Nebraska Will Observe Missing Persons Day October 17
The state will mark its third annual awareness day to support families and bring attention to ongoing missing persons cases.
Updated on Oct. 12, 2026 in Philanthropy
Nebraska is set to observe its third annual Missing Persons Day on October 17, 2026. This awareness day was established to provide state-level support for families by circulating information regarding cold and active missing persons cases.
Why it matters
The day serves to demonstrate official state recognition of the struggles faced by families with missing loved ones. It aims to increase public engagement by highlighting regional databases and resources available for tracking long-term cases.
The GINA Missing Persons Foundation tracks data across 50 states and 13 countries, including 10 missing Nebraskans. State law LB1102 formalized the annual event in 2024.
The players
Regina Bos
She is a missing person who disappeared outside a bar in downtown Lincoln in 2000.
GINA Missing Persons Foundation
This organization maintains an international database of missing persons cases across 50 states and 13 countries.
Nebraska State Patrol
This state agency provides support for families and maintains public missing persons databases.
The details
State recognition efforts involve distributing information on missing persons and directing families to monitoring tools provided by the Nebraska State Patrol and the GINA Missing Persons Foundation. The initiative draws awareness to long-standing cases, such as the 2000 disappearance of Regina Bos in downtown Lincoln.
Timeline
Regina Bos disappeared in downtown Lincoln in 2000.
LB1102 officially established the annual Missing Persons Day in 2024.
Nebraska observes the third annual Missing Persons Day on October 17, 2026.
Market Landscape
The observation of Missing Persons Day is a direct result of Nebraska Legislative Bill 1102. This policy solidifies a permanent state-level infrastructure for case awareness that mirrors trends in standardized reporting protocols across other jurisdictions.
Residents can support the initiative by accessing databases at the Nebraska State Patrol to help circulate information. Families may use these resources to gain visibility for their specific cases as part of the state-wide awareness effort.
The takeaway
Nebraska’s annual observance serves as a vital tool for keeping cold cases in the public eye. Utilizing authorized databases like those linked by the state can provide families with necessary pathways to share information and seek assistance.
Further reading
For more context on community-led initiatives, visit Nebraska Philanthropy.
More information
To search for missing persons or view database records, visit the GINA Foundation missing persons database.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Nebraska Public Media.
