Kate McCann has had extensive media coverage this week following the publication of her book to mark the 8th birthday of her lovely daughter Madeleine, who was cruelly snatched from her holiday apartment in Portugal four years ago. She talks of her regrets and how she wanted to die. The story was the front page splash in the Sunday Times at the weekend, as well as a lead feature in their Review supplement, and the story has made headlines in other papers too, but I wonder why aren’t they campaigning for the UK to use modern technology to alert the public about missing children in the same way that America is.

As a result of Madeleine’s heartbreaking disappearance, I started highlighting stories about other missing people too, and they remain among some of the most read stories on my blog, sometimes attracting calls from the national media and TV who want to feature them.

My heart goes out to all families of missing people who suffer terrible pain at an inexplicable loss, and certainly for Kate and Gerry McCann. I was reminded of another missing person story recently. Just imagine this, your 16-year-old son pops out to the shop on an errand  – and never returns home. That’s what happened to Kevin Hicks 25 years ago, and he would now be 41. Even after all this time, he is still remembered by his old school friends. One of them posted a touching comment on my post about him a few days ago saying:

Hi I went to school both Kevin & his sister Alex.

I also lived in Addiscombe and used the Circle K shop that Kevin’s bike was left outside.

I just wanted to let Alex know that we still think of her and Kevin and hope & pray that one day they can be reunited.

I have a family of my own now and can’t imagine the heart ache they must have all been through.

Always thinking of you.

Sean

I am baffled why police do not use modern technology to develop rapid response message alerts about missing people which they actively use in America. One example is the way in which enforcement officers in Hunterdon, New Jersey alert residents about missing children, as well as older, vulnerable people who vanish, by leaving phone messages. This is how it works:

The Hunterdon County Prosecutor’s Office, State Police, and county and local law enforcement agencies in Hunterdon have formalized an agreement with the national Child Is Missing Alert Program.

It provides law enforcement with another high-tech tool for investigators to utilize when searching locally for missing children, missing elderly (often with Alzheimer’s), and missing persons who may be mentally or physically challenged or disabled.

Effective immediately, upon receiving missing persons calls, the Prosecutor’s Office, and other participating Hunterdon law enforcement agencies will make notification to the Child Is Missing Alert Program headquarters. The calls, answered around the clock, are handled by an information and mapping technician, who initiates a rapid process of information gathering and use of sophisticated mapping systems.

The program then launches thousands of “reverse 9-1-1” calls to the area where the missing person is believed to be. Within minutes, an alert message detailing the missing person’s description, last known whereabouts, and other pertinent information is sent to every phone in the area. Telephone numbers that are called include listed numbers in the selected area, but do not include cell phone numbers and unlisted numbers.”

And in North Carolina, petrol stations are going to broadcast AMBER alerts about missing children on large video screens for passing motorists. There are many similar systems to alert the public across America. Those first hours when a person is missing are the most crucial, a rapid response and getting the alert out asap is vital. Why can’t we do something similar in the UK instead of axing support?

There are so many ways we could embrace modern technology to alert the public if a child has been snatched.  Wouldn’t this make a poignant birthday present for Madeleine; in fact, it could be called the Madeleine Alert, and that way her name will live on for ever, and perhaps help save the life of another abducted child …..

In memory of those who are still missing.

UPDATES: More heartbreaking updates on missing people. Five people have been arrested on suspicion of murdering 16-year-old Damien Nettles who vanished on the Isle of Wight 15 years ago. And police in Ipswich are following new leads following the disappearance of Luke Durbin, 19, five years ago. The nightmare never ends for the grieving families of missing people. It’s incredible that both these announcements have been made at the same time as both mothers have got to know each other through their similar losses and organised a march for missing people in London which I attended a couple of years ago.