Milwaukee critical missing person cases increase in summer: police

MILWAUKEE - Summer has arrived, and with it comes an increase in critical missing person cases for the Milwaukee Police Department. But investigators say there are ways you can help.  

Missing person cases

By the numbers:

FOX6 News gets emails about critical missing persons at least once a week. As of Sunday, MPD said there have been about 210 critical missing person cases since Jan. 1. Only five remain open.

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What they're saying:

Recently, those reports have increased, and experts say there's a reason.

"I think it has to do with how warm it is outside," said Fawn Schwandt, a sergeant with MPD's sensitive crimes division. "School being out and a lot of mental health issues sometimes are environmentally impacted, and I think that might be part of it, too."

"We do what we can to provide answers for family, but I also want the citizens to know that we do come across roadblocks," said Jamie Sromalla, an MPD missing persons investigator.

MPD said those hurdles include families withholding information, not reporting when a loved one is found and privacy. The department said tips are not as prevalent as one might think.

Mental health factors

The backstory:

Mental health often plays a role in missing person cases.

"People who have psychotic disorders or mania might become critically missing because they are engaging in not-so-logical activities and ending up in dangerous positions – often times far away from home," said Dr. Tyler Rickers, a Rogers Behavioral Health psychiatrist.

Rickers said he sees a 20–50% increase in critically missing persons when summer arrives. He said people over the age of 65 are more likely to wander, and substance abuse and crime go up – but every case is different.

"The unknown is just so hard for these families," said Rickers. "Sometimes folks are in a situation where they are trying to escape abuse at home."

With summer already underway, advocates hope awareness can help bring missing people home. 

How to help

What you can do:

The Milwaukee Police Department has a list of criteria for critical missing person cases, as well as what information is helpful for law enforcement to have – like the person's name, date of birth and a photograph. 

For a missing person case to be considered critical, MPD said the following factors must apply:

• The missing person has a physical, mental, or cognitive (e.g., Dementia, Alzheimer’s) disability, drug dependency or other at-risk issue, which subjects themselves or others to danger.
• There is reasonable suspicion to believe the disappearance of the missing person is not voluntary and/or the missing person is the victim of foul play.
• The missing person has a medical condition that requires lifesaving medication or procedures and it is believed the missing person does not have access to those necessities.
• The missing person is missing after a disaster, but not confirmed to be dead (e.g., drowning, explosion).
• The missing person is age 11 years or younger.
• The missing person is under the age of 18 and has their own minor child in their custody.
• The missing person is suicidal.
• The missing person is a military veteran.

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