Process Writing, Research Paper

Sudiksha Kochi 

Mrs. Asuncion 

English, Block 3 

3 February 2016   

                                                         The Mystery Behind Missing Children 

I enter this realm beyond reality full of laughing, carefree, young souls as they play games and have a spirit full of hope and innocence. Suddenly, a dark force surrenders their bodies one by one, and all that's left is misery and melancholy relatives that were closely attached to these miniscule children. I watch as their wet tears collide with memory and roll down their cheeks, as each drop is gone, vanished into thin air. A realization struck me that this utopia of peace is just a world full of destruction. Missing children. A topic that is so vague, but powerful and can cast a spell of vengeance and pure distaste in the minds of the good. One should think that spreading an energy of suffering into various young ones can only bring more evil into this world, and that these abductions of children should be put to an end. Putting children at risk is a threat because there are specific reasons for why these kidnappings occur, present organizations that help with the protection of children, and an example of a case that proves the nefarious influence of this peril.  

About 797,500 children go missing yearly. Why would these cruel people want to kidnap these kids? Family members are the main reason the children disappear. When two parents divorce and go their separate ways, one parent wants to get revenge on the other parent that keeps taking their child, so they kidnap them as tools for power, control, and conflict. 23,900 children go missing annually just because their family members abducted them (Bilich 2). The second reason children vanish from their residential area are because 58,200 children are abducted by strangers ("National Center for Missing and Exploited Children" 3) These unknown people want to hurt others for control and want to inflict danger in the child, knowing that the parents would do anything for them just to have their child back. The third reason children vanish from their home is because they want to run away from home, for their parents have either physically abused them or have been forced to leave. One critic in the Los Angeles Times had distinguished that half the children that go missing are runaways (or named as “throwaways”) and two-thirds of the runaway children are kidnapped as soon as they leave the street (Smith paragraph 1). The protection of children is more important than punishing them for a miniscule cause. 

There are organizations today that help with the protection of these kidnapped children such as the NCMEC (National Center for Missing and Exploited Children) and the Polly Klass Foundation that bolster the needs of parents and find up to 1000 kids each day (Sawhill 1). The services they provide are free of charge and value the scope, quality, and inner value of a job well done. In his article entitled "Social Work Research," Wade Jim discusses that such creativity is included in the service they provide to find the child such as tracking them down with complicated devices and noticing the specialty of each family (Jim 32). Over the years, these foundations have created websites and tips on what to do if a child is missing, and valued each genuine youngster as their own. If they are providing you with help, it is one step closer to finding your beloved child. 

Real cases have been reported that are either major or minor, depending on what type of danger the child was in. Amber Alerts, a sudden vibration on a cellphone alarming a person that a child is in danger, was invented because of a child named Amber. According to their website, she was gone missing for a couple of weeks and her dead body was found in Arlington, Texas in 1996 (“Child Find of America” 2). Out of devastation, her parents invented a foundation called Amber Alerts, which have helped more than 200 children so far around the United States. Many serious cases, such as these, involve organizations to collaborate and bring back success in finding the child. Without the help of federal bureau investigation and the encouragement of organizations, Amber wouldn't have been found. 

Resulting in disastrous corruptions, a plethora of youngsters vanish because of the various causes of their disappearance, foundations that bolster the needs and safety of kids, and a real experience that led to genuine results. Many people now can help with family and stranger abductions by opening up campaigns and putting up posters to help support the loss of children. Kids would be at home, and would not have to feel a whirlwind of emotions between fear and anxiety. Back in the realm, a shocking thought came across my mind and someday, I would be able to help these innocent children. I just wish the next time I enter this tornado of departure, it is instead a reverie spreading happiness.