Panamanian child welfare officials confirmed the recovery of five teenagers on Thursday following a group escape from a state shelter earlier this week. The National Secretariat for Children, Adolescents and Family (Senniaf) reported that fifteen young people fled the Tocumen Comprehensive Care Center on Tuesday, March 24. An active Amber Alert remains in effect for the ten individuals still missing as search efforts intensify across the capital region.
The incident represents one of the largest single escapes from a government care facility in recent years. Located in the populous Tocumen district, the center provides temporary housing and services for minors under state protection. Authorities have not disclosed the specific circumstances that enabled the coordinated departure of fifteen residents. A separate, unrelated escape by a fourteen-year-old girl occurred at the same facility just hours after the initial group fled.
Coordinated Search Involves Multiple Agencies
Senniaf Director General Lilibeth Cárdenas formally reported the disappearances, triggering the multi-agency response. The agency is now working closely with the National Police and other authorities to locate the remaining youths. Officials have released the names and ages of all thirteen individuals involved in the group escape, ranging from twelve to seventeen years old. Public cooperation is being urgently sought.
“We maintain the search and location of the other children and adolescents in coordination with the competent authorities,” stated the National Secretariat for Children, Adolescents and Family (Senniaf) in an official release. [Translated from Spanish] The announcement also urged citizens to assist by reporting any confidential information through emergency lines 104, 911, or directly to 6993-8818.
Community alerts featuring photographs and descriptions of the missing teenagers have circulated widely on social media and official channels. The Amber Alert system, activated promptly after the escape, has been instrumental in disseminating this critical information to the public. This rapid deployment of resources underscores the high-risk nature of the situation for the vulnerable missing youths.
Finding the ten individuals still at large is the immediate priority. Each faces significant danger outside of supervised care, officials warn. The incident has also prompted internal reviews of security protocols at the Tocumen facility. Questions are emerging about staffing levels and procedural safeguards at state-run shelters, with advocates calling for a transparent investigation once the search concludes.
Families of the missing have been notified and are receiving support from Senniaf social workers. The agency has not commented on potential disciplinary actions for staff or possible transfers of remaining residents. All public attention remains focused on the safe return of the missing minors as the search enters a critical phase.