DDs phone is off/dead should I worry?

[Clerenty]

DD is 17, we are Scottish so she is already at uni, her birthday is in February. She moved to London for uni.

I messaged her at 5pm, she told me she would call me when she got home at 6/6.30pm. I haven’t heard since and when I message her on WhatsApp it one ticks, when I try to call it goes straight to voicemail.

I know I’m probably panicking unnecessarily but she was pretty clear about not having any plans tonight and it wouldn’t be like her to have her phone off, if her phone dies she usually charges it back pretty quickly and always takes her battery pack with her.

DH thinks I am being dramatic and if we haven’t heard from her by the morning we should worry but she might just be busy with friends.

AIBU to be worried?

Oh gosh OP, that is a worry. There's almost certainly an innocent explanation but I'd be beside myself too, especially being so far away.

I still think she's bumped into a friend, gone back to theirs and stayed there because of the rain, and her phone has died, but I can understandthat you won't be able to settle until you hear something. Hopefully her friend on Insta will be able to trace her.

I am so sorry you have this worry hanging over you. I would feel the same, even though the likelihood is that everything is ok. My eldest is 17 and I think I’d be a bag of nerves if he was so far away. I hope you hear something soon.

Yeah, he’s probably right to leave it for another while , hopefully your son gets in touch with dds friend & she can help you locate her .

I bet she's left her mobile somewhere and gone out but I would be worried too OP.
Get DS to ask the uni friend to put a message our on their socials saying...Urgent - anyone seen XX
They all know each other

I’m sure she will be fine but can totally understand why you are besides yourself with worry.

I developed an irregular heartbeat when my DD went off grid for a whole evening.

Did the people at halls go into DDs room to be sure she's not there or just knock on the door? Any possibility she's sleeping in her room and didn't answer the door?

We've been through this with ours on occasion so I know how you're feeling - its awful. But - if it gives you any reassurance- in every case it turned out to be nothing - either phone related or nap related.

I know nothing will reassure you but sometimes I remind myself of the odds. And odds are there's usually a explanation for it and she'll be fine. I hope you hear from her soon.

@PollyBell end. This child had been missing for hours. This is not a 25-year old late by 20 mins. Don’t be a PollyBellEnd

Have you actually read any of the op posts?? Daughter is 17, so a child not a 25 year old adult. She's not been heard from in about 6 hours not 20 mins. You are just nasty

As well as checking your emails, check any social media you and your DP have. Including any new messages that do not appear to be from her. In case she's messaged you from one of her friends' profiles (if her phone has died/been lost).

Five hours at most. She was meant to ring at 18.30

Still not a long time

I’ve been here also and it’s a horrible agonising experience, mine was ok in the end her battery had died.

Here for a hand hold, hoping you hear from her soon xxx

@Clerenty You know your daughter best, so I cannot say if your anxiety is misplaced or not, but not so long ago people did not have mobile phones and, consequently, it was nigh on impossible to get hold of a family member at short notice. Seldom were the authorities involved.

There are perfectly rational reasons why your daughter has not been in touch: top amongst those would be a discharged or misplaced phone. Or maybe she has got caught up doing something else.

As I said, we do not know your daughter, but life is generally far more prosaic that what the media would have you believe.

I'm sorry to say, but, by rights, they shouldn't even confirm she lives there, or is even a student at that Uni. What you can do is ask that a message be left for her, or a welfare check done. They shouldn't tell you what's happening, or that they're even doing that - but, it wouldn't be the first time Security/Halls staff have gone and said 'gonna give your Mum a call, she's been on to us.'
Wishing you the best

I work with 16 and 17 year olds. They are very independent at that age. A lot of them are working part time

Because they arranged to talk at 6/6.30?

Lots of virtual hugs, OP
I hope the following brings you some comfort. This type of thread features on MN regularly and the outcome is invariably the same: the missing individual turns up safe and sound.

Oh god poor you op. Thinking of you. Hoping for good news soon

When my DS goes off grid it's usually because he is out of data and isn't on the WiFi where he is (and doesn't think about it so doesn't join the WiFi). Any chance of that?

I may be wrong on this but I think the distinction is that you don’t have to wait 24 hours to report, but the police may not take action before 24 hours depending on the circumstances of the person reported missing. For example, with a vulnerable person, action would likely be taken sooner.

@Clerenty I hope you hear from your daughter very soon.

I dont think thats correct because I work in student halls.

If a parent rang me, worried about their teenager, I would go straight away and do a welfare check. We are meant to do that.

It has never happened so far. But I would if they asked me

I likely won't explain this well but if she has a Google account on her phone and has signed in to it on a device that you currently have access to ( family laptop eh) if you can get in as her you can do a phone track on that. If it's off it should show you the last place it was on. Also if you pay her phone bill, might the phone company give you info as to where phone is.... Just spitballing really. Thinking of you op x

It’s so horrible, I know people think I am being very dramatic, but I find DD being so far away really difficult, we are up by Aberdeen, so if anything has happened it’s not like we can jump in the car and be there in the hour. She is also still 17, I know she’s living like an adult but she isn’t one, not yet anyway, I try so hard not to be overbearing and respect her independence and maturity but this is so out of character for DD.

DS is still talking to the girl who says she has messaged group chats and asked people to ask anyone they know who might know DD (such as people on her course) and she’s just waiting for replies.

The mum asked her to call. The daughter probably forgot.

Oh well then. That's that. Panic over everyone!!