The 2023 Florida Missing Children’s Day was held on Monday, September 11th, at 10 AM at the Tallahassee Automobile Museum.
The 25th Ceremony
The Florida Missing Children's Day Foundation and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement's (FDLE) Missing Endangered Persons Information Clearinghouse Advisory Board organized the
25th Florida Missing Children's Day (FMCD) ceremony on Monday, September 11, 2023, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., at the Tallahassee Automobile Museum, 6800 Mahan Drive, Tallahassee, FL 32308.
FMCD features a formal ceremony where citizens, law enforcement officers, and K9 trailing teams are recognized for their exemplary efforts when investigating missing persons, rescuing missing children, or preventing abductions and includes a time of remembrance recognizing impacted families of a missing loved one.
Event details: FMCD has traditionally been held at the Tallahassee Capitol Courtyard. Due to Capitol renovations, this year in 2023 and next year in 2024, FMCD is being held at the Tallahassee Automobile Museum. All award winners and missing family activities will take place at the Tallahassee Automobile Museum to include rehearsal, the Florida Associations of School Resource Officers' (FASRO) reception, the Sponsor breakfast, and the formal ceremony. Guests will be able to park at the Tallahassee Automobile Museum.
FDLE wishes to congratulate the 2023 FMCD Award Winners. You may find the FMCD Press Release where the award winners are listed at
https://www.fdle.state.fl.us/News/2023/September/Florida-Missing-Children%E2%80%99s-Day-remembers-those-who or by visiting the Florida Missing Children’s Day Foundation’s website at
www.fmcdf.org.
Florida Statute 683.23, Florida Missing Children’s Day
A Time of Remembrance, Recognition, and Hope.
As proclaimed by Resolution of the Florida Legislature, the "first ever" Florida Missing Children's Day was held on Monday, September 13, 1999. Each year parents, children, law enforcement officers and citizens convene on the steps of the Old Capitol Building in Tallahassee to remember Florida's missing children who are still missing and those who will never come home again. The FDLE Commissioner and Special Agent in Charge of the Missing Endangered Persons Information Clearinghouse are invited as the main speakers.
The objective of this day is to raise awareness of Florida's currently missing children, to educate the public on child safety and abduction prevention, and to recognize those individuals who have made outstanding contributions in the missing children issue.
There are two main components associated with Florida Missing Children’s Day: 1) a formal ceremony in remembrance of Florida's past and present missing children and in recognition of those citizens and law enforcement officers who have gone above and beyond in missing children investigations; and 2) a child identification/safety fair in which children will be fingerprinted, photographed and provided with child safety materials for both themselves and their parents. Due to limited space at the Capitol, the safety fairs are attended around the state where the public may ask questions regarding child safety.
The second Monday in September of each year has been designated as "Florida Missing Children's Day" by the Florida Legislature.
For exact dates and other questions, please contact FMCD@fdle.state.fl.us.