Key Takeaways:
- West Virginia is the least safe U.S. state for children, with high rates of maltreatment reports, with an alarming 5,949 maltreatment reports for every 100,000 children.
- In 2nd place is Mississippi, with the highest child poverty rate, at 26.3K.
- Missouri draws attention, getting the most child missing cases, with a rate of 102.
At Lawsuit Legal News, we are committed to highlighting legal, social, and public health issues through data and insight. One area that demands urgent attention is child safety. In 2023, an estimated 1,990 children in the U.S. died as a result of abuse and neglect, a tragic number that has steadily increased over the past five years.
To understand which states are failing their youngest residents, our team conducted a national study evaluating child safety across all 50 states.
Don't wait any longer, call 866-535-9515 or submit your case for review today!
How We Scored Child Safety
We created a Child Safety Score using public data from:
- The The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
- The Administration for Children and Families
- The World Population Review
We analyzed key factors:
- Rate of child maltreatment reports
- Child poverty levels
- Number of missing children per capita
- Overall state safety ratings
- Happy Child Index (mental health, sleep, and access to recreation)
Here is a summary of the findings:
| State | Maltreatment Reports per 100k children | Child Poverty per 100k children | Child Missing Cases in a year per 100k children | Happy Child Index(out of 100) | State Safety Score | Child Unsafety Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Virginia | 5,949 | 21,412 | 32 | 42.07 | 49.10 | 99 |
| Mississippi | 3,649 | 26,387 | 14 | 36.90 | 35.10 | 98 |
| Arkansas | 5,001 | 21,365 | 35 | 41.98 | 36.90 | 96 |
| New Mexico | 4,164 | 24,549 | 31 | 47.09 | 48.00 | 86 |
| Missouri | 4,468 | 15,993 | 102 | 51.24 | 43.80 | 84 |
| Indiana | 6,378 | 15,709 | 42 | 49.12 | 55.50 | 82 |
| Louisiana | 2,417 | 25,714 | 25 | 46.72 | 33.30 | 80 |
| South Carolina | 3,397 | 19,734 | 28 | 39.56 | 43.30 | 78 |
| Oklahoma | 3,609 | 20,141 | 33 | 47.24 | 39.90 | 76 |
| Tennessee | 4,353 | 18,726 | 32 | 51.00 | 43.50 | 74 |
Top 10 Least Safe States for Children in 2023
1. West Virginia – Child Unsafety Score: 99
- Maltreatment reports: 5,949 per 100K
- Child poverty: 21,400 per 100K
West Virginia ranks worst overall, with high poverty and neglect rates.
2. Mississippi – Score: 98
- Poverty: 26,300 per 100K (highest in U.S.)
- Happy Child Index: 36.9 (lowest)
Mississippi struggles with economic hardship and child well-being.
3. Arkansas – Score: 96
- Missing children: 35 per 100K
- Safety Index: 36.9
Despite similar poverty to WV, Arkansas has more missing child cases.
4. New Mexico – Score: 86
- Missing children: 31 per 100K
- State safety index: 48
New Mexico’s poverty and safety concerns are deeply intertwined.
5. Missouri – Score: 84
- Missing children: 102 per 100K (highest nationally)
Missouri’s missing child rate is more than triple the national average.
6. Indiana – Score: 82
- Maltreatment reports: 6,378 per 100K (highest in nation)
- Missing children: 42 per 100K
Indiana reports the most abuse and second-most disappearances.
7. Louisiana – Score: 80
- Safety Index: 33.3 (lowest of top 10)
Louisiana’s lower maltreatment numbers are offset by overall safety concerns.
8. South Carolina – Score: 78
- Missing children: 28 per 100K
- Happy Child Index: 39.5 (second-lowest)
South Carolina scores low on emotional and mental well-being.
9. Oklahoma – Score: 76
- Poverty: 20,100 per 100K
- Maltreatment reports: 3,609 per 100K
Oklahoma reports high abuse rates and ongoing poverty struggles.
10. Tennessee – Score: 74
- Missing children: 32 per 100K
- Safety Index: 43.5
Tennessee closes out the top 10 with comparable figures to West Virginia.
Why This Matters
“Too often, child safety data gets buried in federal reports. We wanted to put it front and center,” said Attorney Matt Dolman. “Our analysis offers lawmakers, advocates, and families a clear view of where urgent action is needed.”
At Lawsuit Legal News, we do more than highlight alarming child safety statistics, we advocate for accountability. Across the country, vulnerable children are being harmed in foster homes, online platforms, and state-run facilities, often with little recourse, until now.
We are tracking and reporting on cases involving:
- Foster care sexual abuse, including failures by child welfare agencies to protect children
- Online exploitation, such as the ongoing Roblox lawsuit, where children were allegedly exposed to explicit content and online predators
- Institutional abuse, including shocking reports from Illinois juvenile detention centers, where children in state custody endured abuse, neglect, and systemic mistreatment for decades
If your child, or a child you care about, has suffered sexual abuse, exploitation, or harm while in state care or on digital platforms, you may have legal options.
Our legal partners are investigating cases nationwide. Every child deserves safety, dignity, and justice, and so do the families who fight for them.
Don't wait any longer, call 866-535-9515 or submit your case for review today!