SAN DIEGO — Missing children posters displayed at California highway rest stops are severely outdated, with many of the featured children no longer missing, a CBS 8 investigation has found.
The investigation, prompted by observations at the Buckman Springs rest stop, revealed that out of 30 missing children posters, only five were confirmed to still be missing. Some of the missing children posters dated back to 2017.
"I sure hope that some of these kids get found, and that there's a happy ending there somewhere," said one driver interviewed at the rest stop.
Caltrans, the agency responsible for posting the flyers as a public service, publicizes the program on its website. However, when CBS 8 reached out for information about how many rest stops in California have these posters, a spokesperson promised a response but has yet to provide answers.
Among the children posted at the Buckman Springs rest stop confirmed to remain missing: Michelle Houchman and Mitchell Salomon, who disappeared with their family in Los Angeles in 1982.
The missing children posters themselves are produced by the California Department of Justice and they're updated monthly. So the question is, why are the posters at the Buckman Springs rest stop so outdated?
One observer at the rest stop commented, "It's sad to see all the kids that are missing. It's too bad that we can't do something more to find them or to stop it."
CBS 8 will report new information on this investigation once Caltrans responds.
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