Call back in 48 hours
“Call back in 48 hours...”—Nanaimo RCMP to Lisa's mother
July 1, 2002 11:30am
Summary
When Lisa's mother first called Nanaimo RCMP to report Lisa's disappearance, RCMP staff refused to accept the report, and advised her to call back in 2 days.
This was despite the fact that no police force in Canada has ever had a "waiting period" before a missing persons report can be filed, and, in fact, research clearly shows that the first 72 hours are the most crucial to a missing persons investigation.
Detail
Parent's efforts before calling RCMP
Lisa's parents had reason to be concerned; it was not without due diligence that the decision was made to contact the RCMP.
Lisa had failed to show up for early-morning plans with her father,[3] who was going to help her move into her new apartment using his Purolator Courier truck.[1][2] The move was something Lisa had been looking forward to,[4] and she had pre-paid a deposit on her new unit. As Lisa was normally extremely reliable, her parents were immediately very concerned.[5][6][7]
Calls by Lisa's mother to her cellphone were forwarded directly to voicemail.[3] This added concern as Lisa had purchased the cellphone proactively/primarily so that her parents could always contact her (as she'd always been very close to her parents).[8] Lisa always carefully ensured the phone was charged, and she had never powered it off.[9]
![She called every number in [Lisa's phone book]](/w/File:Nw20150501b.png)
Lisa's parents retrieved her address book and called "all" of her many friends.[10] Multiple friends said they saw her the previous night, in conversation outside the bar with the unknown male driver of a maroon Jaguar.[11] Others reported seeing her at a houseparty on Nanaimo Lakes Road[12], or leaving a second party around the Cathers Lake area, in the maroon Jaguar.[13] But nobody knew where Lisa was now.[14]
See also → "Reasons to suspect foul play"
Contacted Police
![[Lisa's parents] called police at 11:30am on July 1.](/w/File:Ndn20020710a.png)
By this point, Lisa's parents were frantic.[10]
On Monday, July 1st, 2002 (Canada Day) at about 11:30am[5], Joanne Young (Lisa's mother) called the Nanaimo RCMP detachment to report that her daughter was missing.[10]
Report refused by RCMP
![[RCMP] said they needed her to be gone 48 hours [before a report could be filed]](/w/File:Hss20190624b.png)
RCMP staff told Lisa's mother that a report couldn't be filed until 48 hours after Lisa was last seen.
She was advised to call back to file the report after 2 days had passed.[3][9][14][10]
Policy & Research
While once a common myth, no police force in Canada has ever had a policy requiring a "waiting period" before submission of a missing persons report.[16]
Research shows that the first 72 hours are actually the most critical time frame of a "missing persons" investigation.[15][17]
See also
- Next ➜ RCMP said
Call back in 5 days
- List of all blunders on Lisa's List of Fifty
- Timeline: July 1, 2002
- RCMP vs Crime Stoppers
- 2002-Sep-18 Grim Task: Police comb woods for Lisa Young Nanaimo Daily News
- 2020-Dec-17 Nanaimo RCMP conduct new searches in nearly two-decade-old case (video) CHEK News
- RCMP didn't "suspect foul play" for 10 days and Reasons to suspect foul play
- RCMP ignored neighbours' report of burial
- RCMP failed to proactively publicize Lisa's case
- RCMP failed to check cellphone records
- RCMP failed to check for bank account activity
- RCMP failed to obtain security camera recordings
- RCMP failed to question bar patrons or Lisa’s friends
- Timeline: July 1, 2002
- RCMP statements
- Lisa had been missing 80 days before the RCMP's first ground search
- Search was delayed 18 days due to RCMP prioritization of simple 2 day case
- RCMP's first search was focused more on officer training than on Lisa
- RCMP lied about planned searches for Lisa
- RCMP lied about how often they searched for Lisa
- RCMP staffing issues prevented additional searches for Lisa
- Re-enactment: "exhaustive search by Nanaimo RCMP"
- Tips
- Category: Family searches
- Category: RCMP searches
- Category: RCMP delays
- Category: RCMP vs Crime Stoppers
Sources
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Nelson Bennett, Nanaimo Daily News (July 25, 2002),
Lisa's kin follow psychic tip
ndn20020725 - ↑ 2.0 2.1 Jim Gibson, Times Colonist (Apr 4, 2004),
The case Nanaimo can't forget
tc20040404 - ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Paul Walton, Nanaimo Daily News (July 4, 2002),
Parents fear daughter the victim of foul play
(src) - ↑ Jason Proctor, Vancouver Province (Sep 2, 2002),
Where is Lisa-Marie?
p20020902 - ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Paul Walton, Nanaimo Daily News (July 10, 2002),
Police fear local met with foul play
ndn20020710 - ↑ Jolene Rudisuela, Capital Daily (May 5, 2021),
More people go missing in BC than anywhere else in Canada. No one knows why
cd20210505 - ↑ Fort McMurray Today (July 10, 2002),
Foul play suspected in missing B.C. woman
fmt20020710 - ↑ 8.0 8.1 Paul Walton, Nanaimo Daily News (July 9, 2002),
RCMP keep searching for woman
ndn20020709 - ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Eric Plummer, Ha-Shilth-Sa (June 24, 2019),
Legacy of Lisa Marie Young to hang in Tofino
hss20190624 - ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 Allison Crowe Native Women's Association of Canada (May 1, 2015),
Story Telling - Lisa Marie Young
nw20150501 - ↑ 11.0 11.1 Paul Walton, Nanaimo Daily News (July 12, 2002),
Woman's disappearance leaves friends perplexed ...rumours unfounded
ndn20020712 - ↑ Paul Walton, Nanaimo Daily News (May 29, 2003),
When sadness turns to anger
ndn20030529 - ↑ Vancouver Sun (Feb 26, 2011),
Nanaimo RCMP appeal for help
vs20110226 - ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 MP Paul Manly, Parliament, Ottawa (Oct 8, 2020),
House of Commons Debate #12 - October 8, 2020 (43-2) at 1525
hoc20201008 - ↑ 15.0 15.1 Julia Jacobo, ABC News (Oct 8, 2018),
Why the first 72 hours in a missing persons investigation are the most critical
abc20181008 - ↑ 16.0 16.1 Canadian Centre for Information on Missing Adults (Dec 1, 2012),
Quick facts about reporting a missing adult in Canada
mp20121201 - ↑ NIWRC, "Quick Reference Guide for What to Do in the First 72 Hours" (Brochure)
