Jonathan Berry went missing from Provo in June 2006. He was last seen in Rock Canyon, where his friends said he went often. He was wearing a blue T-shirt, tan shorts and Teva sandals. He has a scar on his forehead, between his eyebrows, and wears contacts.
Timothy Parry disappeared from his home in Cedar City in 1989, according to the Utah Department of Public Safety Bureau of Criminal Investigation. He has several mental conditions, including epilepsy and angelman's syndrome. His conditions cause him to be unbalanced, and when frightened, he screams and his hands shake. Timothy is also allergic to the sun.
Jonathan and Timothy are missing, and they aren't the only ones.
According to the National Crime Information Center's (NCIC) Missing Person File, 836,131 people were reported missing in 2006, an increase of .19 percent from the previous year.
"We get a lot of reports, some more merited than others," said Lt. Doug Edwards of the Orem Police Department.
More than 662,228 of the people reported missing were under 18, and more than half, a total of 451,734, were female, according to the NCIC Missing Person and Unidentified Person Statistics for 2006.
Also, of the 836,131 people missing, 100,451 are considered endangered - meaning the NCIC has reason to believe they could be in danger - 22,915 left involuntarily, 443 disappeared during a catastrophe and 35,382 who left had either a mental or physical disability.
The threat of disappearance does not only apply to a certain age, ethnic or gender group; and when someone is reported as missing, law enforcement officials step in to find them.
"We respond to all initial reports, but some take precedence," Edwards said. Cases that have been going on for more than 48 hours or under circumstances, like evidence of danger, are more of an immediate concern.
"Adults sometimes just don't check in," Edwards said. "So we don't always run out and begin a search, especially when the person usually returns home by the time we get to the location."
Police may do some quiet checking - talking to friends, stopping by the person's work - before starting an investigation, Edwards said.
Once an investigation begins, the police contact the NCIC with names of the missing individuals, Edwards said. Then they check with contacts, employees, and friends, and on occasion, check the missing person's credit cards to see if there has been any activity.
Almost all people eventually show up, even if it's later, Edwards said.
"Very rarely are people really missing," he said.
While most reports are false alarms, police and other search organizations still encourage precautionary steps that may prevent disappearances or help the missing person's chances of being found.
There are several things people can do to help the investigation process, said Dawn Davis, senior case manager at the Laura Recovery Center for Missing Children. The recovery center receives missing-person reports from law enforcement and family members nationwide.
In 2006, the recovery center received 125 reports. Of those, about 64 people returned home alive, five to eight were abductions, and the remainder are still missing.
One of the most important things people can do is keep a good, up-to-date photo of friends and roommates, Davis said. Knowing what the person really looks like can make a huge difference for search groups.
Once the recovery center receives a report, they immediately begin to collect valuable information, such as habits, hobbies and friends of the missing person - anything that can give them insight into where or with whom the person could be.
Posting flyers at fast food restaurants, bus stops, truck stops, shelters, airports, hospitals, rental car facilities, and any other locations that house modes of transportation have made a big difference..
Another thing people can do to help the investigation is to talk with law enforcement agencies in other areas, just to make sure they are aware someone is missing and know what the missing person looks like.
"People assume all law enforcement agencies communicate with one another, which isn't always the case," Davis said.
Typically, the police only contact other agencies when they have reason to believe the missing person may be in their jurisdiction, Lt. Edwards said.
Also, it's important to stay close with roommates; this helps ensure everyone's safety, Davis said.
"You can protect yourself so it doesn't happen to you," Edwards said.
Lana Holden, a 20-year-old dietetics major from Schenectady, N.Y., runs and bikes by herself for exercise However, she always takes precautions when she goes out, she said.
"I always go the same places," she said. "I never go after dark. I always tell him [my husband] when I'm gone, I usually text him and say 'I'm leaving and I'll call you when I get back.' If I'm going to go somewhere new, I'll always tell him where I'm going."
Holden used to use a whiteboard with her roommate to write down where they were going. Even if it's routine, ensuring one's safety and letting others know whereabouts is essential.
"Things happen, you get a flat tire or you fall," said Holden, who once fainted during a run. "All kinds of weird things."
Roommates should have a system and agree to tell each other where they are going, who they are going with and when they will be back.
If your roommates aren't home when you leave, write them a note telling them where you will be and who with.
"Give us a place to start looking for you," Edwards said.
The most important thing is that people just use common sense, Davis said.
"Don't take your safety for granted," she said. "If you're worried someone's missing, call the police, get help and get involved. The more eyes and ears we have out there, the better chance we have of bringing the missing person home safe."
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