Many people like to go off the grid or disappear, but what if that person has been kidnapped or murdered? Do you still report them as missing or let them be? You hear tales all of the time, but some people do change their names because they want to leave their old life behind, so how do you decide to report someone missing or not?
I believe that if you have good reasons to believe someone has been kidnapped or even murdered you should report them missing. If you fear for their safety then IMHO, that's a good enough reason to report that person as missing.
I think that if your worried about a person and you have cause for concern, then you've got every right to report it to the authorities. If they agree then they will look into it and form their own conclusions. If that person has simply changed their name, moved on and away from their previous life then as long as the police are satisfied then that will have to be good enough for you aswell.
If the person is a minor I would be worried and report them to the police immediately. If they're someone older, has experience in the world and presumably has money then it's a personal choice for them and we should just let it go. They'll communicate in the right time. They're probably soul searching so leave them be.
ehh.. really? What responsible adult just takes off for weeks or months without saying a word to anyone? seriously... If someone has just disappeared and they don't show up for a while then of course you should report it.
This reminds me of a real life event that happened with the same issue. My mother's boss lost her daughter. They were just shopping in the mall when her daughter suddenly disappeared. She filed reports in the police and notified other people who might know her daughter about the event. She posted her daughter's pictures on bulletin boards and newspapers as well. Years passed by and her daughter cannot be found. Then one day, she received a phone call. It is her daughter calling to let her know that she's okay and that she wasn't kidnapped or anything. She just went away with her boyfriend and they already have a family. I don't know what else happened after though since this only what my mom told me. Anyway, like they say, you cannot find someone who doesn't want to be found. There's a tinge of truth in that. So it's best to stick to your gut feeling and decide for yourself if you would want to seek help in finding a missing person. After all, if it's a person you love, you won't care how much money, time or effort you have lost until you can find him or her.
This is true and why I asked. Some people want to get away from all those they knew and start again. Yes, you have to respect that when they are adults so there is a 50/50 chance of that being the case, or the other, that someone has murdered them or has them locked up somewhere. Before we report the person missing, we will see if anyone they knew has any other contact details. The question is, if we assume the outcome is as in the above case, all is fine, but if it is the other scenario, then someone may have gotten away with murder or a kidnap?
Yes, many people want that. And a lot of people do it. Whether it's moving to a new city, new country, etc. But just disappearing isn't the way to go, imagine the worry you cause your friends and family if you just vanish. Better to just let them know that you need a new start somewhere else before leaving.
If you know someone very good you will probably know his daily routines at least some of them and if he or she is off the grid for too long and that happened in some strange way, without saying a word or not returning home, you should contact their families and then report missing. It is not unusual that people get kidnapped while running or just on their way to work. These situations have to dealt with caution and with pace.
If the person isn't someone that normally goes somewhere without telling friends and family, I would definitely report it to the authorities if I don't see the for more than a day. I have friends that just disappear for a week and then they'll call you up of of the blue. I don't usually worry about those people.
