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September 20, 2002
MIAMI -- A list of almost 400 children under the state's care labeled as "missing" was exaggerated, a study by a statewide task force concludes. It said many of the children have been found, were chronic teenage runaways or ran from foster homes.
A statewide search for the children listed as missing in August by the Department of Children and Families located 139 out of 393, the study said.
The task force is still looking, but many of the those still "missing" are chronic runaways or were taken by noncustodial parents, investigators believe.
Only seven are cases in which "the juvenile's physical safety is in danger," the study said.
A large number of the children found were living with noncustodial parents, relatives or friends. Others were fugitives with arrest warrants, and some were in jails. Others have become adults since their names were put on the "missing" list, the task force said.
"From the DCF list, there is only one child we have identified as truly missing, and this is Rilya Wilson," said Carlos Alvarez, director of Miami-Dade police.
Gov. Jeb Bush ordered the task force formed after controversy surrounding the case of 5-year-old Rilya eventually led to the resignation of DCF Secretary Kathleen Kearney in August.
Rilya was reported missing from a Miami foster home in April. Due to lax supervision and false reports by her caseworker, DCF had been unaware that she actually disappeared 15 months earlier.