Investigators: Social media major factor in missing teen cases

From the beginning of 2014 until now, the Wilmington Police Department has taken 209 missing person reports for teens alone. Facebook, Kik, ooVoo are just some of the sites teens are using to keep in touch with friends and family and strangers.

Detective Peter Oehl of the Wilmington Police Department says he sees the dangers of social media firsthand.

“Maybe it’s a friend of a friend of a friend but then if you don’t know them perhaps it’s somebody that is using that app to stalk or look for victims,” said Oehl.

Detective Oehl says in most case the teens choose to leave home. He says teens who run away can be victimized.

“They may fall victim to someone who notices that they have run away and picks up on that and takes advantage of the fact that no one knows where they are,” said Oehl.

But it’s not just meeting new people online that can make a teen leave home.  Oehl says in many cases he sees a teen getting upset about not having access to their social media or cell phones that can force them to want to leave.

“They get in a fight with their parents and want to leave so they just leave,” said Oehl.

And while Oehl is encouraging parents to monitor their kids’ social media activity he says teens have to be responsible online as well.

“I think kids need to acknowledge that there are dangers out there and they need to protect themselves,” said Oehl.

According to a study conducted by the Pew Research Center 20% percent of teens post their actual cell phones numbers online.

For more information on missing teens you go to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children website.