A missing person is someone who has vanished and whose status as living or dead cannot be determined due to a lack of information about their location and condition. A person might go missing for a variety of causes, including voluntary disappearance, an accident, a crime, death in an area where they cannot be located (such as at sea), and many others. A missing person is usually located swiftly in most regions of the world. Despite the fact that kidnappings are among the most publicly reported missing person instances, they only account for 2–5% of all missing children in Europe. Some missing person cases, on the other hand, go unsolved for years. The laws governing these cases are frequently complicated since, in many jurisdictions, relatives and other parties are prohibited from dealing with a person’s assets until their death has been legally established and an official death certificate has been issued. When a person goes missing, the situation, uncertainty, and lack of closure or a funeral can be tremendously distressing, with long-term consequences for family and friends. A widespread myth is that a person must be gone for at least 24 hours before being considered legally missing, however this is rarely the case. Law enforcement authorities frequently emphasize the importance of reporting a situation as soon as feasible. In fact, reporting a missing individual as soon as possible is critical. This is to ensure that appropriate action is taken within the crucial first 48 hours after a person is reported missing. The police will be able to question any eyewitness and obtain any suspect descriptions during these 48 hours when the incident is still fresh in their minds.
