Children’s Authority concerned with missing children

In a release the authority noted children who run away from home are at high risk of being exposed to physical and sexual abuse, as perpetrators have access to them.

An appeal was made to parents to know where their children are and ensure they are supervised by a trusted adult.

The authority also advised parents to set boundaries on where their children are allowed to go, and enforce them, and make sure safety measures are taken for Carnival. Parents should encourage children to check in with them when they are not at home, know their friends, monitor their social media and cell phone activity and observe changes in behaviour which may reveal signs of abuse.

Newsday has published ten reports of children under the age of 18 who have gone missing in the past two months. While some children returned to their homes, others suffered a worse fate.

One of them was Abiela Adams, a 15-year-old footballer who took part in the CONCACAF Under-15 Women’s Championship last year. Less than 12 hours after she was reported missing on February 11, Adams was found dead with her throat slit, on the side of the road in Courland, Tobago.

She was lauded as a footballer with great potential and was set for screening to join the under- 17 team.

Since her death, three people were held and questioned but were released.