Texas Center for the Missing is a charitable 501(C)(3) non-profit, missing children's organization formed in 2000 to provide services and support along the spectrum of missing child issues. Services range from providing child ID kits and parent education programs to assisting in speedy, coordinated search efforts with law enforcement agencies and other search groups. Additional supportive services are provided for follow-up and aftercare for the families of those who remain missing or are located but traumatized to those who are murdered.

Texas Center for the Missing was founded in March, 2000. On Saturday, October 30, 1999 in the wee hours of the morning 17 year old Gabriel family awakened to the shrill ringing of the telephone, a night-time sound that strikes fear in every parent's heart. The caller informed the Houston family that Gabe, a student in Austin, Texas, had missed curfew and his car found near a bridge over Lake Austin. After the initial visit with police, frustration and fear overwhelmed Gabe's mother, Doreen Wise. She longed for the comfort of someone to tell her how she could quickly find her youngest child; virtually no guidelines or instructions on what she as a parent should do were available. Nor were there informational packages about other helping organizations to call. As every parent who has lost a child wishes to do, Gabe's mother launched an aggressive search, using trial and error and making many mistakes; the information she needed to find her child simply was not available. Tragically, four agonizing months later, the body of Gabriel was found. Gabe's family learned first-hand how few resources there are to help parents search for lost children. From one family's loss and sadness, Texas Center for the Missing was born.

History

The family of 17-year-old Gabriel founded the organization in March 2000. Gabriel had been missing for four months when his body was found at the bottom of a cliff in Austin, Texas. The family’s hope is that with education and prevention measures, and a speedy search, more children will be safely returned to their families.