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Every 40 seconds another child is abducted or goes missing in the United States.  Having a child go missing has surpassed all other forms of losing a child, including car accidents and illness. More than 2,000 children are reported missing every day. What can we do to educate our children to be safe?

Welcome to the website I Must Say No.

Years ago I sat in front of the television watching the abduction of Elizabeth Smart. Elizabeth was a 14 year old girl that was taken from her home only 15 minutes away from where I live. After many days of feeling hopeless, I wanted to empower my children. I am a mother of four and teacher of children. I went to the library to find a book on stranger safety and, much to my surprise, I couldn’t find one. How could we not have such an important tool for our children? I made a vow to myself at that moment that I would make a difference.  I teamed up with police departments, parents of abducted children, teachers and schools to write a book that could save a childs life.  ”I Must Say No,” is about a boy named Cole that travels home from school alone for the fist time.  Almost half of all abductions will take place as a child walks home from school or a school related activity.   Every scenario in the book is a real scenario that people use to entice children.  This includes friends and neighbors because the majority of abductions take place by someone a child is familiar with.  

Parents have the ability to sign up on a free database that emails them twice a year for 3 years to meet the minimum requirement suggested for talking to a child on stranger safety. This program allows parents to read and discuss the book with their child every 6 months until children have the ability to do it on their own.  In the back of the book are discussion questions for younger and older readers. The average abducted child is a twelve year-old girl. If an older child can read the book to a younger child they will retain it better.  No child is exempt from hearing this important message.  Elaine Runyan-Simmons

Elaine Runyan-Simmons

Elaine Runyan-Simmons states, “I Must Say No,“uses an actual scenario that an abductor used to kidnap my daughter Rachael. You can never teach your child enough. Parents, grandparents, teachers and educators, empower your children, educate them. Sign up for a free reminder, a free assembly and a book that could potentially save your child’s life,” - (Elaine recently reopened the case to find the abductor who killed her 3 year-old daughter, Rachael Runyon. A $55,000 reward is being offered to help solve the case. Contact Ken Elborne the Sunset Chief for details on the reward) Sunset Police (801) 825-1620.

Richard Paul Evans

Richard Paul Evens

“We cannot afford to lose another child when we have a real chance to educate them to be safe with a book like I Must Say NO”– NY Times Bestselling author, Richard Paul Evans