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<section article="gfl" article_name="Family Law" number="9-402" title_number="9" title_name="Child Custody and Visitation" subtitle_number="4" subtitle_name="Missing Children">
  <level label="a">
    <text>On receipt of a report regarding a missing child by a law enforcement agency, the law enforcement agency shall immediately determine if:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>the missing child has not been the subject of a prior missing persons report;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>the missing child suffers from a mental or physical handicap or illness;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>the disappearance of the missing child is of a suspicious or dangerous nature;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>the person filing the report of a missing child has reason to believe that the missing child may have been abducted;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>the missing child has ever previously been the subject of a child abuse report filed with the State or local law enforcement agency; or</text>
    </level>
    <level label="6">
      <text>the missing child is under 17 years of age.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>Upon conclusion by the law enforcement agency that any one of the conditions specified in subsection (a) of this section exists, the law enforcement agency shall immediately:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>enter all necessary and available information into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) computer networks within 2 hours after receipt of the minimum information necessary to make the entry;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>institute appropriate intensive search procedures, including the coordination of volunteer search teams;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>notify the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>notify the appropriate local department and, to the extent possible, obtain any information that may assist in the locating of the missing child; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>enlist the aid of the Department of State Police, when appropriate, in locating the missing child.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>If the conditions specified in subsection (a) of this section do not exist, the law enforcement agency shall:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>immediately seek to determine the circumstances surrounding the disappearance of the missing child; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>implement the procedures set forth in subsection (b) of this section within 12 hours of the filing of a report regarding a missing child, if the missing child has not been located.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, if a missing child has not been located within 24 hours of the filing of a missing persons report and either the local law enforcement agency or the Department of State Police have reason to believe that the missing child may be located in a jurisdiction other than the jurisdiction where the missing persons report was filed, the Department of State Police shall enter the investigation and, in cooperation with the appropriate local law enforcement agencies, assist State and national efforts to locate the missing child.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <level label="1">
      <text>A law enforcement agency may not establish a mandatory waiting period before beginning an investigation to locate a missing child.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>A law enforcement agency may not adopt rules, regulations, or policies that prohibit or discourage the filing of a report or the taking of any action on a report that a child is a missing child or that a child is believed to be a missing child.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="f">
    <text>Every person filing a report of a missing child shall be required to notify the local law enforcement agency and the Department of State Police immediately upon the locating of the missing child if it is unlikely that the local law enforcement agency or the Department of State Police have knowledge that the missing child has been located.</text>
  </level>
</section>
