When we take an initial missing person case, the search process typically begins with looking through records of nearby jails and hospitals. This is because frequently a missing person is often on the streets and surrounded by drugs, crime and danger. Occasionally, the missing person has been taken into custody and placed in jail, or has been admitted to a hospital due to an injury, illness, medical problem or psychiatric emergency.
Checking these locations can give investigators valuable information that may help them locate the missing person and cut right to the chase, eliminating subsequent steps that take valuable time and resources.
Searching for Missing Persons in Hospitals in the San Francisco Bay Area
In San Francisco we routinely check the University of California San Francisco Medical Center and San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center. In the South Bay area the largest hospital to check would be San Mateo Medical Center, Stanford Health Care, Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, El Camino Health, Good Samaritan Hospital, and the Regional Medical Center of San Jose. In the East Bay area, we often have success finding folks at Highland Hospital in Oakland, where they take in the vast majority of the Oakland area mental health emergencies. In Walnut Creek and Concord, we would want to check in with our contacts at John Muir Health in both Concord and Walnut Creek. Even if you are not able to locate your missing person at a local hospital, it also puts the staff on notice, and they might reach back out to you if your missing person does check in with them.
Searching for Missing Persons in Jails in the San Francisco Bay Area
If a missing person investigator believes that their subject has, or might have had, a criminal encounter, it is definitely worth checking in with the local county jails and holding facilities. In San Francisco there are actually 7 different facilities, but by using the San Francisco Sheriff’s Office Inmate Locator you can search all of them at once. In Oakland and the rest of Alameda County, try the Alameda County Sheriff. In Marin County, check in with the Marin County Jail. To the North, try the Sonoma County Jail Inmate Finder and the Solano County Sheriff’s Department. In Contra Costa County, you would want to try the Contra Costa County Jail in Martinez, where they can give you information for inmates housed in Martinez as well as the West County Detention Facility in Richmond. In San Mateo County, contact the San Mateo County Sheriff, and in Santa Clara inquire with their Inmate Booking System.
Searching for missing persons in local jails and hospitals before other investigative steps is an important part of many missing persons investigations. By quickly searching these locations, investigators can start gathering important data that could help them narrow down the search for the missing person. This is often a crucial first step in the investigation process and can be essential to finding the person as soon as possible and getting answers for their loved ones.
If you need help, or have questions regarding a missing persons case, please contact us for a free consultation and case review.
