Whether it is an adopted child searching for their biological parents, or a person who is not paying child support, missing persons can present a complex situation for family members. In some cases the individual has been abducted, and in others they have voluntarily gone missing. Regardless of the circumstances, there are a number of real methods for locating missing persons and determining why they went missing is always an important first step.
Often, missing persons are found because people that know them start to share information. This can lead to considerably more manpower and resources being roped into the search, increasing the likelihood of finding the missing person. This is often referred to as ‘tip-offs’ and can be very helpful, but it is imperative that they are reported to law enforcement agencies as soon as possible.
If you can, get the word out – call local radio and TV stations and try to get them to run a story on your loved one’s disappearance. This can help with getting the missing person’s name in the public domain and also attract more volunteers to help with the search.
Be sure to provide law enforcement with as much information on the missing person as possible, including any nicknames or aliases. It is also important to note the date of their last known sighting, their height, weight and any other unique identifiers such as scars, tattoos, piercings etc.