This is an analysis of data regarding children with an autism spectrum disorder who were reported missing to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC). The research methodology involved querying the database for children who were reported to have autism or Asperger syndrome as a medical condition, a mental health condition, or a special needs condition1. Although the conditions and circumstances can vary widely, these children will be referred to as ‘children with autism’ for the purposes of this document. This analysis includes data reported to NCMEC between January 1, 2007 and December 31, 2016 In total, there were 952 children with autism reported missing to NCMEC during this ten year period. These 952 children were involved in a total of 1,067 missing incidents.
