An internal audit has appeared on the impending schedule and it’s time to make sure that your house is in order. After all, your procedures are about to be combed through in depth and faults and flaws brought to the surface. When faced with this prospect, it is vital to take proactive action, thinking through and identifying potential weak areas. But not only that; the internal audit is a collaborative process that can either reward or reprove. Preparations are key, and a skilled corporate investigator can help you lay the foundation for a prosperous outcome. Let’s examine the process a little more closely.
Aligning With the Objectives of the Internal Audit Process
Internal audits are conducted in an effort to minimize risk and optimize business operations. This will include things like confirming legal compliance and adherence to company policies, safeguarding various assets, preventing fraud and other forms of white collar crime, and ensuring the strength and efficiency of practices.
To yield positive results from this process, it is key to understand the objectives and risks of the undertaking in relation to your unique enterprise—failure to do so will potentially see you blind-sided by obligations following the internal audit’s results. If the behaviours of your team have diverged dramatically from policies, procedures, and business goals, knowing this ahead of time can help you prepare for what’s coming, as well as enabling you to contribute to the course of the internal investigation’s conclusions and follow up.
Crucially, many internal auditors are trained on measuring the metrics that dictate whether standards and requirements are being met, however they may not be experts on the intricate realities of your particular field. Even armed with the goal to steer you toward compliance and help you achieve higher standards moving forwards, their input may make unwelcome waves.
Your tactical preparation for this assessment can help you work with them to meet the targets in question, rather than allowing conclusions drawn to side-track your department’s progress. Who better to help you prepare than a corporate investigator able to approach the internal audit process with comprehension of both perspectives?
Help In Developing An Effective Audit Program
If, in contrast, you are an executive charged with developing an effective internal audit program, drawing upon expert assistance can be invaluable. After all, an internal audit is only as effective as its scope is comprehensive. A corporate investigations specialist from Lauth Investigations International will offer essential guidance in curating an effective strategy.
Extensively versed in designing and conducting corporate audits and investigations, we understand the necessity to develop bespoke internal audit solutions that not only ensure that every ‘i’ is dotted and ‘t’ crossed, but also that operations, assets, integrity, and—crucially—corporate culture are elevated through the auditing process. Our veteran corporate investigations and auditing specialists can assist all branches of business in preparation ahead an internal audit, helping them ensure that they have shone a light into every dark crevice and corner, and are armed with the information and strategies required to make the process as painless and constructive as possible.
For companies aiming to establish or reinvent their internal audit processes, we can both aid in the development of tailored auditing practices as well as offering comprehensive Corporate Culture Audits that assess every facet of an organization’s operations in order to propel it towards its full potential. To discover more about internal audit support from the Lauth team, contact us today.
In every single industry—and on worksites across America—the everyday efforts, creativity, and innovation of entire teams have to stay within the lines of a certain rule book. External laws and regulations, internal policies and procedures, and an overarching Code of Conduct is something that every employee is subject to, and straying can have serious consequences. If these words echo as eerily familiar due to current circumstances, then this article is for you. Preparing for a worksite compliance investigation can make the ground beneath your feet feel unstable, but knowing what to expect, and crucially, what actions to take next will help you reclaim firm footing.
Getting Ahead of a Worksite Compliance Investigation
Compliance investigations come in several different forms, depending upon what triggers them, and the industry in question. If a non-compliance complaint lands on your own desk, you may need to quickly mount an internal compliance investigation alongside considering whether you need to report the incident to any external party or authority. If the complaint was made externally—by your client or any other party—then you may receive notice that you’re going to be subject to an external compliance investigation.
If the latter is the case, you might feel tempted to have a Chicken Little moment. But take heart, because the sky is not falling in just yet. The only course of action is to get ahead of the issue, and take strategic action fast. However, this needs to be well thought out, because in certain cases, the consequences of non-compliance can be severe. Launching an internal investigation when you’re already under the microscope can draw an accusation of bias, which may undermine honest actions, casting them as an attempt to protect yourself against justified liability.
The best possible collaborator at this time is an external and impartial third-party investigator who can help you get the lay of the land, uncover the facts, gather and compile evidence, and aid you ahead of any possible fall out. Not only will a skilled corporate investigator be able to adeptly draw the puzzle pieces together ahead of a formal compliance investigation, but they’ll be able to coordinate with your legal council, and even provide witness testimony should the need arise.
If your compliance investigation remains internal in nature, then don’t write off the third-party investigator’s skill set here either. That hot potato of a word—bias—can mean all sorts of legal trouble if a complaint is serious enough, and being able to demonstrate that your investigation and findings are flawlessly impartial can be a reward that only reveals its true value a little further down the road.
The Complexities of a Compliance Investigation
While some forms of worksite investigation can be handled internally—by your HR team or even by leadership—others are complex enough to warrant seeking expert guidance. Failures of compliance can mean worrying legal ramifications for companies large and small. As such, a properly trained investigator is ideally poised to ensure that what follows will be cost effective, thorough, and free from costly mistakes.
Whether you are the one who will act upon the findings of your investigator, or whether you’ll be able to hand that meticulously documented file to an authority figure, having confidence that your own compliance investigation was by the book can be invaluable. Calling on the assistance of an impartial corporate investigator from Lauth Investigations International allows total peace of mind that all evidence has been gathered, documentation has been correctly and chronologically compiled, confidences honored, interviews conducted with the proper technique, and no legal missteps made. So, take the sting out of the tail of your impending worksite compliance investigation with our industry-tailored services. The Lauth Investigations team are ready and waiting to answer your questions, so reach out for a no-obligation consultation today.
Nursing home abuse is a heinous crime in which residents of long-term care facilities are subjected to neglect, abuse, and dehumanizing treatment at the hands of their abusers. One of the most undoubtedly vulnerable swaths of the populations are the elderly and infirm. People who have lived long, full lives, but now require extra help with caring for themselves. Some families are fortunate enough to be able to afford in-home care for their aging parents, grandparents, or loved ones. However, many families have to face the difficult decision to place their elderly and infirm loved ones in a nursing home, hospice, or another type of long-term care facility.
The statistics surrounding nursing home abuse are alarming, even under the most forgiving of parameters. A 2012 study found that around 85% of assisted living facilities reported at least a single case of abuse or neglect on behalf of caregivers. That’s not counting cases that go unnoticed or unreported. The decision to place loved ones in a long-term care facility is already a difficult one, with hand-wringing families left wondering whether or not their loved one will be cared for well and how they will fare inside. Families may spend weeks, if not months, exercising due-diligence and vetting potential care facilities in order to ensure that their families get the best of care. However, sometimes families can still be caught off-guard when allegations of nursing home abuse arise after they’ve placed their loved ones.
Nursing home abuse can take multiple forms, and it’s important that families and professionals educate themselves in order to be advocates for the residents. These are problems that are often caused by operational issues within the facility itself, such as poor hiring processes, understaffing, improper training, and burnout amongst caretakers. There is also a myriad of socioeconomic and financial factors that can further exacerbate these problems. That is why it’s important for facility administration and families alike to know the signs of nursing home abuse so there can be swift and diligent intervention.
Physical abuse: Nursing home staff directly and physically abuse residents with acts like, pushing, kicking, pinching, or even manipulating their medication. This type of abuse is typically the easiest to recognize, but is also the greatest threat to their person.
Signs: Bruises, burns, welts, bedsores, pressure ulcers, cuts, lacerations, broken bones, head/dental injuries, dehydration, malnutrition, repetitive bouts of illness or infection, poor personal hygiene.
Emotional abuse: This type of abuse includes demeaning and humiliating patients, and also keeping their friends and family at arms-length in order to isolate them from other points of contact that might expose abuse. Despite the lack of physicality in this type of abuse, affected residents can develop severe anxiety and depression as a result.
Signs: Anxiety, depression, change in personality, exhibition of aggressive or violent behavior, substance abuse, suicidal ideation/actions.
Nursing home neglect: Abuse doesn’t have to be direct in order to have harmful effects. When residents are left unattended, typically to disorganization and understaffing.
Signs: bedsores, malnutrition or dehydration, unchanged clothes and filthy bedsheets, new or worsening infections.
Sexual abuse: However horrifying it sounds, residents in nursing homes and long-term care facilities can also be the targets of sexual battery or abuse. Nursing home residents are some of the most vulnerable in the population, and are more likely to be abused due to their inability to fight back, articulate consent, and inability to disclose.
Signs: Bruises or welts around the genitals, unexplainable STDs, inappropriate physical contact with staff.
Financial abuse: For a myriad of reasons, residents of nursing homes might be unable to manage their own finances. This makes them a prime target for scammers and abusers. Putting aside the petty theft that can take place where caretakers take small items of value from their rooms, financial abuse can also occur on a much larger scale in the form of check fraud.
Signs: Strange bank transactions or charges, new credit cards or bank accounts in the resident’s name, or a new change in power of attorney.
When it comes to finding proof of nursing home abuse, it can be tricky. Depending on the facility, faculty and administration may be uncooperative with families who are accusing their staff of abuse. They can stonewall requests for records or meetings with administration, or cover up for staff members who have a history of abusing patients in order to prevent legal action. A private investigator could be the perfect professional to investigate claims of nursing home abuse. Private investigators are licensed by the state and have access to verified databases comparable to that of law enforcement that allow them to run background checks on subjects in the investigation, from administration to caretakers. They can also look up the facility’s litigation records to determine whether or not they have a history of litigation with the families of residents. Private investigators can go undercover to infiltrate the facility and document the unseen factors such as living conditions, treatment of residents, and the oversight of administration.
If you have need of a private investigator for a nursing home abuse investigation, call Lauth Investigations International today for a free quote on our investigation services and learn how we can help your family get clarity in crucial matters. Call today at 317-951-1100 or visit us online at www.lauthinvestigations.com. When it comes to the safety of your loved ones, you deserve facts, not fiction.
According to the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) at the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), there are 86,927 active missing person cases as of April 30, 2018. These cases include juvenile disappearances, endangered missing, involuntary or “non-family” abductions, those with disabilities, catastrophe victims and those entered into NCIC as “other.”
When a person we love goes missing, a time of great emotional turmoil and intense ambiguity follows. Dr. Pauline Boss said decades ago, having a loved one go missing is one of the most traumatic of human experiences.
Not only are families trying to manage the trauma of “not knowing” where their loved one is, they must quickly learn to maneuver the legal system. When do you report a loved one missing? What happens when police get involved? What can you do to help find a missing person? These are just a few of the questions a family of a missing person is facing.
Unfortunately, there is no handbook to fully educate someone as to what do to and how to emotionally handle the initial shock or help maintain the energy needed to find a loved one who has mysteriously vanished. However, there are many things you can do to help find a missing loved one and help reduce stress for family members.
There are various contributors to cause a person to go missing. A family member may suffer from Alzheimer’s or mental illness, they may be a victim of domestic violence, live a “high risk” lifestyle, even be a victim of a vehicular accident. There are also disappearances that cannot be immediately explained.
The key to increasing the chances of finding a missing person safe is acting fast and initiating a search effort as soon as possible. From making the initial missing person report and engaging the public to hiring a private investigator, there is much to expedite finding a missing loved one.
1. Contact Authorities
Making a police report is the first and most vital step in initiating a search for a missing person. Filing a police report ensures local law enforcement is alerted to the disappearance and can assess the situation to determine if the person may be in danger and if an investigation needs to be conducted.
When a child goes missing, law enforcement is required by federal mandate to take the report immediately and enter the child’s information into the National Crime Information Center at the FBI. However, when an adult goes missing, law enforcement is not required to take an immediate report or enter the person into NCIC and may cite a 24-48 hour waiting period as policy. There is no federal mandate requiring law enforcement to wait to take a report. It helps to be calm while insisting they take a report.
Though many law enforcement agencies will take an immediate report, it is recommended to inform officers of anything to classify the person as endangered such as needing medications for a medical condition, suffering from mental illness, being a danger to themselves or others, a domestic violence situation, any threats the person may have received, a situation where it is out of normal behavior to vanish for any length of time. For example, if a mother regularly picks up her child at daycare and fails to arrive to pick their child up, this would be considered out of the behavioral norm.
Be prepared to provide authorities with the missing person’s descriptive information, a current photograph, a list of places the person frequents, list of friends and family, description of the missing person’s vehicle, a list of possessions missing or left behind, etc.
Once a report has been filed, be sure to keep a copy. Also request the NCIC number (this reflects the person has been entered into the national FBI database and available nationwide to all law enforcement, medical examiners, and Coroners).
Regardless of the circumstance of the disappearance, making a police report is beneficial.
2. Keep a Log
Keeping a log with the full names and contact information of all people you talk to is important in maintaining good communication with everyone involved in the search for the missing person and staying organized.
It is easy to feel overwhelmed when making numerous phone calls, sending emails, etc. Keeping a log is a simple but important way to stay organized and maintain effectiveness, in addition to reducing stress.
3. Contact Family, Friends and Coworkers
Many times, a simple lack of communication can occur, and a missing person can be found by contacting family, friends, and coworkers.
Even after making a missing person report to police, be sure to reach out to others to find out if they have seen the individual or told where the person may be going. Life can become busy and simple miscommunication can contribute to a person being out of touch for extended periods of time. Cover all your bases by calling or texting friends to find out if they have heard from the missing person.
4. Social Networks
Social networks like Facebook can be integral to the search for a missing person from the moment the person is missing to an ongoing search if necessary.
Look at the missing person’s social media pages for their last posts, any information about their plans and even state of mind. Look to see if they received any harassing or strange communications from others.
Contact Facebook friends and ask if they have heard from or seen the missing person. It is important to provide any pertinent information you receive from others to the investigating law enforcement agency.
Also, Facebook and Instagram are the perfect places to obtain current photographs of the missing person to be provided to law enforcement and to make fliers.
5. Contact Jails, Homeless Shelters, Hospitals and Morgues
It is important to remain cognizant of law enforcement’s limitations when searching for a missing person, especially adults as they have a right to go missing if they so choose.
As difficult as it can be, it is necessary to contact hospitals and morgues to see if the individual is injured in the hospital or unidentified in a morgue. This can be a very difficult task and you may want to ask a friend or family member to help make the calls.
6. Register the Missing Person with Organizations Offering Resources
If you are searching for a missing child, call the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) as soon as possible. NCMEC specializes in providing services for families and children who are missing. NCMEC can be reached at 1-800-THE-LOST (800-843-5678).
For families searching for someone with mental illness, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) provides resources for families. Their website also offers many resources.
Contact the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NAMUS) at www.findthemissing.org or www.namus.org. NAMUS is a powerful resource where information about missing persons is entered by family members of missing persons, the criminal justice community, law enforcement, and medical examiners and is publicly accessible.
7. Make a One-Page Flyer
Make a one-page flyer of the missing person. The flyer should contain the following:
Preferably two current photographs of the missing person
Full name
Height, Weight, Age
Photo of vehicle and license plate
Place last seen
Phone number of investigating law enforcement
*NOTE: It is recommended you never place your own phone number or contact information on a missing person flyer. First, it is very important calls are handled by a professional so as not to compromise an investigation. Second, many times families will receive cruel, harassing, and misleading calls from the public and it is very important to protect yourself and your family by buffering these calls.
Engage the public by asking community store owners to hang signs in their place of businesses. Place one at your local post office and anywhere you can legally hang a public notice.
8. Create a Website and Social Media Page
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and other social network sites can be instrumental when searching for a missing loved one, especially if they are not found immediately. With any missing person case, it is important to maintain awareness and keep the public engaged in the search.
Create a site with an engaging name like “Find Jane Doe” or “Missing Jane Smith”. This will help bring your page up in Google and related search results.
Post recent pictures and include specific descriptive information to include the clothing they were last wearing, jewelry, glasses, tattoos, scars, etc.
Upload a PDF version of the flier so others can share and download to post in their communities.
If your loved one has a mental illness, you may want to simply say the person is “endangered” due to a medical condition or vulnerable and needs medications.
Add links to any news stories.
Upload a video and make a personal public appeal.
Make sure to provide the investigating law enforcement agency’s number and encourage people to call them directly with information and leads.
9. Alert your Local Newspapers and Media
Getting local media to assist can sometimes be difficult. News stations are not likely to cover a missing person story unless it comes from law enforcement. It is much easier if law enforcement puts out a press release indicating a person is in danger. Speak to the detectives and ask if they will issue a press release.
10. Hiring a Private Investigator
When is it time to hire a private investigator? There is no easy answer, but it is encouraged to consult with one early on, especially if the person has not returned home within a few days.
Because there is only so much law enforcement can do, at times finding the missing person requires additional assistance, both professional and specialized.
A missing person private investigator has access to databases and systems the general public does not, making finding a missing person a much easier task. An experienced private detective with experience working with law enforcement can be an asset to a missing person investigation, and can ease the burden off families, allowing family and friends to concentrate on other efforts, like social networking and keeping the public engaged.
Experienced private investigators can access information, interview witnesses and community members in order to generate new leads for an investigation, sharing information with the investigating law enforcement agency to ensure all rocks are being overturned.
Because their missing person private investigation services are being paid for, a private investigator will ensure locating the missing person has their full attention.
It is also advisable to look for a missing person private investigator who has experience working with media, so they may comment on the case without compromising law enforcement’s investigation.
About Kym L. Pasqualini
Kym Pasqualini is founder and served as CEO for the Nation’s Missing Children Organization and National Center for Missing Adults from 1994-2010. Kym has worked with media world-wide and quoted in publications such as People Magazine, Cosmopolitan, Glamour. Kym has appeared in local and national media to include CNN, FOX, BBC, Montel Williams and the John Walsh Show. Kym continues to work with families of the missing and law enforcement nationwide.
Why Private Investigators Have an Advantage Over Police
For months, the family of 5-year-old Lucas Hernandez wondered if they would ever have answers in his mysterious disappearance. On the day he disappeared, he was left in the care of his father’s girlfriend, Emily Glass. In the missing persons report, Glass told investigators on February 17th, 2018, she saw Lucas playing in his room around three in the afternoon. She then took a shower and fell asleep. When she awoke around six in the evening, Lucas was nowhere to be found.
Law enforcement in Wichita investigated for months, unearthing no credible leads into Lucas’ disappearance. Months later, on May 24th, locals were shocked after a private investigator blew the case wide open by informing law enforcement Emily Glass had led them to the decomposing remains of little Lucas under a nearby bridge. Why would Glass, after dealing with law enforcement for months, only then break her silence regarding her knowledge of the little boy’s body? The answer is as simple as this: Private investigators have advantages law enforcement do not when it comes to conducting concurrent independent investigations in criminal and missing persons cases.
So how is a private investigator’s approach different from the approach of a local, state, or federal law enforcement agency? The first thing to consider is the caseload of most law enforcement agencies. From the moment an initial report is made, in both criminal and missing persons cases, law enforcement have the meticulous and overwhelming task of gathering evidence to build a case that will secure justice on behalf of the victims and the state. Crime scenes need to be mined for evidence by medical examiners and crime scene technicians. Detectives and other investigators need to canvass witnesses—sometimes dozens of people—in the area who might have seen or heard something. Now imagine the workload of one case multiplied by 40 or 50 times. An audit conducted in Portland Oregon in 2007 reviewed law enforcement data from Portland itself, and nine other surrounding cities, to conclude the average caseload for a detective in Portland was a median of 54. This is compared to a 5-year average of 56 cases. Knowing statistics like these are similar in law enforcement agencies all across the country, it’s easy to see how the progress of cases might slow to a crawl. Agencies are overwhelmed, and this is where private investigators have the advantage. Private investigators may only handle one or two cases at a time, giving them their full focus and attention. Wichita law enforcement might have faced similar challenges of an overwhelming caseload when it came to investigating Lucas Hernandez’s disappearance. An article released by the Wichita Eagle in mid-December of 2017 revealed, as of publication, there were still ten homicides from the year 2017 remaining unsolved as the new year approached.
Another compelling advantage for private investigators might initially sound like a disadvantage: Private investigators have no powers of arrest. It seems counter-intuitive that a private investigator may use the same tools as law enforcement, ask the same questions, and may even come to the same conclusion as law enforcement without the ability to arrest a suspect for the crime. However, the case of Hernandez showcased exactly why a private investigator—and their inability to arrest—broke the case wide open. Jim Murray of Star Investigations told KMBC News in Kansas, “We’re less of a threat sometimes to people that we’re talking to because we have no powers of arrest,” said Jim. “We can’t arrest them.” This could explain why Emily Glass finally led a private investigator to Lucas’s body, because she knew they could not put handcuffs on her in that moment.
Unfortunately, family members and locals will never have the truth about what happened to Lucas. In the wake of the private investigator’s discovery, autopsy reports were found to be inconsistent with what Glass told both police and the PI, but before the People could build a case against her, Glass was found dead from an apparent suicide. However, were it not for the efforts of the private investigator, Lucas’s father may never have had answers in his son’s disappearance.
Carie McMichael is the Communications and Media Specialist for Lauth Investigations International, writing about investigative topics such as missing persons and corporate investigations. To learn more about what we do, please visit our website.
According to the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) at the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), there are 86,927 active missing person cases as of April 30, 2018. These cases include juvenile disappearances, endangered missing, involuntary or “non-family” abductions, those with disabilities, catastrophe victims and those entered into NCIC as “other.”
When a person we love goes missing, a time of great emotional turmoil and intense ambiguity follows. Dr. Pauline Boss said decades ago, having a loved one go missing is one of the most traumatic of human experiences.
Not only are families trying to manage the trauma of “not knowing” where their loved one is, they must quickly learn to maneuver the legal system. When do you report a loved one missing? What happens when police get involved? What can you do to help find a missing person? These are just a few of the questions a family of a missing person is facing.
Unfortunately, there is no handbook to fully educate someone as to what do to and how to emotionally handle the initial shock or help maintain the energy needed to find a loved one who has mysteriously vanished. However, there are many things you can do to help find a missing loved one and help reduce stress for family members.
There are various contributors to cause a person to go missing. A family member may suffer from Alzheimer’s or mental illness, they may be a victim of domestic violence, live a “high risk” lifestyle, even be a victim of a vehicular accident. There are also disappearances that cannot be immediately explained.
The key to increasing the chances of finding a missing person safe is acting fast and initiating a search effort as soon as possible. From making the initial missing person report and engaging the public to hiring a private investigator, there is much to expedite finding a missing loved one.
1. Contact Authorities
Making a police report is the first and most vital step in initiating a search for a missing person. Filing a police report ensures local law enforcement is alerted to the disappearance and can assess the situation to determine if the person may be in danger and if an investigation needs to be conducted.
When a child goes missing, law enforcement is required by federal mandate to take the report immediately and enter the child’s information into the National Crime Information Center at the FBI. However, when an adult goes missing, law enforcement is not required to take an immediate report or enter the person into NCIC and may cite a 24-48 hour waiting period as policy. There is no federal mandate requiring law enforcement to wait to take a report. It helps to be calm while insisting they take a report.
Though many law enforcement agencies will take an immediate report, it is recommended to inform officers of anything to classify the person as endangered such as needing medications for a medical condition, suffering from mental illness, being a danger to themselves or others, a domestic violence situation, any threats the person may have received, a situation where it is out of normal behavior to vanish for any length of time. For example, if a mother regularly picks up her child at daycare and fails to arrive to pick their child up, this would be considered out of the behavioral norm.
Be prepared to provide authorities with the missing person’s descriptive information, a current photograph, a list of places the person frequents, list of friends and family, description of the missing person’s vehicle, a list of possessions missing or left behind, etc.
Once a report has been filed, be sure to keep a copy. Also request the NCIC number (this reflects the person has been entered into the national FBI database and available nationwide to all law enforcement, medical examiners, and Coroners).
Regardless of the circumstance of the disappearance, making a police report is beneficial.
2. Keep a Log
Keeping a log with the full names and contact information of all people you talk to is important in maintaining good communication with everyone involved in the search for the missing person and staying organized.
It is easy to feel overwhelmed when making numerous phone calls, sending emails, etc. Keeping a log is a simple but important way to stay organized and maintain effectiveness, in addition to reducing stress.
3. Contact Family, Friends and Coworkers
Many times, a simple lack of communication can occur, and a missing person can be found by contacting family, friends, and coworkers.
Even after making a missing person report to police, be sure to reach out to others to find out if they have seen the individual or told where the person may be going. Life can become busy and simple miscommunication can contribute to a person being out of touch for extended periods of time. Cover all your bases by calling or texting friends to find out if they have heard from the missing person.
4. Social Networks
Social networks like Facebook can be integral to the search for a missing person from the moment the person is missing to an ongoing search if necessary.
Look at the missing person’s social media pages for their last posts, any information about their plans and even state of mind. Look to see if they received any harassing or strange communications from others.
Contact Facebook friends and ask if they have heard from or seen the missing person. It is important to provide any pertinent information you receive from others to the investigating law enforcement agency.
Also, Facebook and Instagram are the perfect places to obtain current photographs of the missing person to be provided to law enforcement and to make fliers.
5. Contact Jails, Homeless Shelters, Hospitals and Morgues
It is important to remain cognizant of law enforcement’s limitations when searching for a missing person, especially adults as they have a right to go missing if they so choose.
As difficult as it can be, it is necessary to contact hospitals and morgues to see if the individual is injured in the hospital or unidentified in a morgue. This can be a very difficult task and you may want to ask a friend or family member to help make the calls.
6. Register the Missing Person with Organizations Offering Resources
If you are searching for a missing child, call the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) as soon as possible. NCMEC specializes in providing services for families and children who are missing. NCMEC can be reached at 1-800-THE-LOST (800-843-5678).
For families searching for someone with mental illness, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) provides resources for families. Their website also offers many resources.
Contact the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NAMUS) at www.findthemissing.org or www.namus.org. NAMUS is a powerful resource where information about missing persons is entered by family members of missing persons, the criminal justice community, law enforcement, and medical examiners and is publicly accessible.
7. Make a One-Page Flyer
Make a one-page flyer of the missing person. The flyer should contain the following:
Preferably two current photographs of the missing person
Full name
Height, Weight, Age
Photo of vehicle and license plate
Place last seen
Phone number of investigating law enforcement
*NOTE: It is recommended you never place your own phone number or contact information on a missing person flyer. First, it is very important calls are handled by a professional so as not to compromise an investigation. Second, many times families will receive cruel, harassing, and misleading calls from the public and it is very important to protect yourself and your family by buffering these calls.
Engage the public by asking community store owners to hang signs in their place of businesses. Place one at your local post office and anywhere you can legally hang a public notice.
8. Create a Website and Social Media Page
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and other social network sites can be instrumental when searching for a missing loved one, especially if they are not found immediately. With any missing person case, it is important to maintain awareness and keep the public engaged in the search.
Create a site with an engaging name like “Find Jane Doe” or “Missing Jane Smith”. This will help bring your page up in Google and related search results.
Post recent pictures and include specific descriptive information to include the clothing they were last wearing, jewelry, glasses, tattoos, scars, etc.
Upload a PDF version of the flier so others can share and download to post in their communities.
If your loved one has a mental illness, you may want to simply say the person is “endangered” due to a medical condition or vulnerable and needs medications.
Add links to any news stories.
Upload a video and make a personal public appeal.
Make sure to provide the investigating law enforcement agency’s number and encourage people to call them directly with information and leads.
9. Alert your Local Newspapers and Media
Getting local media to assist can sometimes be difficult. News stations are not likely to cover a missing person story unless it comes from law enforcement. It is much easier if law enforcement puts out a press release indicating a person is in danger. Speak to the detectives and ask if they will issue a press release.
10. Hiring a Private Investigator
When is it time to hire a private investigator? There is no easy answer, but it is encouraged to consult with one early on, especially if the person has not returned home within a few days.
Because there is only so much law enforcement can do, at times finding the missing person requires additional assistance, both professional and specialized.
A missing person private investigator has access to databases and systems the general public does not, making finding a missing person a much easier task. An experienced private detective with experience working with law enforcement can be an asset to a missing person investigation, and can ease the burden off families, allowing family and friends to concentrate on other efforts, like social networking and keeping the public engaged.
Experienced private investigators can access information, interview witnesses and community members in order to generate new leads for an investigation, sharing information with the investigating law enforcement agency to ensure all rocks are being overturned.
Because their missing person private investigation services are being paid for, a private investigator will ensure locating the missing person has their full attention.
It is also advisable to look for a missing person private investigator who has experience working with media, so they may comment on the case without compromising law enforcement’s investigation.
About Kym L. Pasqualini
Kym Pasqualini is founder and served as CEO for the Nation’s Missing Children Organization and National Center for Missing Adults from 1994-2010. Kym has worked with media world-wide and quoted in publications such as People Magazine, Cosmopolitan, Glamour. Kym has appeared in local and national media to include CNN, FOX, BBC, Montel Williams and the John Walsh Show. Kym continues to work with families of the missing and law enforcement nationwide.
Unfortunately, family members and locals will never have the truth about what happened to Lucas. In the wake of the private investigator’s discovery, autopsy reports were found to be inconsistent with what Glass told both police and the PI, but before the People could build a case against her, Glass was found dead from an apparent suicide. However, were it not for the efforts of the private investigator, Lucas’s father may never have had answers in his son’s disappearance.