Nineteen-year-old Linnea Lomax was allegedly sighted recently in the Woodland area after she has been missing for two weeks. In fact, its reported that she may have been sighted as many as six times over the course of this strange disappearance. Like many high-profile missing persons cases, sightings like these are rarely confirmed, so it is hard to determine whether or not they are credible. Hopefully this latest sighting of the missing UC Davis student indicates that she is in fact safe. On the other hand, the Public Information Officer with El Dorado County Sheriff's Office returned a call to offer little clarification regarding the status of this missing woman.
The officer clarified that the reason Linnea Lomax is now listed as a "missing person at risk" is because of her need for medication. However, with the state of California's "HIPPA" law, he could not clarify what kind of medication she needs. It is a classified matter, and for good reason. Certainly it is embarrassing enough for the young woman that her family has blasted her mental shortcomings all over the national headlines. The officer also declared that Linnea is still voluntarily missing as a legal adult, but she is in need of her medication. That's good to know.
Aside from the recent sighting in the Woodland area, it's being reported that she was seen in a white Toyota pickup with two caucasian men. The woodland sighting may have been at the Yolo Wayfarer Center Christian Mission—a homeless center. It should be pointed out that another sighting of her in the beginning of this case was at a Loaves and Fishes homeless center.
Is Linnea Lomax in the company of friends?
What stands out the most is that she may have been seen with two men. Now, it should be pointed out that these so-called sightings of the missing 19-year-old are coming from the "volunteer headquarters" associated with her family. They are absolutely not confirmed. Until they are confirmed by authorities, these sightings are nothing more than rumor and hearsay. Nonetheless, it is still a possibility that she is in the company of friends, or maybe even a boyfriend and another male. Anything is possible at this point—even the very unlikely possibility that she is being held against her will.
The phone conversation with the El Dorado County officer revealed that the missing UC Davis coed has made no attempt at letting the authorities know she is fine. She has made no contact with them whatsoever, so either she is unaware of the insanely high-profile search for her (unlikely), or she is indeed frightened. Some comments in online discussion forums have indicated suspicion over the family. Some have gone as far as to claim that she could be dead, and this whole "disappearance" is nothing more than a rouse. While this theory is the making of an excellently intriguing crime story, it's unlikely. Linnea is truly missing, of that much many people are certain.
Another near-certainty is that this woman's life is probably forever altered. With the high level of attention being given to her case and her mental weakness, it's likely to assume she may never find a job in healthcare. She was studying to become a nurse, and with her family and friends drawing so much attention to this shortcoming, and the fact that she may have driven herself crazy to the point of vanishing, people in the area may remember her for years to come. It's also safe to say that if she wasn't in danger before, all of the attention to her and declaration of her "vulnerability" may just attract predators when they do sight her. These are just a few thoughts, in all seriousness.
Crime analyst and profiler Chelsea Hoffman can be found on The Huffington Post, Chelsea Hoffman: Case to Case and many other outlets. Follow @TheRealChelseaH on Twitter or click here to contact Chelsea directly.
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Comments: 17
Another thing is the Sheriff's Dept will never say it is a confirmed sighting due to the fact that they will not respond to a cal of her sighting. According to them she is voluntarily mising. Any sighting is looked into by the searchers.
Her parents are scared to death for her safety...they have not "blasted her mental shortcomings all over the national headlines." They are doing things based on the advice of professionals. Mental issues are nothing to be embarrassed or ashamed about. To even suggest this shows your ignorance.
Noun:
Bigoted attitudes; intolerance toward those who hold different opinions from oneself.
Synonyms:
zealotry - fanaticism
I'm sorry that you feel that way.
Chelsea, I know what the word means. I guess it's easier for you to respond about a word than to discuss the actual issue. All I ask is that if you are not bigoted, you consider different language in your opinions. I have appreciated most of your writing about this topic, it's just this one issue that seems to be the hot button, and we really would like people to understand that she has an illness, nothing to be embarrassed or ashamed about.
Amanda, you are right...Linnea's mental health does increase her vulnerability. This is why we are all working so hard to search for her.
2. Calling me a bigot was not only uncalled for, but it was untrue and apparently done so out of your own misunderstanding of how to even apply the word. If you care to have a civil discussion with me, that is not the proper way to go about it.
3. There is nothing to discuss. I don't argue about the things I think and say. It solves nothing. I think I've established by now that I've no interest in debating. Feel free to talk to other commenters all you want, but truly all I need to say has been said in the article. A random commentor who is not confirmed as an officer, health official or proven family member isn't really going to be able to achieve much as far as wavering my outlook.
And to add something about your curious use of the term "bigot" -- it seems a little less than coincidental that you're using the same language as the caller on Sunday's night podcast, "tom", who emailed me and called me a "leftwing bigot" and accused me of using my coverage of this case as part of my "leftwing agenda".. These kind of comments are nonsensical, illogical and totally unrelated to this missing persons case. And, again, a quick way to only get you acknowledged as a troll and not a person seeking serious discussion.
When you can apologize and try a new approach, perhaps I will consider having a "discussion" with you.
Those who disagree with all or part of the authors' article are encouraged to post opposing views and comments, clearly stating what part(s) they believe to be inaccurate or misleading. However, any such posting should be done in the same manner as that of the author. {i.e.} She simply stated the facts within her article based upon her research on the subject, not upon lies and/or falsehoods.
Authors are for the most part, known to be simi biased as well as occasionally emotional in their reporting. This is because, it is they, themselves, who choose the subject of their article based upon that which they wish to bring to the Gather News membership. In most cases the stories are of that which the author personally finds to be of interest and to be worthy of group discussion.
Ms. Hoffman, in addition to being a writer for Gather News, is an achieved book author, scholar of police investigational technigues as well as a contributing writer to The Huffington Post, and thereby should be respected for those personal achievements in life. To initiate and/or engage in personal attacks upon her, for that which she wrote in an honest attempt to inform readers, is not acceptable. To challenge the facts of her article(s) with additional and/or opposing facts, is always appreciated, since to do so, brings additional information to the readers and broadens their knowledge on the articles subject. However, such is only acceptable, if the challenge to the facts of the article is accompanied by supportive evidence and is written in a respectful manner.
I, personally, do not always agree with the substance of an articles written by various authors nor the manner in which the facts of a subject were written. However, as a Gather News member, it is encumbant upon me to respond in a respectable manner.
Those with opposing views should remember, personal attacks accomplish nothing nor does it speak well of the person.
However, I do not think (and never have) that they are responsible for any harm coming of this girl. I just don't think they did. I don't think they are "bad" people, just overbearing. And those who are recruited by them as volunteers are volatile. JMHO.
It is obvious that you are not very familiar with mental illness or the laws we have related to mental illness. I speak from experience. Almost two decades of directly caring for a family member with mental illness. You have no idea how ignorant, cruel and without compassion your posts are to the mentally ill and their families.
Ask yourself this question. If you or a loved one was in a mentally delusional state where you became paranoid and fearful of the people who love and care about you and you decide to become homeless, walk the streets (vulnerable to all the dangers associated), and heard voices that told you to commit suicide or hurt others and you have no power to get out of this delusional state, what would you want others to do for you? Anyone in their right mind would want their families and friends to help them. No one wants to be on the streets, cold, hungry and vulnerable especially in a delusional state. The Lomax family obviously loves their daughter very much.
Unfortunately, we have laws that are "supposed" to "protect" civil liberties of the mentally ill, so that they are "free" to be homeless, cold, hungry and vulnerable even if they show signs of mania or delusion. Why and how have we become a society that just walks right past a obviously delusional homeless person on the street without any shock or concern to do anything.
The laws we have currently in my opinion are not compassionate or reasonable. Many mentally ill patients are incapable of knowing or recognizing their illness. That is why their delusions are the truth and reality to them. The current laws basically say that unless they try to physically harm someone, there is no way to get any help for them unless they want to get help. But obviously, as explained earlier, they are unable and unwilling to receive help because of their delusions and paranoia.
The fact that we have to wait until a mentally ill person is so delusional that they have to harm someone or them self, I don't think is fully understood by the public. Imagine having a mentally ill family member who talks to imaginary voices all day, throws out unopened, perfectly good food because they believe it is poisoned, says unkind nasty things, butchers household goods with a knife or hammer because of their delusions, the list can go on and on... but, unless they tried or succeeded in butchering a human being, they cannot be forced to get help no matter how bazaar or crazy their delusions are. It literally feels ridiculous and unreal. A mentally ill person can go for months and years exhibiting and hiding these symptoms before they break down completely.
I hope Linnea returns home safe. No can say for sure what her mental state is right now, but we all know that what her parents are doing the right thing. What parent wouldn't want to confirm that their child is safe and healthy especially under these circumstances.
An article titled "When my crazy father finally lost his mind" on the New york times is a must read for everyone. Mental illness can happen to anyone.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/24/magazine/when-my-crazy-father-actually-lost-his-mind.html?pagewanted=all