When your teenager goes missing, it's important to contact the police right away. However, their investigation may deem that the teen isn't in any danger but is rather a runaway who may be hanging out with friends. Law enforcement won't do much in this regard, but a private investigator can. Hiring this professional can put you one step closer to connecting with your child once again. The PI can use a variety of techniques to track the runaway down, but he or she will need your help. Beyond a physical description, here are some things to give your newly hired private investigator to help with the search.

The Names Of All Your Friend's Known Contacts

When a teenager runs away, it's probable that he or she is in the company of a friend or a significant other. Giving the PI the names, addresses, places of work, and any other information you might know about these people can help track down your child. If the relationship between you and your teen has been strained, you may not have a firm grasp on the people close to him or her. However, you can turn to the friends you do know and ask them for your help in this regard.

Locations In Which He/She Spends Time

If you know some information about your teenager's routine, you'll likely know some of the places that he or she enjoys visiting. This could be a mall, a park, a certain type of store, or even a specific section of your city. One way that you can amass this information is to check your teen's past posts on social media, as they may be tagged with a geographical location. You should then make a list of all these locations and pass it along to the private investigator to help with the search.

All Social Media Account Names

If you know them, providing the private investigator with all of the social media account names registered to your teen can be advantageous. Geographical tagging will allow the PI to learn roughly where the teen is located, and photos may also show proof of this information. The PI may even wish to contact the teen through social media to let him or her know that you're worried and want to get in touch. When you hire the PI, he or she may also ask for other bits of information about your child. Providing as many details as possible will hopefully shorten the search.