A Child Is Missing, Inc. Urges You to Report Abuse, Neglect or Exploitation
How much better served will our most vulnerable citizens, our children, be if we are able to prevent, or at the very least minimize, their exposure to abuse, neglect and exploitation through open channels of communication? Will they then be better equipped to learn, to live and to grow into thriving, productive adults? A Child Is Missing believes so. Our commitment to Public Safety through our Educational Awareness and Prevention Programs and support of Law Enforcement continues; and, we continue to strive to diminish the public’s exposure, especially our children’s exposure, to violence and help ensure their safety in potentially dangerous situations.
Please help keep our children safe. Remember that The Florida Abuse Hotline accepts reports 24 hours a day and 7 days a week of known or suspected child abuse, neglect, or abandonment and reports of known or suspected abuse, neglect, or exploitation of a vulnerable adult. Please use the numbers below to report a child or adult abuse.
If you suspect or know of a child or vulnerable adult in immediate danger, call 911.
Any person who knows, or has reasonable cause to suspect, that a child is abused, abandoned, or neglected by a parent, legal custodian, caregiver, or other person responsible for the child's welfare is a mandatory reporter. § 39.201(1) (a), Florida Statutes.
Any person making a report who is acting in good faith is immune from any liability under this section and shall continue to be entitled to have the confidentiality of their identity maintained. § 39.20(11), Florida Statutes.
How to Report
These toll free numbers are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with counselors waiting to assist you.
Call 1-800-962-2873 (For English, Spanish or Creole)
Call 1-800-453-5145 (For the Deaf)
Phone Options
Press 1 to report suspected abuse, neglect or abandonment of a child
Press 2 to report suspected abuse, neglect or exploitation of the elderly or a vulnerable adult
Press 3 to verify the identity of a child protective investigator who recently visited you
Press 4 for information/referrals to other services in your local area
Be prepared to provide specific descriptions of the incident(s) or the circumstances contributing to the risk of harm, including who was involved, what occurred, when and where it occurred, why it happened, the extent of any injuries sustained, what the victim(s) said happened, and any other pertinent information are very important. Information callers should have ready includes:
Name, date of birth (or approximate age), race, and gender, for all adults and children involved.
Addresses or another means to locate the subjects of the report, including current location.
Information regarding disabilities and/or limitations of the victims (especially for vulnerable adult victims).
Relationship of the alleged perpetrator to the child or adult victim(s).
Other relevant information that would expedite an investigation, such as directions to the victim (especially in rural areas) and potential risks to the investigator, should be given to the Abuse Hotline Counselor.