The FBI’s National Crime Information Center (NCIC) has released the 2019 Missing and Unidentified person statistics. With 609,000 newly reported missing persons documented by law enforcement, there are nearly 87,000 active missing person records. This does not mean there are just 87,000 people missing. This figure represents those law enforcement is still actively looking for and have not met the threshold of a cold case.
A family member, friend or someone else you care has gone missing. You don’t know where they are. Have they’ve been in an accident, are hurt and need help? Have they wondered off as a result of mental illness? Are incapacitated due to drug or alcohol abuse? Are they a victim of foul play? Taking action quickly makes a difference. What immediate actions should you take?
Contact The Police Immediately. Provide the police with the information suggested below in this article. (See Information To Gather On Your Missing Loved One For Law Enforcement And Your Private Investigator below)
Contact An Experienced Private Investigative Agency. A reputable, private investigative agency experienced in missing person’s cases can work around the clock searching for your loved one. They will search for and follow leads, conduct interviews, pass out flyers, organize a search party, and pinpoint areas where surveillance cameras may assist in finding leads. They will work with law enforcement and immediately turn all information over to them.
Reach Out To The Missing Person’s Friends, Acquaintances, Jobs, Coworkers, Fellow Students. Ask those you contact to make calls to others they may know that are associated with your loved one that you may be unaware of. Ask them for the names and phone numbers of anyone they know that is associated with your loved one.
Contact Your NAMI Affiliate Or State Organization Your NAMI Affiliate may know about local resources and places to look for your loved. They may also be able to help put up your flyers and search.
Alert The Local Media. Having the local media cover your missing person’s story can spread the information wider than family and friends can. It may require some pressure from family and friends for them to air your story but the effort will be well worth it. This publicity can bring in leads and have people on the lookout and post to their social media spreading the search even wider.
Check Nearby Hospitals, Churches, Homeless Shelters And Librariies. Some of these organizations may have privacy restrictions and refuse to provide any information to you. If this happens, request they contact the law enforcement investigator in charge of your case and report any information they have to them.
Register Them With The National Missing And Unidentified Persons System (NamUs). Go to www.findthemissing.org and provide information about your missing loved one. Include as much detail as you can about their physical characteristics and where they were last seen. This is a powerful resource. Law enforcement can enter data and updates as the case progresses. Be sure to let law enforcement know you have registered with NamUs and ask them to add to and update information as the case progresses.
Post A One-Page Flyer Create a Missing Person flyer and immediately pass them out and post them in local stores, businesses, libraries, and anywhere posting is permitted. Include on the flyer your loved one’s name, at least two recent photos, height/weight/age, what clothing they were last seen in if known, last location they were seen, any vehicle description and tag number that may be involved with the missing person, name and picture of any person known to be involved with the disappearance, the city and state the person lives in or went missing, and the investigator’s name, agency handling the case and the telephone number of agencies.
Check Out Social Media Or Create A Website Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other accounts of your loved one may provide clues. Look at their friend’s social media accounts as well. Create social media pages about your missing loved one and provide updates throughout the day. Ask friends and family to repost your social media postings. You can also create a website that can accept tips about your missing loved one. Post pictures, physical description, last place seen, what they were last seen wearing and all other pertinent information.
If the person remains missing more than three days, ask the police to place them on the FBI’s nationwide computer network source, National Crime Information Center (NCIC) and list them as an “endangered person.” If it is clear to law enforcement that it is a mental health issue, they may be able to reduce the number of days required to register them with NCIC. Keep a record of the report with the cause number so you can follow up.
Law enforcement and other agencies cannot for a mentally ill person over the age of 21 to contact their loved ones and cannot hold them against their will unless they are a clear danger to themselves or others. They cannot be forced to get medical treatment either unless there is a medical guardianship or court order in place. Any person over the age of 18 that is reported missing and is found by law enforcement can refuse to return home or allow law enforcement to report their location as long as they are not mentally incapacitated. A person has the right to privacy. However, the private investigative agency you hire that is experienced in missing person’s cases is not bound by the same laws as law enforcement and other government agencies to withhold the missing person’s location from the loved ones who hired them.
Information To Gather On Your Missing Loved One For Law Enforcement And Your Private Investigator
If you suspect a loved one is missing immediately gather the following information in preparation for a professional and law enforcement to execute an investigation:
• Subject’s date of birth and full physical description.
• Most recent photographs. Include photos that show body type, various forms of appearances (hair styles/colors, make-up/no make-up, glasses/no glasses), tattoos or other identifying markings.
• The circumstances surrounding the disappearance and last location subject was last seen.
• Cellular telephone and cellular carrier.
• Computer and/or tablet.
• Description of clothing the subject was last seen wearing.
• The subject’s routine. (Time they wake up, hours they work/school, take lunch, route to work/school, stops they may make regularly, person’s they call regularly, etc.)
• Social media page names or addresses. Email addresses.
• Passwords. Include known previous passwords or suspected password combinations
• Access to any GPS app such as I phone’s “Find My” or “Life 360”
• Access to any tracking device a subject may have on their person such as jewelry.
• Work place or school addresses and phone numbers
• Name and contact information of work supervisor/teachers/coaches
• Names, phone numbers and addresses of friends and associates whether they be old or new associates. Include pictures and social media page names whenever possible.
• Immediately download the person’s social media pages so that all comments, tags, friends and preserved. If you are unable to download, screen record all posts, comments, tags, friends as you scroll through their page. Be sure to expand on all comment sections to preserve all content.
• A list of all persons the subject has had a former or present disagreement with. Include contact information whenever possible.
• Make/model of vehicle. Include license plate and any distinguishing features. (spoiler, roof rack, bumper stickers, etc.)
• List of all medication a subject may be prescribed.
• List of any medical condition the subject may have.
• List of known substances the subject may have taken in the past or present.
• List of individuals the subject may purchase drugs from. Include contact information and places they are known to hangout.
• Mail packaging of any gifts and gifts they may have received in the mail in recent times. (Groomers/recruiters will often lavish their targets with gifts to lure them in and gain their trust in their interest of them.)
• Banking institutions. Include their account numbers whenever possible.
• Names and addresses where the subject frequent. Include recently visited hangouts, coffee shops, malls, convenience stores they regularly fuel, etc.
• Names and contact information of any individual the subject may have mentioned has had a new or ongoing interest in them.
• Preserve hair, toothbrush, pillow case, or clothing that will have the subject’s DNA on them. Place them in a brown paper bag. Do not unnecessarily touch them.
*Please see our blog on Human Trafficking Facts and Precautions for related information on Missing Persons.
*Please see our blog on Safeguards In Case You Or A Loved One Goes Missing