National Missing Children's Day in the United States

National Missing Children's Day is an annual observation in the United States designed to highlight the problem of child abduction. It falls on May 25 - on that date in 1979, six-year-old New Yorker Etan Patz disappeared on his way to school. National Missing Children's Day was first observed in 1983.

Is National Missing Children's Day a Public Holiday?

National Missing Children's Day is not a public holiday. Businesses have normal opening hours.

What Do People Do?

The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children annually holds events on and around National Missing Children's Day to raise awareness of the threat of child abduction, inform families about ways to keep their children safe and support victims' families. The center's initiative “Take 25” encourages parents, guardians and educators to take 25 minutes to talk to children about safety.

Public Life

National Missing Children's Day is a nation-wide observance in the United States but not a public holiday.

Background

National Missing Children's Day was first observed in 1983, following a proclamation by U.S. president Ronald Reagan. In the years 1979 to 1981, a series of child abductions shocked the American public. Etan Patz was six years old when he disappeard on his way to school on May 25, 1979. He was never found and was legally declared dead in 2001. His case received a large amount of media attention and ultimately lead to the formation of the missing children's movement. National Missing Children's Day falls on the anniversary of his disappearance.

While we diligently research and update our holiday dates, some of the information in the table above may be preliminary. If you find an error, please let us know.