| These days, private detectives and | | | | every single year. Sometimes this is |
| personal locators are becoming a huge | | | | because of being abducted by strangers, |
| business. Some work of course to spy on | | | | but often it is a parent that does not |
| spouses suspected of infidelity, and | | | | have custody of the child that takes |
| some work for companies that need to run | | | | them and disappears. This may not seem |
| background checks on potential | | | | dangerous to outsiders, but often a |
| employees. Some specialize in helping | | | | person does not have custody of their |
| people locate a person. Who would need | | | | children for a reason. And this leaves |
| such a service, and why would you ever | | | | the other parent out in the cold, unable |
| have to do this? | | | | to see their children for years and |
| Adoptive Parents and Children | | | | years - if they are ever able to find |
| One such time when someone may want to | | | | them again. Some cases of trying to |
| locate a person is if they are adopted | | | | locate a person are those parents |
| or gave up a child for adoption some | | | | looking for their children after the |
| years ago. While these adoption records | | | | police and other officials have given |
| are often sealed and there's not much | | | | up, or after the time when the child |
| you can do through the government or | | | | would now be an adult. |
| adoption agency to find missing birth | | | | Police usually don't share their |
| parents or birth children, you may be | | | | investigation files with outsiders but |
| able to hire a private investigator to | | | | sometimes a private investigator is able |
| help you locate a person in such | | | | to locate a person by tracking down |
| circumstances. | | | | relatives, employment records, utility |
| Your information may be somewhat | | | | bills that are registered with their |
| sketchy, but obviously the more | | | | social security number, and so on. They |
| information you have the more chance you | | | | may also know how to subpoena or legally |
| have of being successful. If you're the | | | | request those police records, which can |
| adopted child, you may know what | | | | sometimes help them locate a person by |
| hospital you were born in and of course | | | | picking up where the police have left |
| the date of birth. If you are the | | | | off. |
| parent, you may have the same | | | | While the police have an obligation to |
| information and may also have record of | | | | look for minor children as long as their |
| the adoption agency or attorney that | | | | underage, regardless of how long they've |
| arranged the adoption. While they do | | | | been missing, sometimes a case does go |
| not need to help you locate a person and | | | | cold and they do turn their attention to |
| of course their records are | | | | other cases. Anyone missing a child |
| confidential, sometimes a private | | | | will probably go to any lengths to |
| investigator can put together other bits | | | | locate a person that may have their |
| of information to help you narrow your | | | | child or know where their child is, and |
| search. | | | | sometimes these private investigators |
| Typically when it comes to adoption, | | | | can help. |
| there is a neutral third party that is | | | | Extended Family |
| used to contact the parents or the | | | | Sometimes people lose track of their |
| child, telling them that the other party | | | | extended family over the years because |
| is requesting a meeting. If both | | | | of many factors. Their parents may have |
| parties are interested (and if the child | | | | a falling out with their grandparents, |
| is now of age) then a meeting can be | | | | or the family may be divided because of |
| arranged. However, if you are trying to | | | | a religious choice or marriage that |
| locate a person because of an adoption, | | | | others don't approve of. In cases like |
| it's wise to not get your hopes up too | | | | this, someone may want to locate a |
| much. Sometimes people prefer the past | | | | person in their family that they haven't |
| be in the past, or may have painful | | | | seen in some time. It may be their |
| memories that they cannot face. A | | | | grandparent or favorite cousin or |
| family counselor specializing in | | | | someone else that they've lost touch |
| adoption issues can help you with these | | | | with. |
| issues. | | | | All of these are common reasons why |
| Missing Children | | | | someone may want to locate a person and |
| It's unfortunate that in the United | | | | hire an investigator or some other |
| States, hundreds of children go missing | | | | professional to help them. |