Why was Hajar's disappearance not treated as urgent despite alarming text messages?

The police response to the disappearance of 29-year-old Hajar has faced scrutiny after it was revealed that officers initially did not classify the case as urgent. On October 4, Hajar sent alarming text messages to her family stating that someone was killing her, yet when relatives reported her missing later that evening, the police categorized it as a standard disappearance rather than an urgent one. Experts suggest that the police often follow standard protocols that include checking if an individual has a history of running away, though critics argue that such processes can delay critical intervention.

Former investigators suggest that the police will likely conduct an internal review to evaluate whether the proper procedures were followed in this case. While officials emphasize that multiple factors are weighed before declaring a missing persons case urgent, experts like former forensic investigator John Pel suggest that the current system needs reform to better identify red flags immediately. The police have confirmed they are reviewing their decision-making process to understand why the alert level was not escalated sooner.