If someone is missing
Act now. There is no waiting period to report a missing person, and minutes matter most for children, autistic people and people living with dementia.
Call 911 now
Tell the dispatcher the person is at risk and why: autism, dementia, a medical condition, age, or anything that makes them vulnerable. Ask for an officer to come to you.
For a missing child, you can also call the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-843-5678 after you call 911.
While you wait for police
- Check water first. Pools, ponds, creeks and retention basins nearby. Many autistic people are drawn to water.
- Search the home and car. Closets, under beds, crawl spaces, sheds, vehicles and dryers. People hide when overwhelmed.
- Check familiar places. A favorite park, a former home, a store, a route they walk often.
- Keep one person at home in case they come back, and keep your phone line free for police.
- Do not post your home address or the person's diagnosis publicly. Share details with police first. They will tell you what to share.
What police will ask
- A recent photo, and what they were wearing
- Height, weight, hair, and any glasses or devices
- When and where they were last seen, and which way they went
- How they communicate, and what calms or frightens them
- Medical needs and medications
- Places they like to go, and things they are drawn to (water, trains, lights)
Alerts in Virginia
Police can ask Virginia State Police to issue a statewide alert when the case qualifies. Virginia runs an AMBER Alert program for abducted children, a Senior Alert program, and a Critically Missing Adult Alert program. The investigating agency makes that request; families cannot issue an alert themselves.
Where CSN fits
Police and search leaders run every search. CSN does not dispatch searchers on its own. When search leaders ask the community for help, CSN can connect them with screened, trained volunteers.