Agencies Form Child Abduction Response Team

LANCASTER, Ohio —It can be extremely difficult for a parent to imagine his or her child being abducted, but abductions do happen.

In fact, according to the National Center for Exploited Children, between 125 to 150 children are abducted by predators every year.

Local law-enforcement agencies took steps to keep Central Ohio children safe.

NBC 4’s Tom Brockman reported on WHY IT MATTERS TO YOU.

It’s been nearly a decade since a 3-year-old girl vanished from her Lancaster home.

Her disappearance sparked a massive search effort.

Days later, she was found in a neighbor’s house. She had been abducted.
Local police, sheriffs and emergency officials in Fairfield County came together Tuesday to ensure their future readiness for possible abductions. 

“Now is the time to plan. It’s not during the event,“ Fairfield County Sheriff Dave Phalen said.

Spearheaded by the Pickerington police department, Tuesday marked the first meeting of the county’s Child Abduction Response Team or CART.

“Each county is responsible to have their own CART teams, and it was about time to get it going,“ PPD Commander Ralph Portier said.

CART’s role is simple: To immediately respond following the report of an abduction and assist in search efforts.

“If you hope to get the child back alive, your first two hours are a crucial time,“ PPD Chief Michael Taylor said.

“Agencies are going to be overwhelmed getting this done, and we want to provide as many professionals in multiple disciplines to respond to that agency to assist them as a support—to do whatever they need us to do in any way, shape or form and help them find that child,“ Portier said.

Officials said they hope to create at least two CART teams in Fairfield County.

The faster law enforcement can get on the case, the better the chances the child will be found safe.