Expert: Jack Toomey - 2/10/2005

Question
Thanks for your response. The boy is missing when the family gets up in the morning. All his clothes and shoes are there but his pajamas are missing as well. The 11 year old boy has no history of running away. No one saw him carried away. Would the police treat it as a runaway or as a presumed kidnapping?

Followup To


Question -
Hi

I am a published writer working on a novel. A small part of the
story revolves around the kidnapping of an 11 year old boy. The
child is taken at night from a backyard porch - no evidence is
left behind.

1.How would the police handle this after they get the 911 call?
2.Who is first on the scene in terms of police hierarchy and does
the case get passed on, when and to whom?
3.Would they search the house/backyard right away? or just the
porch?
4. Would they interview the parents and 13 year old brother
right away?
5. Who else would they interview?  
6. Would they issue an AMBER alert? or would they think it's just
a runaway since there is no evidence or witnesses?
7. Would there be a police present in or outside the house in the
days following the kidnapping i.e a police guard? If so, when
would that police presence be withdrawn if no ransom or other
communication was received? How many police would set up a
command post in the house? Would it be 24 hour coverage?
8. Can you give me any good references on the topic?

Thanks for any help you can give me. Hope this isn't too many
questions.....

Cheers


Suzanne
Answer -
Suzanne,

   First of all there is no "standard procedure" for any police investigation.  So what might happen in case A might not happen in case B.  My question to you is how does the family know that this boy has been kidnapped?  Is he merely missing?  Did someone see him being carried away?

Answer
Hello Suzanne,

    1.  I would imagine that the first police officer on the scene would not suspect a kidnapping for ransom unless there was a note left.  There is an old adage in police work that kids under 12 are usually right around the house so a complete search of the house would (or should) be conducted.  Including under the beds, in closets, in the basement, etc.  When the boy is not found then the officer would probably call his supervisor for guidance and in the meantime checking to see if he showed up at school, checking with friends, etc.

  2.  a uniformed patrol officer would be the first person on the scene.  If the circumstances suggest that the boy it truely missing then relatives, acquaintances, playmates, classmates, etc, would be interviewed because 99 times out of 100 they would know or have a good idea why the boy is missing.

 3.  already covered.

  4.  yes

  5.  yes

  6.  the way I understand it an Amber Alert is used when a car is involved.  So with no evidence of a car being involved I doubt if they would do this.  The Amber Alert is more of a public relations thing anyway so just because an 11 year old boy is not in his bed in the morning does not warrant this.

  7.  i think that you are jumping the gun here.  I think that you are presuming that because an 11 year old boy is missing from his house that the police would somehow guard the house?  Now there certainly would be interviews and an investigation but I don't see why the police would be setting up a command post unless this thing went into hours and hours or the next day.  And the "command post" would probably be at the police station unless there is some kind of ground search planned. Now if a telephone call was received demanding ransom or a witness was developed who saw the boy being led away or in a car then this whole thing would change and much more manpower would be thrown into the case right away.  

   But with the absence of any of that the boys name and date of birth and description would be put into NCIC (I guess that you know what that is) and they would hope for the best.