Images of police officers with dogs, beating through brush, may be what comes to mind when there is an unsolved missing persons case.
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In several instances in Bexar County, that has been the scene as authorities searched for people who have somehow disappeared from their homes or didn’t return home. However, even when that kind of high-profile scenario does not play out, a team of investigators with the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office conducts searches almost every day. “Sometimes we’ll get three to four cases overnight,” said Deputy Sarah Garza, who makes up one half of BCSO’s Missing Persons Unit. Garza and Deputy Alex Chacon arrive to work each day at their office across from the Bexar County jail and begin trying to solve a family’s worst nightmare. They begin sorting through missing persons reports filed with the sheriff’s office, then begin assessing the potential level of danger the person could be facing. “We’ll do research on the computer, if they left in a vehicle, if they have a phone with them, if there’s any video,” Garza said. “Whether there’s some kind of mental health nexus to it or if we suspect foul play.” From there, the deputies can determine if more manpower is needed to launch an all-out search, or if they can solve the mystery on their own and bring that lost loved one home. “We’re one of the key units in the , because a missing person could turn into a homicide,” Chacon said. On one recent day, the team’s morning began with a notice about a teenager who had not returned home after leaving the previous evening. “I never heard of this juvenile before, so it’s a little nerve-racking,” Chacon said, indicating that the teen had no history of running away from home. In this case, he and Garza set out on their own, planning to speak with the boy’s family and friends. “They put in hours and hours of work to try to keep hope alive and try to reassure the family,” said BCSO Sheriff Javier Salazar. He emphasized that although young children and older adults with health problems often are most at-risk when they disappear from their homes, Salazar’s investigators give every missing persons case their full attention.“We don’t care how old they are. We don’t care if they’ve only been gone ten minutes,” Salazar said. “You know that it’s not just a file on your desk. It’s a real person. It’s somebody’s parent. It’s somebody’s child.” The sheriff noted that, as of late, he has seen an increase in missing persons cases reported to his office, particularly those involving young children. For that reason, Salazar said he intends to expand the unit in the near future, adding as many as three more staff members.Do police have to wait 24 hours to declare an adult missing? Texas A&M student’s death raises questionsKatrina Webber joined KSAT 12 in December 2009. She reports for Good Morning San Antonio. Katrina was born and raised in Queens, NY, but after living in Gulf Coast states for the past decade, she feels right at home in Texas. It's not unusual to find her singing karaoke or leading a song with her church choir when she's not on-air.From Hill Country flooding to Bexar County wildfires, here are the Top 5 weather events of 2025Pope Leo’s first Christmas brings a powerful messageFBI warns of ‘modern-day terrorism’ as Texas-born extremist group targets youth onlineBystander rescues woman trapped after plane crash in GalvestonTxDOT begins construction on multi-year US Highway 90 expansion projectCaught on camera: Shootout between man, BCSO deputies leaves neighborhood shockedShoplifter charged with attempted murder after pointing gun at officerGibson Costume Shop, a 100-year-old San Antonio staple, to begin liquidation sales in JanuaryWhat to know about holiday travel as AAA projects new recordService members traveling through San Antonio International for the holidaysScams targeting San Antonio seniors on the rise, SAPD says
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