Teen runaways - how we find them
the system has failed them
At Search Investigations, finding teen runaways isn’t just part of the job, it’s a personal mission. Too often, these vulnerable youth are dismissed, criminalized, or forgotten by the very systems designed to protect them. Law enforcement agencies and Child Protective Services (CPS) are routinely failing runaway teens, particularly those in foster care, group homes, or juvenile justice custody. I’ve seen it firsthand, and I’ve worked tirelessly to bring them home when others wouldn't even look.
Teen Runaways Are Not Adults. So Why Are We Treating Them Like They Are?
A 14- or 16-year-old doesn’t have the life experience, legal autonomy, or emotional capacity to survive alone in the world. Yet in most U.S. states, once a juvenile is classified as a “habitual runaway,” they’re often deprioritized or completely ignored by law enforcement. These minors are considered "voluntary missing," even though they legally cannot consent to living independently, signing a lease, holding long-term employment, or making adult decisions.
In many jurisdictions, law enforcement may refuse to even take a missing person report after the first incident, or they may delay NCIC entry and search efforts because the child is “known to run.” This bureaucratic label becomes a death sentence in some cases, and a gateway to exploitation in others.
Runaways in CPS or Foster Care: A Pipeline to Trafficking
One of the most egregious failures involves teens in state custody. Youth who run away from foster homes, CPS placements, or juvenile facilities often become invisible. They’re considered administrative burdens or internal compliance problems, not children in crisis. In Tennessee, for example, if a foster youth is missing for more than 90 days, DCS simply resubmits paperwork every 90 days and continues the cycle until the child is located or released from supervision
The results are devastating. These teens become prime targets for trafficking, survival sex, gang recruitment, and drug abuse. In many states, including California and Tennessee, police departments will not issue AMBER alerts or priority search protocols for runaways unless the case involves confirmed abduction, injury, or a specific “at-risk” designation
Meanwhile, in real life, the risk is always high: sleeping on the streets, relying on dangerous adults for shelter, or being exploited within hours of leaving home.
Why Law Enforcement Doesn’t Search for Habitual Runaways
Standard operating procedures from major departments make the problem painfully clear. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department defines a "runaway" as a child who has a pattern of disappearing on their own volition—and places them under the “non-critical” category unless explicitly labeled "at risk"
This allows agencies to delay or deprioritize active search efforts.
The Nashville Metro Police Department's SOPs show that youth ages 13–17 without “unusual circumstances” are not automatically assigned a youth services investigator—those cases are simply forwarded to records
In both counties, runaways are not considered missing under “endangered” or “involuntary” classifications unless additional danger is proven.
In the Tennessee DCS protocol, if a child is missing over 24 hours, workers may request a court petition—but the child may also be criminally charged as a status offender, further punishing them for being in danger
This approach criminalizes trauma, institutionalizes indifference, and ignores the clear fact that running away is often a survival mechanism for youth facing abuse, neglect, or hopelessness.
What We Do Differently at Search Investigations
When everyone else gives up, we search harder.
At Search Investigations, we’ve reunited many families with missing teen runaways—often after law enforcement stopped looking or refused to take the case seriously. We partner directly with families and legal guardians to locate missing youth, whether it’s been two days or two years. We deploy real-world strategies, including:
Social media geolocation and digital forensics
Law enforcement collaboration
Interviews with known associates and foster placements
Collaboration with shelters, schools, and probation officers
Engagement with trafficking survivor networks and community outreach
We don’t treat these teens as criminals, we treat them as kids who need protection and a voice.
Many of the teens we’ve found were actively being exploited. Some were in dangerous environments with no way out. In many cases, just showing up, being persistent, and showing that someone cares enough to look is what made all the difference.
Why Public Systems Need to Do Better
States and agencies should be hiring specialized private investigators, like us, to step in when they don’t have the bandwidth or expertise to find a child. Instead, they lean on excuses: lack of funding, “limited resources,” or blaming the youth themselves. That’s not acceptable.
These teens are some of the most at-risk individuals in our society. They are still developing, still vulnerable, and still legally, and morally, entitled to protection. Turning a blind eye isn’t just lazy; it’s dangerous.
If You’re a Parent or Guardian of a Missing Teen, Here’s What You Can Do
Demand that a missing person report be taken even if your teen has run before. Document your efforts.
Insist on NCIC entry within one hour. It’s required by federal law.
File a report with NCMEC. They can issue flyers and help amplify your case.
Contact a private investigator with real experience in runaway and trafficking cases. Not all PIs know how to find missing kids. We only work missing person/runaway cases.
Don’t wait. Time matters. Every hour increases the risk of harm.
We’re Here to Help. Always.
At Search Investigations, this isn’t just work, it’s advocacy. Every child matters, even if the system has written them off. If your child has run away, or if CPS or law enforcement won’t help you, contact us. We believe no child is ever “too far gone” to be found. You can call us at 877-619-9890 or through our contact page.
