Helping find missing adults

Nobody should have to go through what Annette and Brian Swanson are living through.

The Swansons son, Brandon, has been missing since May 14, 2008, when his car got stuck in a ditch near Taunton along the Lincoln and Lyon county line. As his parents were on their way to help, the cell phone connection went dead at 3:10 a.m.

Choking back tears, Annette Swanson told the House Public Safety Policy and Oversight Committee March 12 that local authorities were informed three hours later that he was missing, but because Brandon was 19, no help was immediately provided. Following a one-day search, authorities told her to go home, and they’d call when more is known.

“I was in total shock and disbelief at that moment,” she said.

Sponsored by House Minority Leader Marty Seifert (R-Marshall), HF1242 would help families like the Swansons by expanding the state’s missing child program to adults who are missing and endangered. “This is about adults who go missing under dangerous circumstances,” he said. “It makes minor changes in law, but makes big changes to families affected by having missing family, friends.”

Approved by the committee, the bill was sent to the House Finance Committee. A companion, SF1146, sponsored by Sen. Dennis Frederickson (R-New Ulm), awaits action by the Senate Judiciary Committee.

The bill would piggyback off the child act by, in part, requiring law enforcement to take a missing persons report without delay, no matter the missing person’s age; immediately conduct a preliminary investigation to determine if the person is missing, and whether the person is endangered; and promptly notify all other law enforcement agencies of the situation.

“Missing children must be entered into the National Crime Information Center, while reporting missing adults is voluntary,” Brian Swanson said. “This is where Brandon’s Law steps in.”

It also spells out information that must be released to the missing person’s family and clarifies that the agency taking the report be the lead agency in the investigation.

Jim Franklin, executive director of the Minnesota Sheriff’s Association, expressed concern about potential fiscal costs to local units of government, and concern about giving the family information in a bad situation, such as domestic abuse cases.

“I believe we can work through the differences,” said Tim O’Malley, superintendent of the state’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. “We can make this practical and workable.”