all involved and was going to recommend search teams for State Park • Friend of 20 yr. old called and she was recovered on 1/16/2013 Missing Adult Case Study • 97 Yr. old Edna Clay was reported missing by her daughter on 7/25/12 9:44 p.m. • LAST SEEN: At her residence in Vinton County on July 25, 2012 at 7:30 p.m. • DETAILS: Edna Clay suffers from Dementia and has poor eyesight. She is very physically fit and walks daily. Family believed she was a victim of criminal activity. Edna had $200 on her. • Endangered Missing Adult Alert issued 7/26/13 11:42 a.m. Missing Adult Case Study • 7/25/12 – Searched residence – Had officers conduct search of area – Temperatures were very humid and around 100 degrees • 7/26/12 – Officers, Fire, EMS and Buckeye K-9 conducted ground searches – OSHP had a plane with FLIR overhead – Follow up on tips and leads, SIU investigator sent – We recommended utilizing Search and Rescue Teams Missing Adult Case Study • 7/27/12 – Search and Rescue Teams arrived – Severe weather continued hampering efforts • 7/28/12 – Weather cleared, but very hot and humid – Search efforts continued – She was located alive at 2:54 p.m. – She had fell down a dry creek bed, broke her arm and other injuries. – She was life-flighted to OSU hospital Our Role With Search & Rescue • • • • • • • Partnership Creating committee to oversee Pushing the use of teams Point of contact for calls Training or credentialing of teams Training of law enforcement Helping teams make contacts Search and Rescue Teams Role • Be the search resource to help with locating a lost or missing person – Statewide structure – Call out as individual teams – Participate in CART • Maintain professional standards and training – Essential for in court and trust of law enforcement • Need to est. relationships & trust Resources Ohio Missing Persons Unit  www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov/MissingPersons  www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov/OpenInvestigations National Center for Missing and Exploited Children  www.missingkids.com National Center for Missing Adults/ Let’s Bring Them Home  www.lbth.org Resources The Ohio AMBER Plan  www.ohioamberplan.org Ohio Missing Adult Alerts  www.missingadults.ohio.gov The Charley Project  www.charleyproject.org The Doe Network  www.doenetwork.org National Runaway Switchboard  www.1800runaway.org NAMUS  www.namus.gov For more, Contact me at: information Brent L. Currence, Manager Missing Persons Unit Special Operations Bureau of Criminal Investigation Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine’s Office [email protected] 1-800-325-5604