Which of the following best defines 'Missing child' in this context?

• A. Any minor under 18 whose whereabouts are unknown
• B. Any minor under 21 whose whereabouts are unknown
• C. Any person whose whereabouts are unknown
• D. Any child under 18 missing for more than 24 hours

Answer: (A)

The main concept is the age-based definition used for missing children: it refers to a minor under 18 whose whereabouts are unknown. This triggers automatic, high-priority responses because minors are particularly vulnerable. The other statements broaden the category beyond a child or rely on time elapsed rather than age, which doesn’t match how “missing child” is defined in this context. So the correct definition is a minor under 18 whose whereabouts are unknown.