How to Find a Missing Person

Are you looking for a family member, friend, or other loved one who has gone missing? Or maybe you’re searching for a biological parent or old friend, wondering where they are. You may not know where to start or how to increase your chances of finding them. We are here to help and we will discuss how to find a missing person in this article.

You should act quickly. The longer a person is missing, the harder it is to find them.

What Makes Someone A Missing Person?

Anyone who has not been seen or heard from in a short or long period of time is considered missing. Over 600,000 people go missing every year in the United States alone, 45% of which are under the age of 21. The vast majority of cases are classified as runaways, with less than one percent considered abductions.

TV shows and movies often say the police won’t consider a person missing until after 24 hours. That is not true! There is no waiting period on filing a missing persons report. The first 48 hours after someone has vanished are the most crucial. As time passes, solid evidence begins to fade. Local law enforcement can only do so much, so it may be up to you to hire a missing persons private investigator.

What to Do If Someone Goes Missing

Where do you start when looking for a missing person? It may feel like they could be anywhere, or anything could have happened. But there are places and circumstances that are more likely than others. So, you should start with the most common possibilities. Here is a list of the best ways to start your search:

Contact Other Immediate Family and Friends

Remember, 99% of missing person cases are runaways. The majority of missing person cases are solved quickly because the person often talks or turns to someone close to them. So, begin with obvious places. The first being immediate family members and friends who interact with the person frequently. Be sure to ask plenty of relevant questions, and if they don’t know where the person is, ask if they can help with the search.

Report it to the Police

Since there is no mandatory time period to file a report, do so as soon as you can. The faster the authorities are notified, the faster they can start looking as well. Be sure to give them plenty of information, so they understand the entire situation. This allows them to take the correct steps with their search. Also, remember that police departments are busy, so you should follow up with them. You need to become an advocate for the missing person.

Visit Locations They Frequent

While you don’t want to drive around aimlessly, it’s a great idea to check the local area, including places you know the person visits frequently. For example, if it’s a child and you know he loves a specific park, check that place first. It’s best to get a group of people together and divide and conquer the most likely locations.

Check Local Jails, Hospitals, and Homeless Shelters

If the missing person has a mental illness or a criminal background, you’ll want to check local and surrounding homeless shelters and jails. If a person commonly walks on a main road or was driving the day they went missing, you should also check local hospitals. It’s possible they were involved in a car accident. They may have also been attacked or injured in another way, so hospitals should always be on your list to contact.

Hire a Private Investigator

If you or the police are unable to find them quickly or you don’t want to waste any time, you can also hire a PI to expedite the search. Private investigators (PI) are trained professionals, who frequently work on missing persons cases. They can prioritize your case more easily than an often-overwhelmed police force.

Private Investigators are known to use search methods that normal people and even police departments don’t have access to. They can also work with police departments, pursue credible leads, look through surveillance videos, and much more.

Act Quickly

Remember, the first 48 hours are the most crucial, and the clock is ticking. As soon as you believe a person is missing, contact the police. Check with friends, frequented locations, hospitals, jails, and homeless shelters. You can use all the resources available to you by notifying the police and hiring a missing persons private investigator.

Castro Investigative Agency specializes in missing persons cases, with offices in New York City, Miami Florida, and Punta Cana Dominican Republic. If you are looking for a missing persons private investigator, contact us immediately for a free confidential consultation. We have helped clients find missing children, lost loved ones, relatives and friends nationally and internationally.