Boise police are asking the public to help find 17-year-old Madison Mae McClain, who has been missing since September 10.
Her guardian reported her as a runaway, and police say she left school that day with a backpack of clothing and personal belongings. Two months later, the search is still open. KBOI reported Thursday that investigators have followed leads and checked places she is known to frequent.
Idaho State Police recorded 1,728 missing-person entries in the National Crime Information Center in 2025, down from 2,022 in 2024. The state’s annual report says young people ages 11–15 were the largest age group in those entries, followed by 16- and 17-year-olds. The report also notes that local police and sheriffs handle individual missing-person investigations. Idaho State Police’s 2025 summary puts McClain’s case in statewide context.
Police say they have information suggesting McClain is still in the area, and no indication she has left the Treasure Valley or Idaho. Detectives say she may have recently dyed her hair red. Police identified no specific safety concerns beyond those associated with a missing juvenile, and described the investigation as ongoing.
Idaho’s AMBER Alert is a narrower emergency tool than a public appeal for information. The state plan says law enforcement must know a child was abducted, believe the child faces imminent danger of serious bodily harm or death, and have enough identifying information for an alert to help locate the child. The plan also generally calls for activation within 12 hours of the abduction. A runaway report alone does not meet the abduction criterion. Idaho’s statewide AMBER Alert plan outlines the criteria.
Boise Police policy classifies a person under 18 reported as a runaway as a missing person and directs supervisors to notify a lieutenant when a juvenile has been missing for 15 days or more. The policy also directs officers to obtain a recent photograph of a missing child, when needed, and forward it to Idaho State Police for entry into applicable missing-person networks. These are department-wide procedures, not details disclosed about steps taken in McClain’s case. The department’s missing-person policy sets out those requirements.
Anyone with information about her whereabouts can call Ada County non-emergency dispatch at 208-377-6790 or contact a school resource officer.
