Runaway or kidnapped?

[piglet too]

Sixteen year old actress Scout Taylor-Compton has been missing for two weeks. According to the article, she is listed as a runaway. My question is, how do they determin that? Just because she is of a certain age they assume she has ran away from home, but what if that is not the case? I have always wondered about this, and with this young lady being a semi-famous actress, wouldn't that increase the chance of her being kidnapped or foul play?

I know that when my DS (then 9) went missing for a short time, the police first asked me if it was possible that he ran away. They were not going to do anything until a certain time had passed. They even told me that it was because of his age, and that if he was a few years older, they would not have been talking to me at all yet. Granted, it did turn out that he just went off with a new friend, but what if? What if he had been kidanpped and the police waited too long to look for him? I have never quite understood why it is automatically assumed that an older child or teenager is a runaway and kidnapping is seldom looked at until too late, if at all.

Just wanted to hear what others think about it.

here is the article from CNN
http://www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/Movies/08/25/people.actress.reut/index.html

 

[Nancy]

I don't get this either, unless there is more to the story than reported (like maybe into drugs really bad)

I don't get why they would list a teen as a runaway but an adult like the runaway bride was treated like a victim of some sort of foul play just because she was getting married.

 

[grinningghost]

Since I don't know much about her (Is she prone to running away? Does she have past drug issues?) it's hard to say.

I would, in any case, be pushing for more action by the police if I was her mother. I hope she's found safe soon.

 

[EthansMom]

I think the police usually take family issues into account when determining whether someone is a runaway or kidnapped. If this young woman had been having a lot of problems with her parents lately, then the authorities would most likely consider her to be a runaway. Also, if any of her belongings and/or money was missing -- that would be a big clue that she had prepared to leave.