'It is deeply disturbing': Olivia Wilde shares her 'horror' over missing black girls in Washington, D.C. as other celebs react on social media

Published: 02:31 BST, 26 March 2017 | Updated: 17:49 BST, 26 March 2017

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The Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department is facing growing outcry after it began publicizing via Twitter the large number of teenage girls who recently went missing in its jurisdiction.

Numerous celebrities have also called for action including Olivia Wilde, Kris Jenner, Beyoncé's mom - Tina Knowles Lawson, Taraji P. Henson, Sean Diddy Combs, Gabrielle Union, Sophia Bush, LL Cool J and Bravo exec Andy Cohen, to name a few.

'It is deeply disturbing that the disappearance of dozens of young girls is "business as usual" in our nation's capital, my childhood home,' the 33-year-old former House star posted on Saturday alongside an image of a missing children milk carton.

'It is deeply disturbing': Olivia Wilde took to Instashares her 'horror' over missing black girls in Washington DC

'Find our girls': The 33-year-old former House star took to Instagram on Saturday and posted an image of a missing children milk carton

Olivia continued: 'The response that these numbers aren't any higher than normal should only make us more horrified.

'Kids of color have been unrecognized and uncared for by law enforcement, the education system (as a whole, not the heroic teachers working hard every day for far too little pay), and government in general, for far too long.

'It starts with us demanding justice, demanding equal media coverage, and voting with vulnerable kids in mind, instead of dollar signs and fear. #findourgirls.'

One post by Danielle Moodie-Mills that had been retweeted 41,000 times, claimed that 14 black girls went missing in the area over 24 hours.

'This has got to stop!': Beyoncé's mom, Tina Knowles Lawson, captioned an Instagram photo of a missing flier poster of a particular girl who had been found

Sad truth: Taraji P. Henson reposted an image stating that 14 girls went missing within 24 hours, and although the post was inaccurate, the reality is not much better

Although the post was inaccurate, the reality is not much better - since March 19, 10 juveniles were reported missing and six have been found according to NBC Washington.

The police department claims this rate of missing children reports is in fact sadly normal, although cases have actually been decreasing - and that their use of social media has merely highlighted the problem to an unsuspecting public.

Police claim the majority of the cases are teens who run away from home and subsequently return home.

Yet there remain 37 open missing minor cases in the city and all of them are black or Latino according to the Huffington Post.

'Please call': Viola Davis and numerous other celebrities including Gabrielle Union shared a video with several of the missing girls' photos to raise awareness

'Tragedy': Sean Diddy Combs sent his well wishes and prayers to the families of the missing girls

'We must make some noise!!,' Tina Knowles Lawson captioned an Instagram photo of a missing flier poster of a particular girl who had been found.

'Why are we just hearing about this. Why is this not the number one topic in America right now?

'This has got to stop! This particular girl was found. There are conflicting stories but all of these girls are not runaways!!! Dont fall for that! It is a well known fact that a missing person of color Black, Latin or other. does not get the media coverage eqaul to a missing white person. (sic)'

Taraji P. Henson and Viola Davis both took to social media and expressed their support.

'Let's keep it going!': LL Cool J went on a Twitter rant and posted numerous tweets in support of the search efforts for the missing DC girls

'Unfathomable!': Bravo exec Andy Cohen also took to the popular social media site and shared his pain over the tragedies

The Oscar-winning Fences star - along with numerous others including Gabrielle Union - shared a video with several of the missing girls' photos and a caption that asked followers to call with tips if they had any information.

'My prayers go out to the families effected by this tragedy. God bless #PrayForDC #FindOurGirls,' Sean Diddy Combs tweeted.

'Ten children of color went missing in our nation's capital in a period of two weeks and at first garnered very little media attention. That's deeply disturbing,' Congressional Black Caucus chairman Representative Cedric Richmond said in a letter obtained by the Associated Press.

'Whether these recent disappearances are an anomaly or signals of underlying trends, it is essential that the Department of Justice and the FBI use all of the tools at their disposal to help local officials investigate these events, and return these children to their parents as soon as possible,' Richmond said.