General Motors' OnStar Subsidiary Observes National Missing Children's Day OnStar encourages subscribers to join efforts in bringing missing children home TROY, Mich., May 24 /PRNewswire/ -- General Motors' subsidiary OnStar is collaborating with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) in observing May 25 as National Missing Children's Day. This day serves as a reminder to make child protection a top priority and acknowledges the tireless efforts of those committed to bringing missing children home. The observance is also a reminder to OnStar subscribers that they can help in this effort. The OnStar-NCMEC collaboration enables OnStar subscribers to help bring missing children home safely. Subscribers may press the red OnStar emergency button in their vehicle to report information regarding an AMBER Alert or a lost child. The subscriber will be connected with an OnStar emergency services advisor who will expedite the call to a 911 dispatcher. OnStar's 2.5 million subscribers create the nation's largest and most technologically advanced fleet of good Samaritans. Each month, OnStar receives about 3,000 good Samaritan calls ranging from medical emergencies to crashes involving other motorists. These good Samaritan calls by subscribers can also include information related to AMBER Alerts and missing children. "It is important to keep in mind that just one lead can result in finding a child," said OnStar President Chet Huber. "The ability to quickly share critical information with public safety officials can be the difference between a child found and a tragedy. Our goal is simply to assist whenever possible, and with the help of our subscribers, in bringing another child home safely." National Missing Children's Day was established in honor of six-year-old Etan Patz, who disappeared on May 25, 1979, while on the way to school in New York City. Patz's disappearance attracted widespread attention, but the case remains unsolved. In 1983, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed May 25 National Missing Children's Day as a day of remembrance for Patz. Parents should keep a recent high-quality photograph of their children for use in case of an emergency. It serves as a reminder for everyone to pay close attention to pictures posted of missing children. According to NCMEC, one in six children have been recovered as a direct result of someone recognizing a child in the NCMEC photo-distribution program and contacting authorities. More information on AMBER Alerts can be found on the Office of Justice Programs' home page, http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ . The site also features up-to-date information and publications about keeping children safe and preventing abductions, a list of state AMBER Alert contacts, resources for making AMBER programs work effectively and training opportunities. Nearly 800,000 children are reported missing each year, for a variety of reasons: some children run away, others may become lost or injured, and still others are abducted, according to the Office of Justice Programs. Most child abductions -- more than 200,000 annually -- are committed by family members, who are seeking to interfere with a parent's custodial rights. Of the non- family abductions, totaling 58,200 annually in the United States, nearly all (98%) of these children are returned to their families safely. Only a small percentage are those every parent most dreads: those considered "stereotypical kidnappings," in which the child is kept overnight, held for ransom, or killed. However, in these cases in particular, the first few hours after the abduction are critical. The best way to keep children safe is to be proactive and talk openly with them about personal safety issues. Here are some tips for parents while talking with children: -- Make sure your children understand they should never go anywhere or accept anything without checking with a parent or trusted adult first. -- Let your children know it is okay to say "no" if they are touched or treated in a way that makes them feel uncomfortable or scared. -- Monitor your children's Internet use. Set guidelines for when they can be online, length of time spent online, and areas suitable for them to visit. -- People unknown to the child are not the only source of danger. More often it is someone the child knows. The OnStar-NCMEC collaboration marks the first time an in-vehicle safety communications system using Global Positioning System satellite network and wireless technologies, and private citizens have teamed up to help NCMEC locate missing children. As OnStar observes National Missing Children's Day it encourages all subscribers to use the OnStar system if they have information that might help bring a missing child home safely. OnStar, available on more than 50 models from General Motors and select models from six other auto manufacturers, is the nation's leading provider of in-vehicle safety, security and communication services. OnStar services include automatic notification of air bag deployment, stolen vehicle location assistance, emergency services, roadside assistance with location, remote door unlock, GM Goodwrench remote vehicle diagnostics, route support, and convenience services. OnStar Personal calling allows drivers to make and receive hands-free, voice-activated phone calls through a nationwide cellular network and access a wide range of other information services. (Additional information is available at http://www.onstar.com/ .) DATASOURCE: OnStar CONTACT: Robert Herta of OnStar, +1-248-588-3250, ; or Lisa Cullen of NCMEC, +1-703-837-6111, Web site: http://media.gm.com/ http://www.gm.com/ http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ http://www.onstar.com/

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