Virginia State Police say they are not investigating mass child abductions after viral social media claims
RICHMOND, VA - Virginia State Police are pushing back against a wave of social media posts claiming there has been a spike in mass child abductions across the Commonwealth, saying there is no evidence to support those claims.
What we know:
Officials confirm the agency is not investigating any reports of mass abductions in Virginia. Instead, they say many of the posts misinterpret publicly available data from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).
Virginia’s Missing Children Clearinghouse (MCC), operated by state police, is responsible for receiving reports of missing persons under the age of 21 from local law enforcement. Under state law, agencies have two hours to report a missing child to the MCC. State police then forward every case to NCMEC for centralized posting on its website. Officials say this proactive approach makes Virginia appear to have more missing child cases compared to other states, many of which only post cases to their own websites.
How Alerts Are Issued
Virginia State Police manage two statewide alert systems for missing children: the Critical Missing Child Alert (CODI) and the AMBER Alert.
CODI Alerts are issued when a child is missing under suspicious circumstances or believed to be endangered, and enough descriptive information exists to enlist the public’s help.
AMBER Alerts require verified evidence of an abduction, imminent danger of serious harm or death, and details that can be shared to help locate the child, suspect, or suspect’s vehicle.
If a case doesn’t meet these criteria, neither alert system will be activated, though the investigation continues at the local level.
By the numbers:
From Jan. 1 to Aug. 13, 2025, the MCC received 3,274 reports of missing children. As of Wednesday morning, 141 cases, about 4%, remained active.
In the past week alone (Aug. 3–9), 88 children were reported missing.
This year’s weekly average is 98 reports.
Virginia has issued 25 CODI Alerts in 2025, all resulting in children being found.
Two AMBER Alerts have been issued this year, both resolved.
State police say most missing child cases in Virginia involve runaways who return home shortly after being reported missing.
Safety Reminders for Parents and Guardians
Authorities are urging parents to talk with their children about personal safety. Recommendations include:
Practice dialing 911 from both cell phones and landlines (with batteries removed or unplugged).
Teach children never to accept rides from strangers or go anywhere alone with someone they don’t know.
Encourage children to tell a trusted adult if someone asks them to keep secrets.
Never leave a child unattended in a vehicle, even for a short time.
Anyone with information about a missing child in Virginia is encouraged to contact the Virginia State Police Missing Children Clearinghouse at (804) 674-2000 or email VAMissing@vsp.virginia.gov. A full list of active missing child cases in Virginia can be found on the NCMEC website.