Phoenix Police are asking the public for help locating a missing juvenile, according to a department appeal.
The department shared the appeal in a post on social media, according to Phoenix Police
, asking anyone with information to call 602-262-6151 rather than comment or message the department directly.
Walk Score
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Arizona's Missing-Child Notice Requirements
Under Arizona Senate Bill 1416, signed in June 2026, law enforcement agencies statewide must provide information to appropriate media and post it on official social platforms within 24 hours of receiving a report. Photographs are required only if available, and information may be withheld in specified safety or investigative circumstances, according to KTAR News.
The same law requires police to enter missing juvenile reports into state and national crime databases within two hours and submit identifying information to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children within 24 hours, including a photograph if available and making reasonable efforts to obtain one, per the Arizona Legislature.
Not Every Missing-Child Case Triggers an Amber Alert
Amber Alerts are reserved for confirmed child abductions involving imminent danger of serious bodily injury or death and require detailed suspect or vehicle descriptions, according to the Arizona Department of Public Safety.
Separately, federal law known as Suzanne's Law requires agencies nationwide to enter missing youth under 21 into the FBI's National Crime Information Center database immediately, without any waiting period, per Lincoln Memorial University. The vast majority of missing-child cases end safely: the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children assisted with 29,568 missing-child reports in 2024, with 91 percent of children recovered safely, according to the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.
What Happens When a Runaway Is Found
Phoenix Police missing-person guidelines note that running away is not a crime, and that juveniles entered into the national database system are logged so officers who encounter the minor elsewhere can verify identity and arrange a return to a parent or legal guardian.
Anyone with information about the missing juvenile is urged to call Phoenix Police at 602-262-6151. The post asks people not to use comments or direct messages to report information.
