Missing a loved one — what to do first

If someone you love is missing, the first hours matter and the steps are simpler than the panic suggests. There is no waiting period — not for a child, not in Florida. Start now. Anyone who tells you to wait 24 or 48 hours is wrong.

1. Call local law enforcement — immediately. Dial 911 or your local police or sheriff. They enter your loved one into the national NCIC database and start the search. Have ready, written down if you can: full name, date of birth, height, weight, hair and eye color, identifying marks, what they were wearing, and where they were last seen.
2. In Florida, ask about the alert plans. Only law enforcement can request an alert — tell the responding officer which plan your loved one may qualify for and ask them to contact FDLE's Missing Endangered Persons Information Clearinghouse (MEPIC): AMBER and Missing Child alerts, Silver Alert for people with dementia, Purple Alert for adults with certain disabilities, Spectrum Alert for missing children with autism.
3. For a missing child, call NCMEC. The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children runs a 24/7 call center — report after law enforcement, and call again with any sighting. They support families for as long as it takes.
4. For a missing adult, make sure the case is in NamUs. The U.S. Department of Justice's National Missing and Unidentified Persons System is free for families to search and enter cases.