Every Parent's Worst Nightmare | The Laws Of War | ICRC

For nearly 155 years the International Committee of the Red Cross has worked to bring families separated by conflict or natural disaster back together again.

Under international humanitarian law, aka the laws of war, people have the right to know what happened to their missing relatives. Governments, the military authorities and armed groups have an obligation to give information and help efforts to put families back together.

[farhan]

This is both a parent's and a child's worst nightmare.

[mchvyx]

also a child's worst nightmare...

[marinakryukova]

I read in one of Reddit public chats a story of one mother. She lost a child in overcrowded mall, as soon as she understood what happened she jumped on a bench there and screamed to people about what happened and how her child was looking. So people were willing to help her, they began to search and soon after that the child was found on another floor of the mall. I think she reacted very well!

[parachinarkebande]

As a viewer, the biggest torture is not knowing if any of these parents were reunited with their parents.

[valeriab-]

I was DYING when I didn't find my dog, I can't imagine losing a child ...

[tashanavarro]

The worst part is that you dont know if they got kidnapped or just lost

[jemeralds]

My son passed away at tender 10 yrs old a few months ago. Let me tell you he was always quick and I always had to be in my toes. Only once I turned an aisle and he stayed behind for 3 seconds thought he was following till I panicked and ran back around and he smiled like mommy I was coming. That time I got him back.. but this time I didn’t due to his illness. I pray anyone reading never feels this pain.

[crakkwhorr]

almost cried on that dad with a hotdog.

[kristinegarcia]

I wish they all found their child after these terrifying event.

[ruhanialam]

My brother was 4 & I was 7. When he got lost at railway station. I still remember how my mom was crying in panic
Dad was also crying.
Thanks Allah we found him after some time

[pnumenwiese]

Before we went somewhere, I always told my sons where we met, if we lose each other. This helped several times.

[katoto]

When you lose your kids in public you get the whole perspective of how truly big the world is...

[guffawhyena]

Worst thing a parent could ever feel is failing to protect their own child

[eipampam]

My mom was nearly kidnaped when she was around 5. They went to a mall and a couple of elderly just grabbed my mom and tried to go. If my grandma sister hadn't the luck of spotting them before they went out of the mall. It was early 60's, they would never see her again. The elder's justification was "She is so beautiful, we have money to raise her well".

[TiredArc]

"A child's worse fear is a parent's worse nightmare"

-Wise man

[Tamim_Alnahdi]

Not knowing what happened to them is even WORSE than losing them.

[elonichy]

their faces when they couldn’t see their children is so heartbreaking.

[batbilegochirpurev]

I lost my baby brother in a store once. And it was horrifying. When I panicked I kept seeing my brother's face in my mind and images of him crying somewhere alone and scared kept replaying in my mind over and over again. And as I screamed out his name running while crying it felt like my heart was about to sink down into my stomach and eventually fall out. I was able to find him however that was something I never want to feel again.

[ahmadraza]

i remember a woman looking for her child in a market, it was night time and she was crying, looking here and there. We couldn't do anything. this still give me shivers to this day.

[santiago]

I’m not even a mom yet and I felt the hurt 😭