AUGUSTA, Ga. ()- The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office announced Thursday they’re searching for a missing 14-year-old, Jamari Mifflin.

This new case adds to several missing kids the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office has reported so far this year. 

We wanted to know why this is happening to our most vulnerable population, and what you can do to help.

Law enforcement and Child Enrichment say there’s a variety of reasons young people go missing.

But, with school back in session in just a few weeks, we wanted some answers. ,

The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office reports that the number of missing children remains consistent with previous years, and they are enhancing efforts to be more open about these cases.

“It may appear as though there are more runaways, but that’s because we are being more proactive in issuing alerts (BOLOS) and ensuring transparency by sharing information with the media and on social media,” explained Richmond County Investigator Ron Sylvester.

Back in May, the Sheriff’s Office reported 5 teens were on the run for 5 days.

Three 17-year-olds and a 13-year-old were found safe, but another 13-year-old is still missing.

Last month, they reported a 15-year-old went missing after running away from an Augusta hospital.

Now, deputies are searching for a 14-year-old who went missing Wednesday, and two 15-year-old runaways reported missing Tuesday.

Investigators say several missing children are found in neighborhoods with their friends.

“During this season, with the warm weather, many kids visit friends who have access to neighborhood pools. They also tend to go to places like the mall, where they can hang out with their friends,” Sylvester added.

Once located, he says deputies always make sure the child is in good standing and reunited with the family.

However, sometimes they don’t always know where missing kids wander off to.

“We either run into them and stop them somewhere, or they show up back home and the parents call us back and say they’ve returned. Generally, they don’t share too much as far as where they’ve been and who they’ve been with,” said Sylvester. “So, getting calls from people in the community is giving us ideas of where these kids are going to.”

Child Enrichment Director Kari Viola-Brooke says there are a few explanations as to why they’re leaving in the first place. 

“One reason can be there’s abuse in the home. So, not a safe home environment could be part of the reason they’re trying to get away,” Viola-Brooke said. “Also looking at mental health issues—kids struggling with depression and suicidal ideation could be some of those reasons. There’s also external pressures like school, friends, or bullying—-it might be too much for them to handle, and they want to get away from it.”

She says another reason that could be a factor is child sex trafficking.

“In 2020, the National Center for Missing Exploited Children said that 1 in 6 kids that had run away had been sex trafficked,” she added. “We’ve talked about the high number of child sex trafficking cases in Richmond County specifically, and that can tie in with the high number of missing children cases.”

Child Enrichment says kids will also run away to meet people online in an attempt to fill a void.

That’s why she says a great way to help keep your kids safe in today’s world is talking to them about the internet.

“Predators that kids meet online find those holes and exploit them. So, we need to have parents having these conversations with their kids about internet safety. Telling them ‘yes, we might get into disagreements, and we might get mad at each other, but ultimately I love you, and I care about you and your safety’. Regardless of what happens, I’m always going to be here to support you,” said Viola-Brooke.

For parents and guardians, Child Enrichment says the best thing to do is to have family activities together, talk to your children about the big and little things, and consistently engage with them to let them know you’re there.

Viola-Brooke says engaging with your kids can take a variety of forms, but a key step to take is creating a space for healthy communication.

“If we can have an environment where kids are having open, honest communication with their parents, it’s going to lead to those healthier relationships,” said Viola-Brooke. “The biggest thing we can do is encourage parents to get out from behind their phone or TV and have relationships with their kids. Build relationships with your kids—that way when tough times come, kids know they have that support system to talk to.”