Panama West Amber Alerts: 90% involve adolescents running away

In the province of Panama West, 90% of Amber Alerts are attributed to adolescents running away from home, according to Commissioner Sumilexi Miller, executive director of the Early Activation Office of the National Amber Alert System.

Miller noted that over 70% of these alerts involving adolescents stem from disciplinary, emotional, or unresolved family conflicts. Other causes for disappearances include parental abduction (5%), lost minors (1%), and cases where the whereabouts of children or adolescents are unknown (less than 1%). One notable case involves a single child who has accumulated nine separate Amber Alerts.

The Early Activation Office, which operates under the Ministry of Public Security, is implementing new strategies to address these issues. This includes the establishment of a technical committee involving various institutions, such as the Ministry of Women, to strengthen parental roles and address the complex academic, social, and economic needs of children in these situations.