I was looking at an old episode of Castle and in it Beckett made a point of the fact that it took a man over a day to report his wife missing. Obviously Beckett thought this was suspicious. Remembering back, sometimes my ex-husband would go to visit a mate and wouldn't come back for a couple of days. He would says something like "we went shooting kangaroos". Not once did I consider reporting him missing to the police. Anyway I though I might ask people here how long it might take for you to report someone missing (hours, days). I know that this can be influence by how well you know a missingperson behaviour but generalise if you can about some or all people on the following list 1)an elderly, frail relative who doesn't live with you 2) an elderly but active relative who doesn't live with you 3) an elderly person who lives with you 4) an adult relative (excluding elderly) who doesn't live with you 5) an adult relative who lives with you 6) a spouse 7) an adult child who doesn't live with you 8) an adult child who lives with you 9) a teenager 10) a pre-teen (10 to 12 year old) 11) child (6-9) 12) child under 6 years of age. 13) a friend 14) a next door neighbour
The only person that I have enough contact with to ever notice being missing is my roommate, and because of our different work schedules, I sometimes go 2-3 days without seeing him. Anybody else on that list would be noticed missing by somebody else way before I knew anything.
Except for my adult sons who live with me, it might take me some time to miss most of the people I listed. I can sometimes go a week without talking to my best friend on the phone. As far as my sons go I would probably wouldn't report them missing for at least three days as they sometime visit friends and decide to stay a day or two. My youngest son is usually considerate enough to phone me but the other one often forgets to. He often forgets to take his phone with him.
^ I listen to very nice New Age albums (great for relaxation) which are under the name Liquid Mind. I highly recommend them. And 'Liquid Mind' is actually Chuck Wild, who was Missing Persons' keyboardist.
In every case I'd first try to contact the missing adults by their cell phone. Then I'd contact friends, neighbours and family members. If neither has seen the missing person I'd report them missing: 1) an elderly, frail relative who doesn't live with you: after 1-2 days (One must allow them time to get into contact. They might be in hospital or staying with friends) 2) an elderly but active relative who doesn't live with you: after 3-4 days (they might be on a spontaneous short trip) 3) an elderly person who lives with you: if he's not at home for supper (6 pm) 4) an adult relative (excluding elderly) who doesn't live with you: after 2 weeks (he might be on a vacation) 5) an adult relative who lives with you: the next morning. 6) a spouse: if he's not at home for supper (or if he's more than 3 hours overdue for an appointment) 7) an adult child who doesn't live with you: after a day or 2 (might be visiting friends) 8) an adult child who lives with you: the next morning 9) a teenager: the next morning 10) a pre-teen (10 to 12 year old): if he's not at home by 8 pm the latest 11) child (6-9): if he's not at home by 7 pm 12) child under 6 years of age: A 6 year old if he's not at home for supper (6 pm); a child under 6 I'd report missing immediately as they have no business to be off the premises without asking me first. 13) a friend: after 3-4 days (he might be away on a short trip) 14) a next door neighbour: after 2 weeks (possibly he's just on a vacation)
I'd know within a day if my boyfriend was missing, because we live together and commute together to work almost every day. He would never spend the night elsewhere without telling me, though there are times that he's had to stay at the lab (physics PhD student) very late into the night and early next morning, but he's always warned me ahead of time. If I woke up the next morning and he was still not home, I would become concerned.