Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

Mitrice Richardson

"Mitrice Richardson, age 24, went missing after she was released from the Malibu police station at about 1 a.m. Thursday September 17th. She suffers from mental health issues and was released into the remote Malibu canyon area without a car, I.D, phone, money or assistance. Mitrice is an upstanding citizen and student and deserves better treatment than what the Malibu sheriff's gave. This did not have to happen. Mitrice is a CAL STATE FULLERTON graduate with a 4.0 GPA and is set to begin a doctoral program."

It has been almost a year. A year of unanswered questions, with the one question asked most often...Where is she?

Answers have been few and far between. Communications have continued. Until today. The coroner confirmed that the remains found in the Malibu Canyon were those of Mitrice Richardson.

I have been following the case of Mitrice Richardson for a while. Watching for updates and information leading to finding her. As her family held press conferences, vigils and searches...to no avail.

With recent alleged sightings in Las Vegas by a former schoolmate, it seemed as if she had decidedly vanished on her own accord. The police/news stated it was a good lead. And anonymous people on the internet started slamming the parents on their helpsite and other news threads. Calling them bad parents, controlling, etc. saying no wonder she ran off. The same things you read on so many other websites containing this type of story.

In the past I have been involved in the search for lost children. When you volunteer for this type of job it has one of two endings, you find the child safe or you find the child's remains. Then there is the never ending vigil, where you don't find anything and the family has to suffer through not knowing if they are still alive or dead. I have seen all of the above. In recent times most of us have witnessed it on television. As a volunteer, you are not necessarily personally involved, you don't always know the family, you are simply there to help and support and most of all hope to find the child safe.

For myself, I could not even imagine nor fathom the pain these families go through when something like this happens. Then to have strangers throwing judgments about your parenting based on what they see on a news clip or a briefing. In a moment of panic people react differently. Some cry, some get angry, some even smile. It's a moment that has been described to me as surreal. Unbelievable...it can't be happening to me.

In one case the outcome was not good, and one morning as I was picking up papers to fill out to search, volunteers were told to return the papers, they would not be needed for the day. People stayed at the sight anyway. Waiting. We found out about an hour or so later that remains had been found. People broke down. Sure most didn't know the family, but the mental toughness and emotion it takes to search, takes a toll. You have the chance at finding something you may not be ready to witness. I have had to think about this each time. Will I be able to deal with what I may come across? And when it's over you have to decompress.

I've witnessed many reactions when there has been a loss, people are sad, break down, cry, get angry at the "person" that caused this to happen. But when the child was found safe. There was a very different emotion, some were definitely happy, excited for the family. Even concerned that physically and emotionally the child was fine. Yet others are angry and judgmental. Some ask to be paid, some ask for reasons and I even read where someone wanted medical proof that something physical happened to a young girl, so as to validate the time the "volunteer" spent e-mailing people.

When you do volunteer, you have to know that it is out of compassion. Not for pay, not for glory, not for fame or heroism. It's to help a family get "closure", though I am not sure that is the best way to say it, it seems to be the accepted way.

I have only been a personal friend to one family of a child that was missing, and it was very difficult. A lot of fear went through me. I hoped and prayed for a positive outcome, and her family was lucky. She came home safe. Highly chastised by the public and press, but safe.

With Mitrice Richardson, I am not a friend of the immediate family, but a friend of a dedicated volunteer and close family friend. And I can only have compassion and sympathy at what they are now facing. They have Mitrice back, but they will again have to go through more emotional turmoil knowing she is passed. Not knowing the circumstance...not knowing. I do hope they find some comfort in knowing, that many people who did volunteer, did so cause they care and are sending condolences and prayers for the family and Mitrice. She will not be forgotten.

Now the question is Why?...Why did this have to happen? I doubt there will ever be an answer that creates an inner peace for her family...given time they may come to live with the outcome.

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all

Previous article

Now what can they do with Encinitas unstable cliffs?

Make the cliffs fall, put up more warnings, fine beachgoers?
Next Article

Syrian treat maker Hakmi Sweets makes Dubai chocolate bars

Look for the counter shop inside a Mediterranean grill in El Cajon

"Mitrice Richardson, age 24, went missing after she was released from the Malibu police station at about 1 a.m. Thursday September 17th. She suffers from mental health issues and was released into the remote Malibu canyon area without a car, I.D, phone, money or assistance. Mitrice is an upstanding citizen and student and deserves better treatment than what the Malibu sheriff's gave. This did not have to happen. Mitrice is a CAL STATE FULLERTON graduate with a 4.0 GPA and is set to begin a doctoral program."

It has been almost a year. A year of unanswered questions, with the one question asked most often...Where is she?

Answers have been few and far between. Communications have continued. Until today. The coroner confirmed that the remains found in the Malibu Canyon were those of Mitrice Richardson.

I have been following the case of Mitrice Richardson for a while. Watching for updates and information leading to finding her. As her family held press conferences, vigils and searches...to no avail.

With recent alleged sightings in Las Vegas by a former schoolmate, it seemed as if she had decidedly vanished on her own accord. The police/news stated it was a good lead. And anonymous people on the internet started slamming the parents on their helpsite and other news threads. Calling them bad parents, controlling, etc. saying no wonder she ran off. The same things you read on so many other websites containing this type of story.

In the past I have been involved in the search for lost children. When you volunteer for this type of job it has one of two endings, you find the child safe or you find the child's remains. Then there is the never ending vigil, where you don't find anything and the family has to suffer through not knowing if they are still alive or dead. I have seen all of the above. In recent times most of us have witnessed it on television. As a volunteer, you are not necessarily personally involved, you don't always know the family, you are simply there to help and support and most of all hope to find the child safe.

For myself, I could not even imagine nor fathom the pain these families go through when something like this happens. Then to have strangers throwing judgments about your parenting based on what they see on a news clip or a briefing. In a moment of panic people react differently. Some cry, some get angry, some even smile. It's a moment that has been described to me as surreal. Unbelievable...it can't be happening to me.

In one case the outcome was not good, and one morning as I was picking up papers to fill out to search, volunteers were told to return the papers, they would not be needed for the day. People stayed at the sight anyway. Waiting. We found out about an hour or so later that remains had been found. People broke down. Sure most didn't know the family, but the mental toughness and emotion it takes to search, takes a toll. You have the chance at finding something you may not be ready to witness. I have had to think about this each time. Will I be able to deal with what I may come across? And when it's over you have to decompress.

I've witnessed many reactions when there has been a loss, people are sad, break down, cry, get angry at the "person" that caused this to happen. But when the child was found safe. There was a very different emotion, some were definitely happy, excited for the family. Even concerned that physically and emotionally the child was fine. Yet others are angry and judgmental. Some ask to be paid, some ask for reasons and I even read where someone wanted medical proof that something physical happened to a young girl, so as to validate the time the "volunteer" spent e-mailing people.

When you do volunteer, you have to know that it is out of compassion. Not for pay, not for glory, not for fame or heroism. It's to help a family get "closure", though I am not sure that is the best way to say it, it seems to be the accepted way.

I have only been a personal friend to one family of a child that was missing, and it was very difficult. A lot of fear went through me. I hoped and prayed for a positive outcome, and her family was lucky. She came home safe. Highly chastised by the public and press, but safe.

With Mitrice Richardson, I am not a friend of the immediate family, but a friend of a dedicated volunteer and close family friend. And I can only have compassion and sympathy at what they are now facing. They have Mitrice back, but they will again have to go through more emotional turmoil knowing she is passed. Not knowing the circumstance...not knowing. I do hope they find some comfort in knowing, that many people who did volunteer, did so cause they care and are sending condolences and prayers for the family and Mitrice. She will not be forgotten.

Now the question is Why?...Why did this have to happen? I doubt there will ever be an answer that creates an inner peace for her family...given time they may come to live with the outcome.

Sponsored
Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

I Kid You Not!

Next Article

Caylee Case...and Roman Polanski in Paris

Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks
4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
Close

Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

This Week’s Reader This Week’s Reader