‘Break the Label’ advocacy sparks debate over language, alerts, public response to missing child cases
By Delayna Earley
The Island News
A local family’s effort to change how missing children are described by law enforcement has become an issue in the Beaufort County sheriff’s race, with Republican candidates Doug Seifert and JoJo Woodward proposing different reforms inspired by the experience of Emily Hollis and her family.
At the center of the discussion is Break the Label, an advocacy effort launched by Autumn and Kiel Hollis after their daughter was publicly identified as a runaway when she disappeared in February 2025.
The Hollises argue that the term “runaway” can unintentionally diminish the urgency with which the public responds to missing child cases. Instead, they advocate for describing juveniles as “missing” or “endangered” in public-facing communications.
That advocacy recently entered the sheriff’s race after the Hollis family endorsed Woodward and released a campaign video announcing what he calls “The Hollis Standard.”
Breaking the Label
When Emily Hollis disappeared at age 12, her family says they quickly learned how much influence a single word can have.
In the endorsement video, Autumn Hollis said the family did not fully understand the impact of the term “runaway” until it was used to describe their daughter.
“The word runaway changes how people respond,” Hollis said in the video. “People hear that word and think the child chose to leave. That maybe they’re not really in danger. Maybe they don’t need the same urgency as a missing child.”
The Hollises said their organization, Break the Label, focuses specifically on changing public perceptions surrounding missing children who are classified as runaways.
“Our main focus at Break the Label is just that, breaking the label of the term runaway when it comes to social media,” Kiel Hollis said.
The family emphasized that their concerns are not aimed at changing state reporting requirements or law enforcement classifications used during investigations. Instead, they are focused on how missing children are presented to the public.
“It doesn’t change the NCIC. It doesn’t change any of that,” Kiel Hollis said. “It’s just changing the posting on social media. Instead of posting as a runaway child, posting as a missing child.”
The family endorsed Woodward after concluding that his proposal most directly addressed their primary goal of eliminating the word “runaway” from public-facing communications involving missing juveniles.
The experience behind the advocacy
The Hollis family’s advocacy stems from their experience after daughter Emily Hollis disappeared in February 2025.
Emily, then 12, was publicly identified as a runaway after leaving Beaufort with an older juvenile she had met online. After she was found safe several days later in Florida, the family began publicly questioning how the case had been handled, including the decision not to issue an Amber Alert.
The Hollises have long argued that the runaway classification contributed to that decision and reduced the urgency surrounding the search for their daughter.
Autumn and Kiel Hollis described a confusing and frustrating process as they worked with multiple law enforcement agencies while trying to locate their daughter. They said they became increasingly concerned with how the word “runaway” influenced public perception and the urgency with which missing child cases are viewed.
The family said those experiences ultimately led them to launch Break the Label, an advocacy effort focused on encouraging trauma-informed language and greater public awareness surrounding missing youth.
The Hollis Standard
Woodward’s proposal centers on a draft general order known as “The Hollis Standard.”
Under the proposal, every public communication involving a missing person under the age of 18 would begin with either a “Missing Juvenile” or “Endangered Juvenile” classification. The policy would apply to social media posts, press releases, public alerts, missing person flyers and other public-facing communications.
The draft order specifically states that it would not alter National Incident-Based Reporting System classifications, SLED reporting requirements or internal law enforcement records. Instead, it would govern only how the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office communicates with the public.
In the endorsement video, Woodward pledged to implement the policy immediately if elected.
“On day one, as your sheriff, I will issue a general order called the Hollis Standard,” Woodward said. “Every missing child in Beaufort County will be treated exactly like that, a missing child. Not a runaway, never again.”
Woodward praised the Hollis family for continuing to advocate for other families after their daughter’s return.
“The Hollis family didn’t have to do this,” Woodward said. “They’ve already fought the hardest fight a parent can fight. The fact that they are standing up again for every family in this county, that tells you everything about who they are.”
The policy proposal was drafted in honor of Emily Hollis and references her disappearance in February 2025 as the inspiration behind the changes.
For the Hollis family, the proposal represents the most direct response to the issue they have spent more than a year advocating to change.
“This is one thing that we know is an easy change for law enforcement,” Autumn Hollis said. “JoJo is making a change that is automatic.”
Beyond the policy itself, the proposal carries a personal connection. The draft order is named in honor of Emily Hollis, whose disappearance inspired the family’s advocacy efforts.
The first page of the proposal recounts Emily’s story and states that the order is intended to ensure that “no other family would face what they faced.” For the Hollis family, that recognition was significant because it transformed their experience into a proposed change designed to help future families facing similar situations.
Education and alerts
While the Hollis family ultimately endorsed Woodward, they also praised many aspects of Seifert’s proposal.
According to the Hollises, Seifert spent considerable time discussing their experience and potential improvements to missing child investigations.
“Education is super important, and we truly believe what Doug wants to do is very important,” Autumn Hollis said. “I do believe he does want to have change when it comes to these kind of things.”
In a statement provided to The Island News, Seifert said one of the most valuable ideas to come from those conversations was the opportunity for law enforcement, investigators and families who have lived through these situations to work together to educate the public about missing child cases.
Seifert’s proposal focuses heavily on public education, family preparedness and the aggressive use of notification systems during missing person investigations.
“My expectation would be that the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office moves so quickly and aggressively that we’re already utilizing every tool available to us while an AMBER Alert determination is being made,” Seifert wrote.
His proposal calls for immediate use of Everbridge, Nixle alerts, reverse 911 systems, social media, media partnerships, automated license plate readers and notifications to neighboring agencies while investigators pursue leads.
Seifert also advocated for educating parents about technology, emergency resources and practical steps they can take before a child goes missing.
Seifert’s proposal also includes educating families about how search and rescue operations work. He pointed to the use of bloodhounds in missing person cases, noting that some children may be afraid of police dogs and hide from search teams rather than seek help.
“Bloodhounds are used in missing person searches,” Seifert wrote. “They’re gentle dogs with an extraordinary sense of smell, and if one finds you, it’s much more likely to cover you in kisses than anything else.”
Seifert said helping families and children understand those resources before a crisis occurs could make searches more effective and reduce fear during an emergency.
At the conclusion of his proposal, Seifert wrote that families should never question whether enough was done to find their loved one.
“That commitment should never depend on a label, and it never would under my leadership,” he wrote.
Different approaches, shared goals
While the Hollises ultimately endorsed Woodward, they stressed that both candidates listened to their concerns and proposed changes aimed at improving outcomes for missing children.
They described Woodward’s proposal as an immediate change focused on public-facing language, while Seifert’s proposal centers on education, community awareness and the rapid deployment of investigative and notification tools.
During their conversations with the family, both candidates expressed support for improving how missing child cases are handled and communicated to the public.
“We respect both candidates and we respect both candidates’ positions, and we look forward to working with whomever wins,” Kiel Hollis said.
The Hollises also said they have not yet met with Democratic candidate Alphonso Small Jr., but plan to do so after the Republican primary. They said they intend to continue advocating for changes regardless of who ultimately becomes Beaufort County’s next sheriff.
As voters head to the polls, both candidates are offering different approaches to a problem highlighted by the Hollis family’s experience. One focuses on changing the language the public sees. The other focuses on education, technology and rapid deployment of resources.
Both are rooted in the same goal – ensuring missing children receive the urgency and attention their families believe they deserve.
Delayna Earley, who joined The Island News in 2022, formerly worked as a photojournalist for The Island Packet/The Beaufort Gazette, as well as newspapers in Indiana and Virginia. She can be reached at delayna.theislandnews@gmail.com.