A video of a 13-year-old girl who was found after being reported missing has prompted the TTPS to caution the public against sharing content that could cause further harm to children.
At Wednesday’s TTPS Media Briefing, Communications Manager Joanne Archie reiterated that images and videos of missing persons, particularly children, should no longer be circulated once they are safely located.
“The purpose for posting a photograph is to ensure that we find that person safe and persons who, on seeing the photograph, could identify well they saw this person in this district or that district. However, as soon as the person is found, the photograph is taken down, and it is not to be used any further because these things can affect, especially in the case of a child.”
Meanwhile, Sergeant Nevon Katerson of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit said there was a decline in the number of missing persons cases between January and September 2026 compared with the same period last year.
“We had a total of 307 persons reported missing, 135 of those were minors. Of those, 283 were accounted for, including 20 deceased, of which two were minors. At present, we have 24 persons unaccounted for, and three of those are minors. Compared to 2025, we had 341 reports of missing persons, 150 of those were minors.”
The Police Service also provided an update on kidnapping-for-ransom cases recorded during the same period.
Inspector Jason Phillip of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit said that while there was a slight increase in reported cases in 2026, all hostages were safely recovered.
“We had six reports of kidnapping for ransom. In 2026, we have seven; one more reported kidnapping for ransom. Hostages safely located for 2026 for the six kidnappings, six persons were safely located, rescued and released. 2026, seven kidnappings fir ransomed, seven persons safely located and released.”
Six people were charged in connection with three kidnapping-for-ransom cases in 2025, compared with two people charged so far in 2026.