A missing person is someone who has disappeared. The term is commonly used to refer to a child, but it can also be applied to adults. People can disappear in a number of circumstances, including armed conflict, enforced disappearance, migration and natural disasters. People may also disappear due to personal reasons such as mental illness, drug or alcohol problems and family/personal conflicts.
The first step in finding a missing person is to file a police report with the police station in the jurisdiction where they lived. This will ensure that their status is recorded and that the case is entered into a national database accessible to other police departments across the country.
Once a missing person is reported, it is important to keep searching. As time passes evidence may deteriorate, witness information may be lost, and the risk of harm to the person increases.
Some tips for searchers include contacting the missing person’s friends, coworkers and family members to see if they have heard from them or have any information. Contacting all locations that the missing person frequents (such as cab companies, schools, restaurants and places of worship) and checking in with local psychiatric units can be useful too.
It is also helpful to have a good photo of the missing person, which can be used for a flyer or social media campaign to raise awareness of the situation. Posters should be placed at the person’s last known location and in areas that they frequent, such as work and school. It is also a good idea to ask friends and coworkers to share the poster on their social media accounts.
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