Aloha State News

HONOLULU, HI – Attorney General Anne Lopez, the Hawai‘i Department of the Attorney General’s Missing Child Center - Hawai‘i (MCCH) and Hawai‘i Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force are pleased to announce the winner of the 2023 Hawaiʻi Missing Children’s Day Poster Contest on May 25 on National Missing Children’s Day: Caz Kashimoto, a fifth grader of Kāneʻohe, Hawai‘i. 

The U.S. Department of Justice’s website states: “In 1983, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed May 25 as National Missing Children's Day in memory of Etan Patz, a 6- year-old boy who disappeared from a New York City street corner on May 25, 1979. Etan’s killer was convicted in February 2017, but the case remains active because his body was never found. This day brings focus to child safety and honors the professionals dedicated to protecting children around the country. Each year, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) leads the nation in observing National Missing Children’s Day.” https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/events/nmcd/2023-nationalmissing-childrens-day

 As the state winner, Caz will receive a national award certificate from the U.S. Department of Justice and was entered in the 40th Annual National Missing Children’s Day Poster Contest, a nationwide contest held by the OJJDP to promote awareness and engage students, parents, guardians, and teachers in discussions about child safety. Caz’s poster is currently featured with other winning state posters on the Justice Department’s website: https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/events/nmcd/2023-winning-state-posters The 40th Annual National Missing Children’s Day Ceremony to honor the professionals dedicated to protecting children across the country was held at the Justice Department in Washington D.C. on May 24, 2023. 

“We congratulate and thank Caz and all of the contest participants for their exceptional creativity, thoughtfulness, and passion for this important cause,” says Attorney General Lopez. “We are grateful to the law enforcement officers, child protection professionals, and advocates across Hawai‘i who work so hard to keep our children safe and healthy.” 

MCCH operates as the state’s missing children clearinghouse and a resource for law enforcement, social services, and affected families. ICAC Task Force is part of a cooperative nationwide network of ICAC Task Forces supported by OJJDP and is dedicated to protecting children by investigating and prosecuting persons who victimize children in the online environment. 

Anyone with information regarding missing children or the exploitation of children is encouraged to contact your local police department or the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678). 

Original source can be found here.