HOUSTON – At KPRC 2, we hear a lot about people who have been reported missing. Families want answers in their loved one’s case, but have you ever wondered how law enforcement handles the investigation?
Reporter Re’Chelle Turner sat down with Detective Elena Claburn at the Houston Police Department to talk about the steps authorities take to find someone.
Watch the full report on KPRC 2 News at 6 p.m.:
“The first thing an investigator will do is review the report, contact the reporting person’s family, make sure everything in the report is accurate and see if they can get any more information,” Claburn said.
Detective Claburn said law enforcement may have to pull records and contact other family members.
“Physical characteristics, if they can get extra information like vehicle information, if they take medications, that’s important. A picture of the individual. We contact hospitals, the HFD ambulance board to see if they were transported to a hospital,” she said.
Sept. 21, 2023, was the last time anyone saw Deundrea Ford.
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“I want my niece home, her son wants his mom home, my niece wants her sister home, my mom wants her granddaughter home,” Ford’s uncle, Kevin Carrier, said.
Ford’s family is not alone. Houston police are investigating several missing person cases, which include teens and adults.
“Every case gets worked 100% by our investigators when it comes to the same steps are followed,” Detective Claburn said.
Detective Claburn could not speak about Ford’s case or other active investigations.
Question: Is there a difference between missing juvenile cases versus adult missing cases?
“Not necessarily, unless the individual has Alzheimer’s or dementia or something like that or autism, typically worked the same. We have an on-call unit that can be called out 24-7 to work missing elderly, autism, and dementia cases,” Detective Claburn said.
Question: How difficult can it be to solve a missing persons case?
“It can be very difficult, especially if we don’t have a lot to go on. That’s why it’s extremely important for the community and family members to be helpful in providing with tips and we always say, please, if you think you have information on a missing persons case, to please call us,” Detective Claburn said.
Detective Claburn says they also work with other law enforcement agencies and groups like Texas EquuSearch.
Question: A lot of families feel like their loved ones’ cases may not get as much attention or they feel like law enforcement may not be doing as much. Can you explain the investigation? Sometimes it can take weeks or months for officials to develop a lead or find someone.
“Every case that comes into our office is investigated. It can take a while for information to come back, like subpoenas or warrants or things like that. We ask that family members and the community be patient with us,” Detective Claburn said.
If you would like to report information to the police about a missing person, please contact Crimestoppers at 713-222-TIPS. You can remain anonymous.