Found Alive AZ - Alicia Navarro, 14, autistic, Glendale, 16 Sep 2019 *found in 2023* #2

[formerlyme]

I personally would like to see someone offer free services to the family, perhaps a local dentist offer care to AN, an airline offer tickets to Mom, I think there are financial hurdles to both these. I also feel if AN herself made a statement maybe people would stop pursuing her for a story (reporters).

 

[SherryLock]

It seems to me media attention tends to not last all that long. People quickly move on to the next thing. I agree that the media frenzy was inappropriate but hopefully it will soon die down, at least, if it hasn’t already. MOO

 

[BeginnerSleuther]

Yes but doesn’t that affect her now? I mean Jaycee Dugard stayed with her captor after the age of majority, for another 20 years. Should we say that was her choice? She wasn’t chained in a shed by that point. She was out in public.

I think the chains of grooming and years of abuse of a minor are strong. And they may affect a person’s capacity. But, yeah. This probably isn’t the best way to go. An adult with a disability is entitled to autonomy and agency.

There is no way to know what's affecting her choices, but regardless, she's allowed to make those choices. It's like people who marry abusers or who choose to have ongoing relationships with those who abused them, including parents. Of course there are psychological elements at play, but the courts don't get to say "that's not normal, you shouldn't get to make decisions." That's ripe for abuse.

JMO.

 

[BeginnerSleuther]

I agree with everything you said except I would really really want some confirmation that she is in fact making decisions freely and not based on threats or manipulation. And that has nothing to do with autism. There are just too many cases where victims stay with captors because they are terrorized or otherwise manipulated into believing that is their only choice.
I could not leave my daughter to the possibility of that fate and if I had to, I would sacrifice my relationship with her to prevent it.
Worst case she separates from her groomer/partner/whatever for a few months, has some therapy with a neutral third party to process events, and can choose to go right back to him. Moo

Forced trauma therapy is psychologically detrimental. No reputable therapist would do it, nor should they.

 

[Seattle1]

LE must have accomplished a forensics search on the family’s Internet and phones. AN’s phone should be a shared account. Doesn't the FBI & LE not know who she communicated with.

We learned years ago that AN was believed to be using a burner phone. Many of her gaming chatroom mates were already investigated by FBI. Eventually, I think we will learn how the alleged predator and AN were able to communicate without detection. I also think it's possible he was initially in the area and moved with AN. MOO

 

[whiterhino]

Not getting dental services doesn't qualify, in my opinion, as a justification to put an adult under a conservatorship. Dental services are expensive.

LE can't do much besides investigating in order to find out if her current partner did in fact aid her in running away, other than that, she's an adult and should be free to live her life however she sees fit.

Diminishing Alicia and her wants and needs is, in my opinion, heartbreaking. If this man didn't do anything wrong, they should be left alone. By all accounts, she has a partner, is being surrounded by that partener's family and wants to live a "normal" life by getting a job and a driver's license.

Following them around, taking pictures of them and posting them for all to see, exposing someone who might be innocent in all of this and making their location public is inappropriate and I'm appalled at LE for not advising the media to stay clear of them.

BBM I cannot speak for others but the point I was originally making seems to have been lost. The comments made by myself about the braces were with regard to whether or not she was harmed due to not being able to access appropriate care for the past 4 years while she's been missing. Wearing the same braces for 4 years without any adjustment could potentially cause permanent damage.

Agree with the second bold. Just because AN has chosen to stay where she is and isn't doing things the way others see fit doesn't mean she deserves to have her rights and freedoms taken away. Besides we don't know if that is being considered by those directly involved.

 

[gitana1]

I personally would like to see someone offer free services to the family, perhaps a local dentist offer care to AN, an airline offer tickets to Mom, I think there are financial hurdles to both these. I also feel if AN herself made a statement maybe people would stop pursuing her for a story (reporters).

I think she doesn’t make a statement because things are happening in the background.

 

[gitana1]

Autism by itself isn't a mental disorder, and certainly not a condition that anyone would be sectioned under. You just don't like her decisions so want to take her rights away. That's not morally correct imo. Jmo, moo.

What is autism?

Find out what autism is and how it affects people.

www.nhs.uk

It actually is a disorder that allows for limited conservatorships. It all depends on the circumstances.

 

[gitana1]

There are a lot of gray areas in this case, and one can certainly put themselves in the position of a mother and want to go in and find a way to force Alicia to come home and rescue her immediately. However, the answer of how to help Alicia, in my opinion, is not to overly focus on her. She did not commit a crime. As @BeginnerSleuther points out, she should not be punished for "bad decisions" - especially if those were and may not be of her own making.

I believe it is best to let the investigation play out. If this guy she is with did indeed commit a crime by grooming her when she was a minor and luring her away from those who have legal custody, he is the criminal and should be brought to justice. Once he is arrested, Alicia can then perhaps make different decisions, but it may not happen in the timetable we think it should.

Either way, I pray Alicia is safe - physically and mentally.

Bingo.

 

[Bluebear15]

It actually is a disorder that allows for limited conservatorships. It all depends on the circumstances.

Do you have a link for that?

 

[gitana1]

Do you have a link for that?

I’m an attorney.

But, if you need links:

Guardianship and Conservatorship | Autism Speaks

If you feel that at 18, your autistic child cannot make important legal decisions, consider pursuing guardianship so you can make such decisions for them.

www.autismspeaks.org

Trusts | Guardianship | National Autism Association

nationalautismassociation.org

Considering Autism Guardianship?

As a child with autism spectrum disorder begins approaching the age of majority, guardianship may be proposed to parents to ensure the child’s safety and wellbeing into adulthood.

www.oflaherty-law.com

Special Needs Law Firm of Jeffrey A. Gottlieb, Esq | Huntington Beach, CA | Limited Conservatorship For Young Adult

Special Needs Law Firm of Jeffrey A. Gottlieb, Esq located in Huntington Beach, CA know how to present your case and advocate on behalf of your family. Call us.

www.specialeducationattorneyatlaw.com

 

[MiamiGuy50]

Forced trauma therapy is psychologically detrimental. No reputable therapist would do it, nor should they.

In some states, adults can be forcibly detained by police and institutionalized into a mental hospital (and given therapy, healthcare). For example, in Florida it is called the Baker Act. Some people don’t know they need help.

Moo

 

[BeginnerSleuther]

In Florida, adults can be forcibly detained by police and institutionalized into a mental hospital (and given therapy, healthcare) using the Baker Act. Some people don’t know they need therapy

Moo

No, they can't. Nowhere in your link does it note therapy and that's because forced therapy is dangerous and also impossible in most cases of a Baker Act.

<modsnip>

Based on what we know about this case right now, she would not meet criteria for Baker Act nor should she be forced into any kind of therapy or guardianship.

 

[BeginnerSleuther]

It actually is a disorder that allows for limited conservatorships. It all depends on the circumstances.

Agree that in some cases, all neuropsychiatric disabilities can lead to conservatorships, but the poster you were responding to was talking specifically about sectioning. Sections are like the Baker Act. They're involuntary psychiatric commitments, which is something entirely different from conservatorships. The poster is correct, IME, that autism by itself cannot lead to involuntary psychiatric commitments (AKA sections).

Neither should apply in this case, frankly, based on what we know right now.

 

[gitana1]

Agree that in some cases, all neuropsychiatric disabilities can lead to conservatorships, but the poster you were responding to was talking specifically about sectioning. Sections are like the Baker Act. They're involuntary psychiatric commitments, which is something entirely different from conservatorships. The poster is correct, IME, that autism by itself cannot lead to involuntary psychiatric commitments (AKA sections).

Neither should apply in this case, frankly, based on what we know right now.

Ah! I misunderstood. I figured the term was a British one for a conservatorship. My mistake!

 

[Laughing]

Outside of Florida, you may hear a Baker Act hold more commonly called a 5150 or 72 hr hold.

In some states, a Ninety Six for a 96 hour hold.

 

[Sillybilly]

Hey everyone,

Please move on from the off topic discussion of conservatorship, psychiatric holds, and guardianship. They are are not relevant to this case.

Thanks.

 

[aThousandYearsWide]

I keep seeing comments indicating that she was groomed by an adult male. Has this been officially proven by LE yet? It seems like the most likely scenario, but what if it ends up being something completely different?

 

[Andieinsyd]

It seems to me media attention tends to not last all that long. People quickly move on to the next thing. I agree that the media frenzy was inappropriate but hopefully it will soon die down, at least, if it hasn’t already. MOO

I agree with you for AN’s sake. But her story is so compelling I can see why so many people are interested in her life and want a positive outcome for her and her mum.

 

[aThousandYearsWide]

The Famous “Runaway Train” Music Video “Saved” 21 Kids. We Found Them. They Don’t Remember It That Way.

Most of those missing kids actually had really good reasons to leave home.

slate.com

Someone posted this on another medium in regards to Alicia resurfacing as an adult. It has several examples of other cases where missing teens resurfaced after turning 18. It is pretty interesting and has interviews of the former missing teens highlighting why they left and how they survived. One person also was neurodivergent.