When a case goes cold, our work begins.
Cold cases aren’t closed stories — they’re children still missing.
Our Mission & Purpose
Missing Gems exists to bring renewed attention, resources, and hope to long-term missing children cases — especially those involving children of color and children from Tribal communities.
Our team is ready to leverage 60+ years of law enforcement experience investigating crimes and missing persons to elevate overlooked cases, expand public awareness, and support sustained search efforts.
We work alongside families, advocates, and law enforcement partners when time has passed, leads have gone quiet, and public attention has moved on because every missing child matters, no matter how many years have gone by.
Time passed does not mean forgotten. Not here.
Why this work matters
When a child goes missing, the first days often bring urgent attention. But for many families, the hardest part begins after the headlines fade — when cases grow cold, resources shrink, and visibility declines.
That loss of attention is not evenly distributed.
Missing Gems was created for the cases that lose momentum — the children whose stories grow quiet, the families who are still searching years later, and the investigations that still deserve visibility and community engagement.
Every missing child deserves sustained visibility — not just a brief news cycle
Long-term cases require organized, ongoing effort and public engagement
Awareness and advocacy should not expire with time
Equity matters in who is remembered, covered, and resourced
What we do
Cold Case Visibility
Advocate for increased attention to missing youth cases from marginalized communities, and promote media and public awareness campaigns to ensure these cases are not forgotten.
Family-Centered Advocacy
Provide emotional, legal, and logistical support to families of missing youth, including offering counseling services and connecting them with resources.
Community Mobilization
Build partnerships with schools, religious organizations, local businesses, and other non-profits to provide a community-driven approach to the search for missing youth.
Policy Change Advocacy
Work with legislators and policymakers to ensure that laws and protocols surrounding missing youth investigations are more inclusive and effective.
Sustained Attention
Utilize advanced technology, work with law enforcement, and engage community networks to locate and bring missing youth home.
The search doesn’t end when headlines do.
Every year, tens of thousands of missing children cases are reported and worked across the United States. In 2024, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children assisted law enforcement with 29,568 cases of missing children.
Behind each number is a family living with unanswered questions — especially in long-term cases where public attention has faded but the need for answers has not.
Based on national reporting data from 2019–2023, 31.3% of endangered runaway and missing child reports involved Black children — a disproportionate share relative to population.
Tribal and reservation-connected cases often face distinct reporting and jurisdictional challenges.
29,568
Missing children cases assisted in 2024
31.3%
Endangered runaway reports involved Black children between 2019–2023
