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Last summer, a teenage girl named Larissa, also known as Lara, disappeared from her home in Glasgow, sparking a significant police operation. Larissa, who was just 16 at the time, left her house in her pyjamas following what her family described as a “trivial argument.” Reflecting on her experience a year later in an interview with the BBC’s *Reported Missing* programme, Larissa emphasized the urgency of providing support to young people in crisis, saying, “When somebody asks for help, you don’t say ‘maybe later’, you’ve got to do it now.”
The documentary reveals the moment Larissa’s mother, Karen, contacted the police to report her missing. Karen was immediately concerned because her daughter, diagnosed with bipolar disorder and with a history of self-harming, had run away before, but this time she feared her daughter might harm herself. Sgt Ross Kelly of Pollok police station shared with the programme that the nature of Larissa’s disappearance raised serious concerns, prompting officers to focus their search efforts intensely within the local area. Sgt Kelly explained, “Once she’s out of that housing estate then it becomes harder to find her,” highlighting the risks involved.
Police Scotland handles between 16,000 and 18,000 missing person cases annually, most of whom are under the age of 18. According to officers, many of these cases are increasingly complex, with deteriorating mental health playing a significant role. Sgt Kelly noted that young people who were children during the lockdown period are now frequently presenting with serious mental health challenges. Larissa’s mother described her daughter’s ongoing struggles with mental health support services since the age of five, including a particularly difficult time during the pandemic when family tragedies compounded her distress.
The search for Larissa expanded when it was discovered she had taken over £200 from home and was missing an important medication. Police classified her disappearance as “high risk” after she had been missing overnight. Eventually, authorities were informed that a young woman matching Larissa’s description had been admitted to hospital following an overdose attempt. Thankfully, Larissa was found and reunited with her family. Nearly a year on, she reports being on medication and in a much better place, sharing, “I was a ticking timebomb at that point.” Looking ahead, Larissa hopes to become a book illustrator, expressing a desire to hold onto the peace she has finally found since her crisis
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