For the third day, a desperate search is underway in Marupe for 15-year-old Sofia — she left school and disappeared. Yesterday, the search for 15-year-old Evelina in Liepaja tragically ended: the girl was searched for four days, and was found… unfortunately, without signs of life.
People contact the State Police almost every day asking for help in finding their missing loved ones. Fortunately, in most cases, the missing are found alive and unharmed. However, there are also stories with tragic outcomes. The searches for little Justine and Ivan still linger in memory, while the relatives and friends of the missing under mysterious circumstances, Kristers Dzintars and Helvijs Kursis, continue to hope and wait.
Every year, more than 1000 people are reported missing.
The number of missing persons in Latvia remains significant each year:
2020 — 1452 people (1302 found),
2021 — 1331 (1189 found),
2022 — 1459 (1312 found).
The statistics include both adults and minors, with a significant portion being children and teenagers.
Recent data shows a similar trend:
2024 — 1502 people (1363 found),
2025 — 1287 people (971 found).
At the same time, some individuals remain actively sought:
in 2024 — 185 people,
in 2025 — 371 people.
State Police representative Liga Dziluma explains that this statistics does not reflect a unique number of missing persons. It includes every report of a disappearance, so the same person may be reported missing multiple times a year — this is especially characteristic of teenagers who leave home repeatedly and do not stay in touch.
She emphasizes that in most cases, the missing are found or return on their own, often within a few hours or days.
Nevertheless, behind the dry numbers are real human stories — and not all of them end well.
