Vulnerable Adults Who Go Missing

By Cynthia L. Caron

The passing of Sarah Rogers, 29, a young mother from New Hampshire who went missing and located deceased is not the first in which a loved one reported missing is remarked, by law enforcement, as "an adult has the right to go missing" to the family. Police had only entered Sarah's name into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) two days after Sarah vanished. Due to her emotional state she should have been entered immediately.  Had she been entered, the Maine State Troopers who happened upon her vehicle would have done a more thorough search upon knowing a vulnerable and endangered adult was reported missing.  Barrington, N.H., police said a statewide "BOLO" [Be on the Look Out] alert was issued the morning Sarah Rogers went missing. That warning would not have been seen by Maine police, however.

This happens far too often in all areas of the country. Yes, there are adults who decide to leave home or family members who may panic and report a loved one missing because they failed to call home or check in while living away or on vacation.  However, law enforcement need to really listen to family when they exclaim that their loved one "would not just go away and not make contact."  More often than not the family is correct.

According to a recent article by Susan Donaldson James, of ABC News, she reported a conversation with the President of The National Center for Missing Persons, now known as "Let's Bring Them Home", in which LaDonna  Meridith states "There isn't much attention [or care] put on missing adults cases in America because quite frankly, it isn't illegal for an adult to go missing,"  She also stated "We have the right to come and go as we please," she said. "Unfortunately, this mentality has crippled any system that is in place to help find missing adults." 

Many states with Silver Alerts have no provisions for those who have mental disorders who may be in a state of panic, such as Sarah Rogers.  It is the opinion of many that a revision needs to transpire and that the fate of Sarah be an example as to how important it is to have those with mental illness to be included in the alerts. There are many across the USA  missing who have similar conditions. Some of those which are listed at LostNMissing, Inc are:

Christina Whittaker Young, 21, who is bipolar and has anxiety and panic attacks  was last seen Nov. 13, 2009, leaving a local bar late at night after erratic behavior led to an argument with the bartender in Missouri.

Jamie Fraley, 22, who suffers from bipolar and anxiety and went missing on April 08, 2008, from Gastonia, NC after making numerous trips to the ER that day.

Thomas Joel Zinza, 44, a business man from Hawaii who disappeared from his hotel room in PA on February 16, 2008.  Mr. Zinza suffers from schizophrenia.

Adam Christopher Kellner, 34, who disappeared from his California home on November 08, 2007. Adam also suffers from schizophrenia and hears voices.

Emillie Hoyt, 23, missing since January 2006 in Florida. Suffers from bipolar disorder.

Mitrice Richardson, 24, missing since September 17, 2009 in California. Suffers from mental health issues.

If you recognize or see any of these missing loved ones, please go to the LostNMissing website at www.lostnmissing.com to locate the missing person’s banner with information so that you may contact the appropriate authorities.

Sleuthing and Posting~Helping or Harming?

By Cynthia Caron

Previously I’ve written about those who are “maliciously creating havoc” and I would like to further write about those who specifically utilize public forums to help families of missing loved ones.  Are they truly helping or harming?  While the majority of those who tend to flock to forums, that provide an outlet to discuss high profile missing person cases, are good hearted people there are those that take opinions and freedom of speech to the extreme…an extreme that causes unnecessary stress to families of missing loved ones.

One of the families that I work very closely with is the family of Geoff Meisner.  Geoff is a 33 year old father to 4 beautiful young daughters  all under the age of eleven.  He is a wonderful husband to his wife Tammy who is a lovely woman and a caring and adoring mother.  Geoff went missing in West Kelowna, B.C on November 27, 2009.  His truck was found in a Starbucks parking lot with no trace of Geoff.  He and Tammy had just moved into a new home two weeks prior and Geoff, a martial arts enthusiast, was looking forward to a special upcoming event in which he would be a participant.  Geoff would never go missing on his own. 

While the family struggles everyday with fears and worries of possible foul play, the bloggers are posting hastily.  Many post their prayers and thoughts and well wishes for his safe return, others are posting very damaging opinions and hypothetical situations as they try to “sleuth” their way through the personal lives of Geoff and his wife.  When confronted posters will tell you that “you should not read here” if you are family or do not wish to be a part of their “sleuthing” and that they have “a right” to openly discuss their thoughts and opinions on what may have happened to Geoff.  Rumors of possible drug connections, wondered by posters of course, as well as curiosity as to the marriage of Geoff and Tammy and the potential of “could she be involved?”  This is very damaging to the reputation of the family and posters, while they feel may be helping, are in reality creating and causing serious emotional harm to the families of those missing.

Geoff’s case is not the only case in which I’ve witnessed such harm in opinions and hypotheticals.  I’ve watched this occur over and again throughout the years.  It’s never understood as to why forums cannot have a level of respect and leave the opinions to private conversations, as opposed to public postings.  We all have opinions. We all go through hypotheticals.  That is human nature.  However, to post those publicly is where the line should be drawn.  It’s very much understood once a suspect is arrested and awaiting trial, in cases of foul play, to discuss case events.   I’m more concerned about the innocent family members whose missing loved ones whereabouts are unknown and those who post decide to try and “solve” a case via conversations that invariably have nothing to do with the missing person, or the reason a person becomes missing.

 Another family that I am working closely with has a beautiful wife, mother, daughter missing and for some reason those who are posting feel the need the know what kind of work did she do from home? What kind of work did her husband do?  Why did she have a DUI and when?  How do we know what the husband has stated is factual?  Questions that have no relevance to the fact this young mother is missing.  Those who post need to be very aware that what is posted on public internet sites will remain nearly forever.  The children of missing family members will grow up and have access to all of the curiosity and assumptions of their family.  Shouldn’t those who post use a bit more discretion?  How about taking the posts that are full of inference and discuss them in a private forum? Perhaps for the children’s sake?  Let’s ask the beautiful daughters of Geoff Meisner.