Michigan Missing Children

A missing child in Michigan is reported to the city or township police, the county sheriff or the Michigan State Police, and the case is coordinated by the State Police, which runs the AMBER Alert plan and the state's missing persons clearinghouse, and by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. There is no waiting period. Michigan law requires the child to be entered into the FBI's national database without delay.

Michigan also uses an Endangered Missing Advisory for children and vulnerable adults whose cases do not meet the AMBER criteria, so a runaway or a child who wandered from home can still be publicized statewide.

Official sources on this page were checked on September 25, 2026.

• Michigan Missing Child SearchOnline Search
• Michigan Center for Missing and Exploited Children
• Michigan Missing Children Information ClearinghouseMissing Children Hotline
• National Center for Missing and Exploited ChildrenNational Center for Missing Children
• Michigan Amber Alert Program
• What To Do If Your Child Is MissingMissing Children Assistance
• Michigan Internet Crimes Against Children Task ForceInternet Safety
• Child Abduction PreventionDepartment of Justice

The Michigan State Police activates an AMBER Alert at the request of the investigating agency when a child under 17 has been abducted, is believed to be in danger of serious bodily harm or death, and there is enough information about the child, the abductor or a vehicle to help the public. The alert reaches radio and television through the Emergency Alert System, phones through the wireless emergency alert system, and the Michigan Department of Transportation highway signs, and it is shared with Ohio, Indiana, Wisconsin and the Ontario Provincial Police when a border crossing is possible. Cases that fall short of the abduction standard get the Endangered Missing Advisory instead, which goes to media and online without the phone alert.

• Michigan State PoliceAMBER Alert and Endangered Missing Advisory activations and the missing persons clearinghouse, checked September 25, 2026
• National Center for Missing and Exploited ChildrenNational case posters, the CyberTipline and the 1-800-THE-LOST hotline, checked September 25, 2026
• AMBER Alert national programFederal AMBER Alert coordination, checked September 25, 2026

The Michigan State Police Missing Persons Coordination Unit is the state clearinghouse. It keeps the statewide file of missing children and adults, posts photos and case details online, coordinates with the National Center and NamUs, and helps local agencies with cases that cross county or state lines. Report the child to the local police, the county sheriff or the nearest State Police post, note the case number, and confirm the entry into the National Crime Information Center before anything else. Then call the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST. Detroit, Grand Rapids and Flint police have their own missing persons units.

• Michigan Police DepartmentsCity and township police departments that take missing child reports
• Michigan County Sheriff DirectorySheriff offices for all 83 counties
• Michigan Most WantedFugitives and outstanding warrants

Michigan's Endangered Missing Advisory also covers seniors and adults with dementia or disabilities, and the state's Blue Alert covers suspects who have injured or killed a law enforcement officer. In Michigan, the case file belongs to the investigating agency. Under Michigan's Freedom of Information Act, the basic incident report is public, while investigative records can be withheld while a case is open, and records involving juveniles carry extra protection. Long term cases can be listed in NamUs, the national missing and unidentified persons database, at the investigating agency's choice, with the public seeing the entries the agency approves.

• NamUsNational database of missing and unidentified persons, checked September 25, 2026
• Michigan Criminal RecordsCriminal history and court records in Michigan

These federal and national sources complement Michigan's state-level records. They are the authoritative sources you should cross-check when Michigan state records are incomplete or out-of-state activity matters.

NCMEC, National Center for Missing & Exploited Children Congressionally authorized national clearinghouse for missing children. NCMEC operates the 24-hour hotline 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678) and the CyberTipline for exploitation reports.

AMBER Alert, U.S. Department of Justice The federally coordinated AMBER Alert network. Each state operates its own plan under DOJ AMBER Alert Program guidance.

NISMART, National Incidence Study OJJDP's periodic survey of missing-child incidence in the United States, the authoritative federal statistical source.