Expert: Jack Toomey - 6/11/2007

Question
Hi, I am writing a children's book and wondered if you could tell me what is generally standard police procedure when a child goes missing (in this case a 12-year-old).

And what exactly is involved in dragging a lake.

Many thanks for your time! Emma

Answer
Hello Emma,

   I would be glad to help you.  I have helped other authors before.  You didn't say what the circumstances were.  For example was the tweleve year old returning from school when he/she disappeared?  Was she returning from a friends house?  Or did she have an arguement with her parents and stormed out of the house?  All of these would be important to know by the police before they formed their strategy.

  Lets say that she disappared on the way home from school.  A uniformed officer would be dispatched to the house (assuming that the call was placed from the house) and the officer would find out the circumstances.  He would then place a lookout on the police radio which would include the description, dress, last place seen, etc.

  Then the officer would contact his supervisor and get his advice about the missing kid.  The supervisor would then make the descision about the scope and extent of the search if there is going to be one.  If the child was a frequent runaway or truant then there might not even be a search.  The supervisor might try to find out about girlfriends and boyfriends and concentrate only on them.  If it wasnt a few officers would be detailed to the homes of friends and they would be interviewed about statements that they child may have made that day or on previous days.  In most cases the clue will be found and the child will turn up at the home of one of his/her friends.

  You asked about dragging a lake.  If the lake is shallow enough it is a matter of simply walking along until something is seen or someone steps on a body.  A body will stay at the bottom from one to seven days depending on the temperature of the water.  If it is in the winter and the water is frozen it could be longer, much longer.

  Dragging is done with hooks that are strung out on the back of a boat which travels slowly across the surface of the water.  They are called grappling hooks and they drag the bottom of the lake and snag on to something.  Most of the time it is garbage but the idea is to snag onto the body.

  Let me know if I can help you further.