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False Disappearances Costs
Taxpayers Millions
False disappearances can cause
families and loved ones a lot of
heartaches, but it costs
everyone millions of colones of
public spending in search
operations, such as the
disappearance of Andrea Gómez
and her ex-boyfriend, Guillermo
Echeverría, earlier this week.
Authorities informed yesterday
that the search for the missing
couple cost taxpayers ¢2 million
colones (us$3.900).
The couple went missing Sunday,
when Andrea's parents got
concerned when their daughter
did not return home and called
police.
Efforts by Judicial authorities
to locate the couple ended with
nothing. The family became
concerned that foul play may be
involved and asked the help of
the local press to locate their
daughter.
In the end, the couple appeared,
in what is being called a
kidnapping of Andrea by her
ex-boyfriend who, according to
one version, the couple were
trying to patch things up.
Andrea's family claim that the
she was being held against her
will by Echeverría in Playa
Dominical, the Poás Volcano and
the Laguna de Fraijanes.
Police, however, have thier
doubts on this version by the
family.
Osvaldo Alpízar, director of the
Fuerza Pública, assures that
these types of cases is
worrisome for the authorities as
they are on the increase and the
costs incurred by the public.
Alpizar added that a simple
investigation, one that can take
up the time of six Fuerza
Pública officails, two OIJ
agents and two Cruz Roja (Red
Cross) attendants, can easily
cost ¢1 million colones
(us$1.900) a day.
According to Jorge Roviva, head
of operations at the Cruz Roja,
said that they get some 20
"false" disappearances a month.
Franciso Segura, sub-director of
the OIJ, did not say how many
"false" cases they handle on a
monthly basis, but, however, did
say that the number is worrisome
for the judicial investigative
unit. Segura did say, however,
that 40% of the missing report
cases are false.
"In the case of children not
making it home after school, we
have to act immediately. That
type of operation can easily
cost ¢2 million colones and in
most of the cases, the minors,
did not tell the parents that
they would be home late, for
example, going to a friend's
home after school", commented
Segura.
Authorities say that they are
bettering the 911 call system to
better verify that "missing"
reports are for real. Tracing
the call is one tool authorities
have, said Rovira.
Due to the growing problem, the
OIJ director said "we will act
only when the missing person
does not appear after 72 hours
missing."
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