What does a parent need to do when a child runs away in California?

If a child runs away in California, the parent should first try to locate the child by contacting friends, relatives, and places the child may frequent. If the child cannot be found, the parent should report the situation to local law enforcement, as it is considered a missing person case. Additionally, parents may want to notify their child's school and seek assistance from local support services or organizations that specialize in helping runaways. It's important to remain calm and act quickly to ensure the child's safety.