Missing people

A missing person is a person who has disappeared for no known reason. Missing persons' photographs may be posted on bulletin boards, postcards, and websites, along with a phone number to be contacted if a sighting has been made. - There are many reasons why people disappear. Often an individual chooses to disappear on his or her own; most such individuals return within a short period of time. About 10% of missing persons in the United States never return home, however. Reasons for this include:Many people leave simply to start again in a new place under a new name. They may have had difficulties with individuals in their lives, or they may have lost someone and wish to begin a new life in a new location.Children or adults may be the victims of a kidnapper. Children may also be abducted by their non-custodial parent, by grandparents, or by other relatives.In some countries, individuals may be seized by government officials without due process of law.Some individuals choose to commit suicide in a remote location or under an assumed name to spare their families the shame and mess of a suicide at home (or to allow their deaths to be eventually declared in absentia, which may allow survivors to collect on insurance premiums).The remains of a murder victim may be disguised, destroyed, damaged, or hidden.People with mental or neurological illnesses such as Alzheimer's disease, fugue states or schizophrenia may not wish to be found, or may not know how to identify themselves.Many people die of natural or accidental causes far from home without identification (homeless people, for instance, or solitary hunters).In some areas, people may disappear in order to take advantage of better employment or living conditions in other countries.In some countries, individuals may be sold into slavery, serfdom, sexual servitude, or other unfree states, and may be unable to contact their loved ones.Criminals may disappear in order to avoid either discovery of their crimes or apprehension by law-enforcement authorities. See also: failure to appear.A very small number of individuals may become involved in cults or religious organizations.Those fleeing abuse may disappear until the abuser has died or forgotten about the victim. During a genocide, individuals of the victimized group may disappear to avoid getting persecuted.
See more at Wikipedia.org...