The number of missing children and adults seem to be on the rise. Every time I read a newspaper, turn on a news network or read online data, I find that there is an amber alert for a child or a report of some missing person. I wonder if we have more access to this information or if there is truly a rising increase in the number of missing people. I also wonder why we cannot issue amber alerts for adults as well as for children. I personally think that amber alerts for adults may increase finding missing teenagers, college students, and adults faster than waiting 24 hours before an official report can be made and law enforcement begins to investigate their disappearance. Every adult and teenager do not just disappear on their own accord. Expediting the ability to make their disappearance known earlier could make finding them and the person or people responsible much easier. We always hope that any missing child, teenager, college student or adult can be found alive and safe.
Babies, toddlers, teenagers, college students and adults are among the growing total of people missing in this country. It never ceases to amaze me how often we find a baby safe when amber alerts are put into place quickly. We may not always get the outcome we so desire, but we will sigh in relief when the child is returned to his or her family. Unfortunately, we do have cases when children are killed by a fleeing parent, a murderer or whomever took the child from their home, a park, a car, a daycare, or the number of other locations that people take helpless children.
Nevertheless, teenagers, college students and adults do not normally get this type of alert unless their is clear evidence that a domestic situation has occurred and the suspect is identified. In these cases, if there is enough evidence to warrant action, action may be taken. However, actions for teenagers, college students and adults are limited due to the age of the missing person and the terms of identifying a missing person in particular jurisdictions, cities, towns and states. There is no universal law that requires immediate action for teenagers and those over 18 years of age. In many cases, you still must wait 24 hours until a report can be made and before police will begin investigating that missing person.
I am thankful that more media outlets are putting the word out there about missing people. If there is a description of the last known location, a vehicle, what a person was wearing or telephone records, it may help police to find them. However, finding them lasts for several weeks and the outcome is not normally alive and safe.
It is very difficult for families and friends to have to search on their own for their missing child, parent, sibling or other teenager, college student or adults because their disappearance is deemed as not as urgent as it would be if it were a minor child. Each person is a relative of some person and we should work towards ensuring that we make the same effort to find all missing persons.
Any missing child requires an amber alert. I believe that any missing person should get that same amber alert. It could save many more lives.
