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]
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]
Contacted Police
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 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]
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]
Sources
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Nelson Bennet, 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" ndn20020704
- ↑ Jason Proctor, 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 Allison Crowe, NWAC (May 1, 2015), "Story Telling - Lisa Marie Young (PDF)" 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 Paul Manly, House of Commons (Oct 8, 2020), "Debates (Hansard) No. 12 (43-2) at 1525" hoc20201008
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Julia Jacobo, ABC News (October 8, 2018), "Why the first 72 hours in a missing persons investigation are the most critical, according to criminology experts"
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 Canadian Centre for Information on Missing Adults, "Quick Facts about Reporting a Missing Adult in Canada"
- ↑ NIWRC, "Quick Reference Guide for What to Do in the First 72 Hours"