30 days ago the country follows the search for three children who disappeared in Bacabal, in the interior of Maranhão. In 2025, the state recorded three disappearances per dayaccording to data from the National Public Security Information System (Sinesp), based on information sent by the state Public Security Secretariat to the Ministry of Justice and Public Security (MJSP).
The months of October (136), June (111), August (110), February (100) and November (99) were those with the highest number of cases.
In total, Maranhão had 1,182 people missing in 2025, placing the state in 4th place in the number of missing people in the Northeastbehind Bahia (3,929), Pernambuco (2,745) and Ceará (2,578).
The system also records that 244 people were located, 176 of whom were over 18 years of age, 64 were minors and four did not have their age stated. Men were the majority of those found, 162; 62 women were located and in four cases, the sex was not reported.
Children represent 28% of the missing
Last year, Brazil recorded 84,760 disappearances of people, an average of 232 disappearances daily and an increase of 4.1% compared to 2024.
Almost a third (28%) of people missing in 2025 were under 18 years of agelike the children of Bacabal. The 23,919 incidents involving children and adolescents represented an increase of 8% compared to the same type of case registered in 2024 – that is, double the general average of 4%.
Another fact is that men represent 64% of the total number of missing people in 2025. Among children and young people, the majority (62%) are girls.
In the national ranking of missing persons, Maranhão occupies 15th position, with the majority (846) being over 18 years of age. Cases of children and adolescents totaled 318 last year.
In 2025, 56,688 were located across the country, an increase of 2% compared to 2024 (55,530).
What to do when someone disappears
In the case of the disappearance of a family member or known person, No need to wait 24 hours to register.
The police report can be made immediately at a Civil Police station or digitally. The most important thing is that communication occurs in the shortest possible time and with as much information regarding the disappearance as possible.
It is important to provide all possible information about the missing person, such as full name, age, physical characteristics, clothes they were wearing and circumstances of the incident.
Using numbers 197 or 181 (hotline), it is possible to provide information about disappearances.
>> See here more information on how to report a missing person.
