UID Teen found in Manhattan w/no memory of family/name(ID'd Kacie Peterson)

[Ariana]

Teen girl found in Manhattan: No memories of home, family, or name
Posted: 02:18 PM ET
By Evan Buxbaum

CNN

NEW YORK (CNN) – Authorities are seeking the public's assistance in identifying a female teen who mysteriously turned up in Manhattan two weeks ago, claiming to have no memory of her family, her home - or even her own name.

"I just want to know who I am", the girl says in a statement released by the New York City Administration for Children's Services (ACS). The teen, who is being referred to as Jane Doe continues, "I want to know who I am and what happened to me."

The Caucasian young woman, described by New York ACS as "very soft-spoken", is 5' 6" tall, light skinned, with short, straight, cropped blond hair and blue eyes. Doctors are estimating her age to be between 14 and 17 years old.

ACS Commissioner John B. Mattingly appealed to the public in a statement, "asking anyone who may know this young woman to help us locate her family as quickly as possible, so we can safely reunite her with those who love her."

The girl was found in midtown Manhattan around 12:30 a.m. October 9 outside of the Covenant House youth shelter, although the organization tells CNN that she was not a resident at the time and did not appear as if she intended to seek refuge at the facility.

According to their Web site, with nearly 7,000 youths seeking safe haven per year, "Covenant House New York is the nations largest adolescent care agency serving homeless, runaway and at-risk youth."

A security guard for the shelter noticed the girl walking around on the sidewalk near Covenant House and approached her. Finding her unresponsive, he called the NYPD.

Police officers interviewed the young woman, but it became clear that the girl was not able to provide authorities with any information about herself. The NYPD describe her as wearing military green camouflage pants, a black shirt, and a pair of black sneakers when she was discovered.

Children's Services says the girl recently wrote down the name "Amber" and has responded to it on one occasion, but she has no idea as to whether it is her true name.

On another occasion she is said to have recalled certain words, which turned out to be an excerpt from the fantasy novel "Fool's Fate" by Robin Hobb. The girl is also apparently writing a fantasy story of her own that features a heroine named Rian, "Who's been raised by the commander of the guard post on the edge of a fantasy kingdom," says the young woman.

While "Jane Doe" is confused and her story remains vague, Mattingly explained that "She is safe with us, and we are doing all we can to help her, but she needs to find her family."

She is apparently reviewing materials for a high school GED exam, saying that she is able to do the math, but has no recollection of studying the history and science portions. However, according to the Children's Services statement, the young woman "can easily retain the information."

New York City Administration for Children's Services and the police are asking individuals with information about the young woman or her family to contact the NYPD Missing Person Squad at 212-694-7781 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS.

http://cnnwire.blogs.cnn.com/2009/10/23/teen-girl-found-in-manhattan-no-memories-of-home-family-or-name/

[cookie]

would be nice if a picture was with that article...maybe someone would recognize her from a photo...

[Ariana]

would be nice if a picture was with that article...maybe someone would recognize her from a photo...

I agree, maybe they are trying to prevent pervs from pretending to know her or something.  I don't know.  She really has no way of telling them if she is in danger or not since she has no clue.  Usually these kinds of things happen when the mind can't handle certain stressors or if there is a brain injury, there isn't much info on that either.

[cookie]

very strange though...if someone has a child missing around that age, I suppose that they would just contact the LE there then....they shouldn't go by the description though cause who knows what she looked like when she went missing, cut her hair, colored it etc....

[cartfly]

http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/10/23/teen.jane.doe/index.html?eref=rss_topstories


Girl found in NY claims no memory of name, home, family

   
updated 7:14 p.m. EDT, Fri October 23, 2009

By Evan Buxbaum
CNN

NEW YORK (CNN) -- Authorities are seeking the public's assistance in identifying a teenage girl who mysteriously turned up in Manhattan two weeks ago, claiming to have no memory of her family, her home -- or even her own name.

"I just want to know who I am," the girl says in a statement released by the New York City Administration for Children's Services. The teen, who is being referred to as Jane Doe, continues, "I want to know who I am and what happened to me."

The Caucasian young woman, described by New York ACS as "very soft-spoken," is 5 feet, 6 inches tall, light-skinned, with short, straight, cropped blond hair and blue eyes. Doctors are estimating her age to be between 14 and 17.

ACS Commissioner John B. Mattingly appealed to the public in a statement, "asking anyone who may know this young woman to help us locate her family as quickly as possible, so we can safely reunite her with those who love her."

The girl was found in midtown Manhattan around 12:30 a.m. October 9 outside the Covenant House youth shelter, although the organization tells CNN that she was not a resident at the time and did not appear as if she intended to seek refuge at the facility.

According to its Web site, with nearly 7,000 youths seeking shelter per year, "Covenant House New York is the nation's largest adolescent care agency serving homeless, runaway and at-risk youth."

A security guard for the shelter noticed the girl walking around on the sidewalk near Covenant House and approached her. Finding her unresponsive, he called the New York City Police Department.

Police officers interviewed the young woman, but it became clear that she couldn't provide authorities with any information about herself. The NYPD said she was wearing military green camouflage pants, a black shirt and a pair of black sneakers when she was discovered.

Children's Services said the girl recently wrote down the name "Amber" and has responded to it on one occasion, but she has no idea whether it is her true name.

On another occasion she is said to have recalled certain words, which turned out to be an excerpt from the fantasy novel "Fool's Fate" by Robin Hobb. The girl is also apparently writing a fantasy story of her own that features a heroine named Rian, "who's been raised by the commander of the guard post on the edge of a fantasy kingdom," says the young woman.

The girl has a 2- to 4-inch scar on her lower left back and had a black, handwritten birthday message on her arm, addressed to a name of Japanese origin, when she was found, police said Friday.

Judging from poor dental hygiene, said Lt. Christopher Zimmerman, she appears to have been living on the streets for some time.

"This case has been going on since October 9," Zimmerman said. "Today is the 23rd, and we're vey concerned. It's been a very long time now. That's a long time frame to not identify somebody. Especially someone who we believe is a juvenile. Usually juveniles we get a lot of inquiries about."

While the girl is confused and her story remains vague, Mattingly said, "she is safe with us, and we are doing all we can to help her, but she needs to find her family."

She is apparently reviewing materials for a high school GED exam, saying that she is able to do the math but has no recollection of studying the history and science portions. However, according to the Children's Services statement, the young woman "can easily retain the information."

New York City Administration for Children's Services and police are asking anyone with information about the young woman or her family to contact the NYPD Missing Persons Squad at 212-694-7781 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS.

[linds1980]

Hey cartfly!  I think this topic is already in the Missing: Found Safe.  Just thought I'd let ya know.

[Ariana]

yea looks like someone found another article about the girl but with a pic, they posted it under the missing persons thread.  I don't know how to do pictures.

[crazybabyborg]

yea looks like someone found another article about the girl but with a pic, they posted it under the missing persons thread.  I don't know how to do pictures.

Here you go, Ariana. This is the picture of the teen. 

[Ariana]

Thx CBB, you are awesome!

[cookie]

Thx CBB, you are awesome!

yes, thanks for the photo....

[crazybabyborg]

You're more than welcome, cookie and Ariana!   

I'm trying to figure out what clues can be gleaned from the picture. The haircut is really short, so I would assume it's been done not long ago. Unless she cut it herself, she's been in a salon recently?

[Tracygirl]

When I first saw this pic I had to do a side by side of amber dubois and her. They look simliar

[Tracygirl]

opps it posted before I was done! It is not the same person though...

[Nut44x4]

http://www.myvalleynews.com/story/41687/

Teen found in New York is not Amber Dubois

Saturday, October 24th, 2009.

ESCONDIDO - A teenage girl who responds to "Amber" and who mysteriously turned up in New York City two weeks ago is not Amber Dubois, the teen missing from Escondido since February, authorities said today.

The girl in New York is believed by social workers and doctors there to have a legitimate case of amnesia, and claims to have no memory of her family, home or even her own name. The coincidence prompted Escondido police to query New York police, and a watch commander today said detectives had determined that the girl in New York is not the missing Escondido teen.

[Nut44x4]

more photos

[cookie]

are we sure this is a girl?   

[Nut44x4]

Is Girl Found In NY Kara Kopetsky?
Teen In Manhattan Doesn't Know Her Name
POSTED: 11:19 pm CDT October 23, 2009
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- A teenage girl found in New York City who doesn't remember her name bears a resemblance to Kara Kopetsky, a Missouri teenager who has been missing since May 2007.


Police said the girl was found two weeks ago in Midtown Manhattan and has no memory of her name, her home or her family.

Video: Girl's Discovery Puzzles Police.

The girl is estimated to be between 14 and 17 years old. She is 5 feet 6 inches tall, medium build, has short, blond hair and blue eyes.

The girl wrote down the name Amber, but she doesn't know whether it's her name, police said.

Kara Kopetsky, 17, was last seen on May 4, 2007, at Belton High School. Relatives have said there are no apparent clues as to her whereabouts.

There were rumors that Kopetsky ran away; however, her parents said in 2007 that Kopetsky hadn't touched her bank account, she hadn't used her cell phone and she didn't take any clothes.

There is a reward for information in the Kopetsky case. Anyone with information can call the Crime Stoppers TIPS hot line at 816-474-TIPS

http://www.kmbc.com/news/21409728/detail.html

[cookie]

looks similar to Kara....

[Nut44x4]

are we sure this is a girl?   

lol

[Nut44x4]

snipped.....

The girl has a 2- to 4-inch scar on her lower left back and had a black, handwritten birthday message on her arm, addressed to a name of Japanese origin, when she was found, police said Friday."
http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/10/24/teen.jane.doe/