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§ 2908. Missing children

Purdon's Pennsylvania Statutes and Consolidated StatutesTitle 18 Pa.C.S.A. Crimes and OffensesEffective: April 4, 2022

Purdon's Pennsylvania Statutes and Consolidated Statutes
Title 18 Pa.C.S.A. Crimes and Offenses (Refs & Annos)
Part II. Definition of Specific Offenses (Refs & Annos)
Article B. Offenses Involving Danger to the Person (Refs & Annos)
Chapter 29. Kidnapping (Refs & Annos)
Effective: April 4, 2022
18 Pa.C.S.A. § 2908
§ 2908. Missing children
Currentness
(a) Duties of law enforcement agencies.--Law enforcement agencies shall have the following duties with respect to missing children:
(1) To investigate a report of a missing child immediately upon receipt of the report regardless of the age of the missing child or the circumstances surrounding the disappearance of the child. In no case shall law enforcement agencies impose a mandatory waiting period prior to commencing the investigation of a missing child.
(2) When conducting a missing child investigation, to record all information relevant to the missing child and the circumstances surrounding the disappearance of the missing child on the appropriate law enforcement investigative report.
(3) To make an entry into the Missing Persons File through the Commonwealth Law Enforcement Assistance Network (CLEAN) in accord with Pennsylvania State Police policy and procedures immediately upon receipt of sufficient identification information on the missing child.
(3.1) To make an entry into the Unidentified Persons File through Commonwealth Law Enforcement Assistance Network (CLEAN) in accord with Pennsylvania State Police policy and procedures immediately upon:
(i) taking custody of an unidentified living child, such as an infant, or a physically or mentally disabled child; or
(ii) discovering an unidentified deceased child.
(3.2) To deliver any of the missing child's DNA to the Pennsylvania State Police in accordance with 44 Pa.C.S. § 2316.2 (relating to collection of DNA in investigations of high-risk missing persons and missing children) for submission to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System.
(4) To insure timely cancellation of any entry made pursuant to this section where the missing child has returned or is located.
(a.1) Unidentified deceased children.--Law enforcement agencies and coroners shall, with respect to unidentified deceased children, have the duty to collect DNA samples from the unidentified deceased child and submit the DNA samples to the Pennsylvania State Police in accordance with 44 Pa.C.S. § 2316.4 (relating to collection of DNA in investigations of unidentified decedents) for law enforcement identification purposes and make an entry into the Unidentified Deceased Person File through the Commonwealth Law Enforcement Assistance Network (CLEAN) in accordance with Pennsylvania State Police policy and procedures immediately upon observing or receiving any descriptive information on an unidentified deceased child.
(b) Definition.--As used in this section the term “child” means a person under 18 years of age.

Credits

1985, May 9, P.L. 31, No. 14, § 1, imd. effective. Amended 1990, Feb. 2, P.L. 6, No. 4, § 2, effective in 60 days; 1992, June 25, P.L. 315, No. 59, § 1, effective in 60 days; 2022, Feb. 3, P.L. 16, No. 4, § 1, effective in 60 days [April 4, 2022].
18 Pa.C.S.A. § 2908, PA ST 18 Pa.C.S.A. § 2908
Current through Act 10 of the 2024 Regular Session. Some statute sections may be more current, see credits for details.
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