A missing person is a person who has disappeared, and whose status as alive or dead cannot be confirmed as their location and fate is not believed known. Laws related to missing persons are often complex, since in many jurisdictions, relatives and third parties may not deal with a person's assets until their death is considered proven by law, and a formal death certificate issued. The situation, uncertainties, and lack of closure or funeral resulting when a person goes missing, may be extremely painful and long-lasting for family and friends.
A person may be missing due to their own decision, accident, crime, death in a location that they cannot be found (such as at sea), or many other reasons. In some countries missing persons' photographs are posted on bulletin boards, milk cartons, postcards, and websites, to publicize their description.
Read more about Missing Person: Reasons, Legal Aspects, Monument
Famous quotes containing the words missing person, missing and/or person:
“statistic: the us bureau of missing persons reports
that in 1968 over 100,000 people disappeared
leaving no solid clues
nor traceonly
a space
in the lives of their friends.”
—Ishmael Reed (b. 1938)
“In Vietnam, some of us lost control of our lives. I want my life back. I almost feel like I’ve been missing in action for twenty-two years.”
—Wanda Sparks, U.S. nurse. As quoted in the New York Times Magazine, p. 72 (November 7, 1993)
“Eyes—the head’s chief of police. They watch and make mental notes. A blind person is like a city abandoned by the authorities. On sad days they cry. In these carefree times they weep only from tender emotions.”
—Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (1860–1904)