Uptick in Missing Female Teens in Arkansas

[bgucci24]

So I have noticed that a lot of teenage females have gone missing in Arkansas this year. 41 total with classifications that are very vague and no other information. I called the local departments and they are still missing. But it just doesn’t make sense since they are all ages 14-17 females, missing locations are near interstates, and all classified as a runaway but the parents don’t think they ran away. I don’t know what is going on but it needs to be looked at.

 

[LibraStarr]

Here's a thread that talks about this. It was last updated June 2021. It's scary. I am from one of the cities listed in the last post and I don't even see many missing persons posts from my local police department. It's seems the majority are deemed runaways and put on the back burner.

June 6, 2021

To date, there are right at 130 Arkansas missing persons threads for teens that are currently missing. (The remaining handful of missing persons threads are Arkansans of various (adult) ages.)
There are about 40 AR cities/towns represented among these 130 missing teens.

Significant Locations
1. Little Rock (AR’s capital, population: 197,958)
•35 missing teens
•Missing dates: (1) 2019, 2020, 2021
•data includes N. Little, Jacksonville (15 miles from LR), & Sherwood (10 miles from LR)

2. Fort Smith (population: 87,743; in AR/OK border, 2nd largest city in AR)
•11 missing teens
•Missing dates: (1) 2019, 2020, 2021

3. Jonesboro (population: 76,036; NE corner of state; close proximity to Memphis TN)
•10 missing teens
•Missing dates: 2020, 2021

4. Springdale (population: 79,598; 4th largest city in AR; ~50 miles from OK border)
•9 missing teens
•Missing dates: 2020, 2021

5. Hot Springs (population: 38,559; 11th largest city in AR)
•8 missing teens
•Missing dates: (1) 2019, 2020, 2021

The locations listed above continue to be places where a significant amount of teens are reported missing from.

*~130 missing AR teens are from the current threads listed in Missing Person Discussion forum here on Websleuths.
*loosely compiled data; currently changes every few days as additional teens are reported missing & some teens are located


My opinion on what factors play a role in why there’s such a significant number of teens missing in AR haven’t changed too much over the past year or so.
I still believe:
1. the large number of children in DHS custody or foster care in AR, in addition to changes in the states foster care program within the past yr or so, play a big role.
2. human trafficking is real and it is happening in AR.
3. 4 primary interstates that run throughout AR unfortunately fuels #2 above
4. Some of these larger cities are in close proximity of bordering states
5. Many students transitioned to remote learning when COVID hit; with that many students found themselves unsupervised, home alone, and time on their hands.
6. AR LE are quite proactive as far as entering missing persons reports into databases like NamUs and AR Never Forgotten MP site (state’s MP database)...in return w/ so many MPs being reported & entered into databases, the # increases.

...

I will say:
although AR is good about getting MP info into databases, there’s a big lack in sharing the info through msm (articles, interviews/videos, live reports, etc) and when a news outlet does publish an article on a missing teen in AR, even the most basic details/info is majorly lacking. IMO.

 

[bgucci24]

Here's a thread that talks about this. It was last updated June 2021. It's scary. I am from one of the cities listed in the last post and I don't even see many missing persons posts from my local police department. It's seems the majority are deemed runaways and put on the back burner.

I am from one of the cities as well. I noticed this recently. And yes they are all deemed as runaways and nothing else. No one ever even look at their social media or phones.

 

[bgucci24]

Here's a thread that talks about this. It was last updated June 2021. It's scary. I am from one of the cities listed in the last post and I don't even see many missing persons posts from my local police department. It's seems the majority are deemed runaways and put on the back burner.

Another one just went missing. Age 15.