Cleveland Police said in a statement that the department is currently investigating a total of 137 missing persons cases — 65 juveniles and 67 adults. Fourteen of those minors are habitual runaways and two others are in the process of being removed from that list, while 16 are considered endangered.
Police Chief Wayne Drummond said in June that although missing children cases have spiked 20 per cent this year in Cleveland, 1,020 of the 1,072 children reported missing in 2023 have been found safe and returned to their homes. The department issued a statement on Thursday decrying the misinformation surrounding the recent reports, and adding that the department does not investigate cases in the Akron area.