My oldest was a wander. We never new where he was going to be. Luckly our second child could stay in one place.

Similar to Joan’s story , I was in Belgium with my grandsons, ages 9 and 10 , daughter was out dancing, it was a big festival week. I promised to take the kids to our hotel and put them in bed. The crowd was thick as we got on the streetcar I turned around and saw Jimmy standing on the sidewalk. Doors closing. I panicked as we drove off and then pulled the alarm , streetcar came to a screeching halt and a lot of commotion , my face beet red but I retrieved the child and went home with a taxi.

I did not offer to baby sit again during that trip.

Ahead of the family - on a curved unpaved path - we could see the watery mist going skyward as the young family were walking to see Niagara Falls for the first time.  The unseen falls sounded like thunder as we strolled closer.  Our little daughter ran ahead.  We gave it little thought as we also were excited to see what lay in the mist.

At the curve of the path we found, the falls were directly ahead … but long ago - unbeknownst to us - there was little protection at the edge.  As we gazed, all that was between us and the rock drop of the falls was a painted two-pipe "fence".  Already ON the second pipe - like a playground ladder-look — was my daughter swinging her little leg over the top. 

I remember we screamed, we ran toward her as she balanced one leg on each side of the pipe.  The ledge and the edge of Niagara Falls lay directly beyond.  A five-year-old with no fear could pitch at any instant.  The noise of the falls muffled our cries.  The 100-yard dash had to be the world’s fastest for us; years later, we still know that the final seconds could have gone either way.  But we reached her … in time.

Generally, these were innocent times in our world.  We were a family actually all together, a park stroll on a lovely day.  . with no signs of danger ahead.  We have no memories of the beauty of the falls.  Our minds still are frozen on that one moment as Debbie straddled what looked - to a child’s mind - like a playground attraction…  but one perched on a drop that was as close to life-and-death as you would ever dream of.

Some moments in life are as clear today as they were then.  These are the ones freezed-framed in our minds forever.

When my daughter was 5, my fiance and I were living in southern California with my soon to be father-in-law.  He had a nice big house with a pool in the backyard.  We always kept the patio doors locked and told my daughter she was never allowed in the backyard without one of us with her.  She was always such a good listener and rule follower that we never had to worry much.

One day we heard a car peel away from the front of our house and speed down the street.  Our first instinct was to go out and check to make sure everything and everybody was alright.  I started calling for my little girl, but there was no answer and no sight of her.  We all went into panick mode and raced around the house looking…..no sign of her. 

Was she just kidnapped right in front of our house?!  We ran to the backyard almost hoping to find her at the pool, but no, she wasn’t there.  (She had been put in private swimming lessons at the age of 4, so she was a pretty good swimmer)

We searched for what seemed like an hour, but was realistically only about 5 minutes.  I was shaking uncontrollably and crying.  My fiance picked up the phone and was just about to make the call to 911, when my darling little girl popped up behind some rolls of carpet in the garage and yelled, "Boo". 

After being sent to her room, and after I calmed down, I asked her what she was doing and thinking.  Then I told her, "It’s only Hide N Seek if EVERYONE knows your playing!"

On a family vacation we lost my 6 year old nephew in the middle of Disneyworld. We were frantic and us and park security were searching everywhere for him. I was so convinced that some pedophile had grabbed this beautiful blonde-haired, blue-eyed little boy. I’ve never felt so sick to my stomach in my life. I ran all the way to the front entrance to make sure no one was trying to leave with him.

After what seemed like hours (although he was probably only missing a total of 30 minutes) my husband found him standing in line at Space Mountain, which was close to the ride we had gone on when we lost him. We were so relieved! The oddest thing was my Mom, who is definitely not good in a crisis! But she was the calmest one out of all of us. She must have just known that we would find him!

When my oldest daughter (now 20) was 4, she hid in between the clothing rack at a department store.  She had never done that before and when I called for her and she didn’t answer, I thought my heart would stop.  When I said her name the last time, loud and panicked enough to turn heads in the store, she surfaced.  Needless to say she never did that again.  We had a long talk about "stranger danger" and staying next to mommy when out in public.

My younger two children have never had a incident when they were lost from us.  My youngest is now 4 and we have already had "the talk".

Read this earlier today and choked up.  My son was mistakenly put on a bus in Kindergarten when I was at work, normally he went to school daycare after school.  The first time quick thinking and a gracious friend got him off the bus until my husband picked him up.  About a month later, it happen again while I was at work and thankfully my friend was at the bus stop and took him home.  It was the scariest 30 minutes.  

This time I spoke tearfully to the principal and explained that under no circumstances would this happen again and threatened with a lawsuit.  It worked, extra diligence was paid to my son and the rest of the year went fine.   

 For parents of missing children, my hearts and prayers go out to you.  I hope you are blessed with the safe return of your child.    

For everyone who has posted.  You lost your child for a few moments or perhaps a bit longer.  This week, we in Florida, have had a terrible missing child experience.  Somer Renee Thompson, age 6, disappeared walking home from school.  There were bus loads of people who volunteered to search, police and the sheriff’s office were all out looking.  Dogs and horses were brought in as the area around her home was searched and searched again.  An "Amber Alert" went out.  To no avail.  You can imagine the anxiety of her mother.  In the meantime, we kept her in our hearts and in our prayers.  But to no avail.

Yesterday afternoon her body was found in a Georgia landfill.  Thanks to the incredible action of a Florida detective.  As he entered Somer’s neighborhood he noticed the garbage trucks leaving the area.  For some gut reasoning, that he may not know himself, he decided to follow the trucks to their final destination.  He and several other detectives and police officers dug through the trash and found her body. 

It is the terrible ending to a horrific story.  However, the mother, will at least have some closure.  I cannot imagine the sheer horror when your child is missing - and if it goes on for years and you never know.  You never have peace again.   As I said, at least this mother has closure for her beautiful little girl! 

My daughter is 3 and when I know we are going to a well populated place I take her stroller - yes a stroller.  She will walk and have fun but for my own peace of mind - she is in her stroller.  One day at the grocery store - my husband had the shopping cart w/ the daughter, who was then 1, he was turned around looking at steaks - I walked up behind him and pushed the cart down the isle and around another one - came down and was watching him to see how long it would take him to figure out she and the cart were gone - 3 minutes - but the look on his face when he turned around - the meats dropped and he went running through the store - he was reaching for his cell phone, I think to call for back up - when he rounded the corner and saw me standing there arms folded - all he said was "point taken"…now I watch him in the store and when our daughter is in the cart, his hand is always on that cart - even when he is looking at something. 

One day at a local park - it was me and other friends and their kids - the kids were right in front of us - they rounded some bushes and when we did 3 seconds later - my daughter wasnt there - I yelled "where is s***a? and this one man, stranger, yelled - HERE.  They had their dog with them so she ran over to pet the doggie. 

One of my greatest fears is loosing my child - we have a 6 foot privacy fence surrounding our backyard with 2 dogs - one pit bull and one yellow lab - if you come close to the fence - both dogs bark….we have an alarm on the house that chimes and speaks when any door is opened…we have moved the dead bolt locks up to almost the top of the door so my daughter can not climb up and unlock any of the doors to escape.  When she gose outside to play in the backyard - both dogs are there with her & I am sitting on the deck watching if not playing along. 

To those ladies with those stories above - I am so happy you found your children.  I can only imagine the fear and then the joy!  For me that is panic attack waiting to happen.