CHAPTER 1. REPORTS OF MISSING CHILDREN
IC 31-36
ARTICLE 36. JUVENILE LAW: MISSING CHILDREN
IC 31-36-1
Chapter 1. Reports of Missing Children
IC 31-36-1-1
Contents of reports
Sec. 1. A law enforcement agency in which a notification about
a missing child has been made shall prepare a report on the missing
child. That report must include the following:
(1) Information that the law enforcement agency determines is
relevant that is obtained in the course of the notification about
the missing child, including the following:
(A) A physical description of the child.
(B) The date and place of the child's birth.
(C) The name and address of the last school attended by the
child, if any.
(2) Information or evidence gathered by a preliminary
investigation, if one was made.
(3) A statement by the law enforcement officer in charge setting
forth that officer's assessment of the case based upon the
evidence and information received.
As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.19.
IC 31-36-1-2
Time for preparing report
Sec. 2. The law enforcement agency shall prepare the report
required by section 1 of this chapter as soon as practicable, but not
later than five (5) hours after the law enforcement agency received
the notification about a missing child. However, a law enforcement
agency is not required to prepare the report required by section 1 of
this chapter earlier than twenty-four (24) hours after the law
enforcement agency received the notification about a missing child
if:
(1) the law enforcement agency received a previous, unrelated
notification that the child was missing; and
(2) the law enforcement agency has reason to believe that the
child is missing because the child has committed a delinquent
act under IC 31-37-2-2.
As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.19.
IC 31-36-1-3
Agencies that are to receive report
Sec. 3. Upon completion of the report required by section 1 of this
chapter, the law enforcement agency shall immediately forward the
contents of the report to:
(1) all law enforcement agencies that have jurisdiction of the
location in which the missing child lives and all law
enforcement agencies that have jurisdiction of the location in
which the missing child was last seen;
(2) all law enforcement agencies to which the person who
provided notification requests the report be sent, if the law
enforcement agency determines that the request is reasonable in
light of the information contained in the report;
(3) all law enforcement agencies that request a copy of the
report;
(4) the Indiana clearinghouse for information on missing
children and missing endangered adults established by
IC 10-13-5;
(5) the Indiana data and communication system (IDACS); and
(6) the National Crime Information Center's Missing Person
File.
As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.19. Amended by P.L.2-2003, SEC.77;
P.L.43-2009, SEC.21.
IC 31-36-1-4
Child care centers or homes and schools that are to receive report
Sec. 4. Not later than fifteen (15) days after completion of the
report required by section 1 of this chapter, the law enforcement
agency shall forward the contents of the report to the last:
(1) child care center or child care home in which the child was
enrolled; or
(2) school the child attended in Indiana, if any;
if the child is less than thirteen (13) years of age.
As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.19.
IC 31-36-1-5
School record attachments of missing children; procedure upon
request for records
Sec. 5. (a) Upon receiving a report under section 4 of this chapter,
a school shall attach a notice to the child's school records stating that
the child has been reported missing. The school shall remove the
notice when the school is notified under IC 31-36-2-6 that the child
has been found.
(b) If a request for the school records of a missing child is
received, the school shall:
(1) obtain:
(A) the name, address, and telephone number of the person
making the request; and
(B) the reason that the person is requesting the school
records; and
(2) immediately notify the Indiana clearinghouse for
information on missing children and missing endangered adults.
(c) The school may not issue a copy of school records without
authorization from the Indiana clearinghouse for information on
missing children and missing endangered adults and may not inform
the person making the request that a notice that the child has been
reported missing has been attached to the child's records.
As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.19. Amended by P.L.43-2009, SEC.22.