A missing person is a person who has disappeared and whose status as alive or dead cannot be confirmed. People can go missing for many reasons. In general, children and older adults are more likely to disappear. Many people who disappear go willingly; however, others may be abducted by a criminal or otherwise involuntarily removed from their homes or places of residence. People can also be lost at sea or in the wilderness.
In the US, people who go missing are often reported to a police department or other law enforcement agency. Police then enter the missing person into a state or national law enforcement database. In some cases, missing persons are featured on local and national news programs or in the media. People who go missing are often pictured on milk cartons, posters and postcards. Various charities exist to help with unsolved missing person cases.
Some people who go missing are never found and are presumed dead. In these cases, relatives and third parties are not allowed to deal with a person’s assets until their death is confirmed by law. The loss of a loved one and the inability to plan their funeral can have a profound impact on family and friends.
If someone close to you goes missing, contact your local police department as soon as possible. Provide them with as much information as you can about the person, including when and where they were last seen. You can ask the police to enter them into the national missing persons clearinghouse as an endangered adult, which will make their case more visible to investigators across the country.
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