Before the weekend that kicks off summer vacations, the FBI is asking parents to download their Child ID cell phone app. It's an app that prepares parents in case their child goes missing.
According to the FBI, 460,699 children were entered as missing in their National Crime Information Center. The agency has an updated version of its Child ID app to store recent photos and important information like height, weight, hair and eye color.
"When the parent first realizes the child is missing they could essentially panic and that’s bad because we want them to make sure the information is relayed to law enforcement properly," said Nancy McBride with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Natasha Simmons has experienced the panic of losing sight of her son Tyler.
"It's a scary feeling," said Simmons. "He’s 6-years-old he runs off all the time."
Irene Klimantiris already takes photos of her girls before every vacation. She hopes she will never have to use the app, but has it to prepare for the worst.
"It takes only two seconds for something like that to happen or for someone to just take your child," said Klimantiris.
The app can be downloaded for free for Androids and iPhones, just search "FBI Child ID."
