A review of statistics provided by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) has found that most abducted children are rarely taken by strangers. Nearly all children whose abductions were reported through AMBER Alert systems from 2006 to 2014 were taken by someone they knew. In 43% of cases occurring in that eight-year span, the abductor was identified as the child's father. The missing child's mother was responsible for kidnapping in approximately 24% of cases reviewed.
“The assumption is, if they're with their father, the child is safe. That's not always the case,” advised Bob Lowery, Vice President for the Missing Children Division of NCMEC. The study found 77% of children featured in AMBER Alerts were taken from a home. Lowery also noted that more abductors are using social media to lure children.