_____ means a child whose whereabouts are unknown to the child's legal custodian, the circumstances of whose absence indicate that: a) the child did not voluntarily leave the care and control of the custodian; b) the child voluntarily left the care and control of the custodian without the custodian's consent and without intent to return.

• A. Missing Child
• B. Missing Person
• C. Runaway Child
• D. Absent Child

Answer: (A)

When a child's whereabouts are unknown to the legal custodian and the circumstances indicate the child did not voluntarily leave the custodian’s care, the appropriate term is missing child. This classification focuses on the unknown location and the lack of voluntary action by the child, which triggers child-focused missing-person procedures and heightened safety response.

Why this best fits: the key factor is nonvoluntary departure or unknown location, rather than a voluntary departure. A runaway child implies the child left on purpose and intends not to return, which isn’t indicated here. A missing person is a broader category that can apply to adults as well, and Absent Child isn’t the standard term used in these scenarios.