HomeMy WebLinkAbout05/21/2024 05.A.i. Missing and Unidentified Persons Awareness Month proclamation BUSINESS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
YAKIMA, WASHINGTON
AGENDA STATEMENT
Item No.A.i.
For Meeting of: May 21, 2024
ITEM TITLE: Missing and Unidentified Persons Awareness Month proclamation
SUBMITTED BY: Dave Zabel!, Interim City Manager
SUMMARY EXPLANATION:
Michelle Joe will accept the proclamation.
ITEM BUDGETED:
STRATEGIC PRIORITY:
APPROVED FOR SUBMITTAL BY THE CITY MANAGER
RECOMMENDATION:
ATTACHMENTS:
Description Upload Date Type
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CITY 0Ti TAKI M)
T tO CE.,� 11A TI
P HER AS, at any given time there are an estimated 100,000 active missing persons cases in the
'United States—The National-Institute of Justice has called it "The.Nation Silent Mass Disaster"; and
` 1IE AS, there are more than 800 families in the State with a loved one that is missing with 35
active missing persons cases being from Yakima County and 25 of those cases are missing from the City of
Yakima; and
WI E AS, there are an estimated 40,000 sets of unidentified human remains being held in the
offices of coroners/medicalecaminers across the 'United States. In the State of Washington, there are 159 sets
of unidentified human remains, 3 are from Yakima County and 1 of those is from the City of Yakima for a
woman that was found deceased on July 25, 1977—almost 46 years ago; and
WI—PEWS, anyone, regardless of age,gender, ethnicity, education or social status could someday
have a loved one go missing or even go missing themselves; and
1' iE AS, the circumstances leading to a disappearance are varied(i.e. by their own decision,
runaway, suicide,foul play/murder, kidnapping, se.�trafficking, or a national disaster or catastrophe); and
`WI-PEWS, missing persons that are homeless,gang affiliated, suffering from mental-illness or
addicted to drugs or alcohol often receive very little attention from law enforcement and very little sympathy
from the public; and
`WI-PEWS, when a person goes missing they should be searched for regardless of age or if they are
homeless, suffering from mental disorders, or addicted to drugs or alcohol—it is important that they not become
merely a statistic; and
WI-PEWS, if you are concerned for someone's safety and welfare and do not know their
whereabouts or if they are alive or dead you shouldfile a missing person's report with your local law
enforcement agency as soon as possible, there is no waiting period, and
WI-PEWS, every missing person is someone's child regardless of the age they were when they went
missing and the families left behind both need and deserve to have closure. Lackof closure is extremely painful
and can have long lasting effects that can make it difficult to move forward in life because you don't know if-
you should continue to hope or if you should grieve.
NOW, 7 1EgEFO E, I'Patricia cByers, 9b1ayor of the City of Yakima and on behalf of the Yakima
City Council, do hereby proclaim May 2024 as
«MISSINg Vgv-IDENITTIED TIE1 ;SONS
AWARENESS IlOg l"'
in the City of Yakima and askallpeople to join me in this observance.
Dated this 21st day of May, 2024
'Patricia(Byers, Mayor