how many missing people do you know of in real life?

[notnowmarmaduke]

Just wondered - we are always saying how common it is, but how many of us know many missing people? Of course you might be closely associated with a missing person and not know it, as people don't necessarily talk about it, or might just not know themselves.

I have only known two people reported as missing, long term. one friends father, who was the classic went out for a pint of milk and was never seen again. ( 30+ years now). One runaway teen never found (15+ years)

Apart from that I have known a few runaway teens who were found, and two people reported as missing who I know went into witness protection

Also, have you ever been reported missing?

I knew one in Dublin almost 40 years ago - I went to school with his sister. He was only 12 and they never solved the case or found his body. It was quite high profile in Ireland at the time and still comes up on the news every so often. Really tragic.

No I've never known of anyone to go missing long term or short term in terms of family/friends. There has been people I know of from our town as in recognise their face but they've always shown up alive or not sadly through their own choice.

I worked for an ALSAR team for 8 years, so been involved with too many.

Apart from that, a child from our neighbourhood disappeared when I was 20. Later transpired he was murdered although never found.

A family member went missing but thankfully came back to us, having suffered a mental health crisis. One at college, male friend, no news 40 years later.

More recently three young men locally have disappeared. One later found deceased. Two still missing.

Too many.

How do you do it if you go missing?
I find it fascinating, especially the go out for a pint of milk and never come back thing.
So, you leave, leave your job, but how do you set up in a new town without anyone knowing? Even assuming money is no issue, you just rock up to a new town, stay in a hotel and rent a new flat, then apply for a new job? Get a new phone and just make all new friends?

I know a few - sadly only one returned home safe (MH issues)
First was my brother's friend, went missing and his body found in a river several months later, more than likely accidental drowning while intoxicated.
Another very similar with a school friend however there were rumours that he had been showing signs of depression shortly before he went missing and his body was recovered some days after he went missing.

I also never share any missing persons posts unless it's from an official police page.

A distant relative was missing and nobody realised as he was a drug addict, sadly a serial killer had murdered him and it only come to light he had been missing when the murderer confessed to killing him after being arrested for other murders. I was a child and don't remember him but its very sad, sometimes documentaries he is mentioned and I always think I'd have really liked him.

My uncle years ago went missing in London.
Even got the Sally Army involved,they found him but because he was an adult there was nothing they could do.
Except tell my family he was alive.
But he did come back,he had cancer and died with the family around him.

I do think in some cases people have itchy feet and can't stay in one place too long.

I really feel for parents of missing children,that must be heartbreaking not knowing what happened.

What a sad thread!

Just one, a friend's brother. Been missing for about 40 years and would be 101 now.

@stillmissed I'm so very sorry.

I know one. Woman in her 50's - invited friends over to watch a football game, made food, house all ready for guests. When guests arrived she wasn't there and has never been seen since. It's been 4 years.

Two that I recall.

One a local man who disappeared on way home from the pub around 2 years ago (seaside town). Presumed to have fallen in the harbour accidentally or otherwise but no body ever found.

The other was my beloved cousin. She had suffered from poor mental health since childhood. Several previous suicide attempts. Went missing, found dead 3 days later by her own hand. Devastated her entire family.

Dh went missing for five days some years ago. Ds wasn't quite 3 years old. It was diabolically awful.

1.Young man didn't come back from job interview. Missing 10 years. He'd been murdered. Body found and man convicted. 2. Young woman. Again murdered and body found years later. Man convicted for large number of murders.

Wow. That's really sad and unnerving. Are there any theories as to what happened?

My husband had a friend (v close childhood friend) who vanished from their friend group aged about 20 and no-one had a clue where he had gone. He was also estranged from family so really did appear to have vanished.

He was getting his shit together as it turned out, returned 3 years later a much happier chap and one of my favourite humans now, twenty years later!

One-my paternal Gt Uncle. The classic 'nipping out for a pint of milk' story although I think it was a packet of cigarettes. This was when I was a baby- I am in my forties now and no trace ever found of him.

Not long term missing, but another of my Gt Uncles was missing for a few days and found hung in Western Woods in Yorkshire. He hadn't been able to find a strong enough branch he could get to that was high up enough, so he'd hung himself on his KNEES. I always thought that must take some serious level of commitment to end one's life.

Only of my brothers biological sister. She took her dog for a walk and never returned. They found her and she had committed suicide. Less that 6 months ago.

@PossumintheHouse the theory was that she went for a walk before the party and fell into the sea.

Some very sad stories here. My heart goes out to anyone affected.
This website has some people who tragically haven’t been claimed by anyone. Someone must be missing them ..
https://missingpersons.police.uk/en-gb/case-search/trg4242?page=1&orderBy=dateDesc

My cousin. He was a maths student in Cambridge from a small working class town in Scotland and was out of his depth. He developed a drug problem and schizophrenia. He would get in touch with my aunt every few years. He ended up living on the streets a lot of the time and died of a heart attack at a young age.

The other one was my friend's twin who disappeared around 25 years ago at the age of 20. He had severe epilepsy and a mild learning disability so there is no way he could have set himself up somewhere. I know the police checked health records and there were no records of him ever having another prescription for his seizure medicine. I bump into his mum every so often and she is still devastated.

1 - they were located

I wish there had been a poll on this then we could have tallied up all the 0s

I think if you ever wonder about the disparity between what sort of disappearance makes the media headlines and what doesn't, it's all about what the police want to release to the general public, and if the need our ' help'

With the Nicola Bulley disappearance, it could be argued that many thousands go missing in similar circumstances to that poor woman every year.

I think the police suspected something might be criminal with her , so let it go public.

Sadly when it comes to 'missing persons' it was a just a quite common, tragic ending.

An old school friend went backpacking to Thailand about 25 years ago, he has never been seen or heard from since.