lost/missing

[wowenglish1]

I wonder if there is a subtle difference between "lost child" and "missing child".

[SirGod]

*Not a teacher

Yes, there is.

lost child = lost his custody, died in an accident or can't find him/her

She get the child's custody. He lost his child.
They lost their child in a car accident.

missing child = can't find him/her

He has been missing for several hours and nobody (or the ones who are looking for him) knows where he might be.