Chetumal, Quintana Roo — Family conflicts account for 95% of youth disappearance alerts in Quintana Roo, with most cases involving young people who voluntarily leave home due to domestic disputes rather than criminal activity, according to state officials.
Quintana Roo State Prosecutor Raciel López Salazar said the majority of current alerts involve students and young people whose absences stem from deep family tensions, not criminal incidents. He revealed that 95% of those reported missing are found alive and in good health.
Investigations following these cases indicate that youth often leave home in response to arguments or lack of understanding with their guardians. A recurring factor identified by the State Prosecutor’s Office is conflict arising from separations or divorces.
“Many times they go with the mom or dad who are separated due to a divorce conflict; they come to the Prosecutor’s Office to locate them, but in reality this is a conflict that should be resolved by a family court judge,” López Salazar explained.
He added, “They’re already filing location alerts… The Prosecutor’s Office cannot be used to settle this type of conflict.”
The prosecutor did not provide specific data on currently missing individuals, saying he didn’t have the figures at hand. During 2025, Quintana Roo recorded approximately 1,250 search alerts issued.
In the first quarter of 2026, the state has reported about 310 alerts, showing a slight upward trend compared to the same period last year, according to data from the National Registry of Missing and Unlocated Persons and State Prosecutor’s Office reports.
Nationally, Mexico’s National Registry of Missing and Unlocated Persons closed 2025 with a critical figure exceeding 12,000 new reports across the country. In the first quarter of 2026, Mexico has already recorded more than 2,800 reports nationwide.
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