Found Deceased CA - Katherine Schneider, 17, last seen leaving home, Saratoga, 5 July 2023 *car found*

[citizen_sleuth]

Police seek public’s help in locating missing Saratoga teen - KRON4​

The Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help in finding a missing 17-year-old girl from Saratoga.

Katherine Schneider was last seen on July 5 leaving her home in a white Honda Accord with a California license plate that reads “8KLK251”. According to the sheriff’s office, the Honda has tinted windows.

Schneider is described as a white juvenile with blue eyes and straight blonde hair that reaches her mid-back. She is 5 feet 5 inches tall and weighs around 115 pounds, according to police.

Anyone with information in regards to her whereabouts is asked to contact the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office at 408-808-4431 or by email at PIO@shf.sccgov.org.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Missing juvenile Katherine Schneider

SANTA CLARA – The Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office is seeking the public’s assistance in locating a missing juvenile from the City of Saratoga.

www.ivpressonline.com

 

[AnyNameIWish]

There's an Instagram site find_katie_schneider

set up with maps & schematics of where her car was found... but no mention of her cell phone being traced.

Her car was seen 7/5/23 driving along Skyline (Hwy 35) and at 138pm she exits the car parked at 16161 Skyline Blvd, Los Gatos, CA 95033 , walks away and then gets back in her car and proceeded down the same route. Odd. In that area, cell service can be sketchy but I doubt she'd be asking for directions...

Still wondering what officers can report about her cell pings.

 

[SimplyCass]

https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/bay-area-teen-missing-month-18281096.php

SFgate article, similar information, but it links/quotes a post from Katherine's mother in which she says updates will be posted to the find_katie_schneider Instagram account, so i believe this qualifies as acceptable SM for Websleuths.

Her car was seen 7/5/23 driving along Skyline (Hwy 35) and at 138pm she exits the car parked at 16161 Skyline Blvd, Los Gatos, CA 95033 , walks away and then gets back in her car and proceeded down the same route. Odd. In that area, cell service can be sketchy but I doubt she'd be asking for directions...

(SBM) moreover, she was only there for three minutes, from 1:38 to 1:41 pm. Speculation: It's far too quick to really do anything. Maybe speak to someone very briefly, but not even unless that someone was standing right there.

And the CCTV angle appears to be that she pulled over in front of someone's house? (Ring camera or something like it, you can see a gate, driveway.) Is that something possibly significant or just a coincidence?

last seen 7/5/23 but LE didn't send that press release until 8/2/23

Speculative: Did they run out of leads? Even if they didn't believe she was in danger, I mean, a month is still a really long time to put out a request for the public to check cam footage, as storage or retention policies aren't very long (only days or weeks, at most).

 

[AnyNameIWish]

At her age and with mom able/savvy with instagram, I'm wondering about her cellphone... it would be rare for a teen in Silicon Valley to not have one. It's already been a month since her disappearance and it's not hit the news here (I'm about 45 min away) until this week.

I don't see any obvious social media profiles of her under her given name. There's a LinkedIn but I can't confirm if it's really hers and not much info other than her high school name.

 

[AnyNameIWish]

They found the Honda.

From the instagram page of
find_katie_schneider

The Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office has successfully located the Honda Accord. However, they are still working to locate Katie. Due to the ongoing investigation, we are unable to provide further details at this time. Your understanding is greatly appreciated.

 

[caradana]

They found the Honda.

From the instagram page of
find_katie_schneider

The Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office has successfully located the Honda Accord. However, they are still working to locate Katie. Due to the ongoing investigation, we are unable to provide further details at this time. Your understanding is greatly appreciated.

Such an unusual case! Hope the discovery of the car is of assistance to the investigation.

 

[Unalienable Rights]

NCMEC:

Have you seen this child? Katherine Schneider

Missing From: SARATOGA, CA. Missing Date: Wed, Jul 05 2023. Both photos shown are of Katherine.

www.missingkids.org

CA Attorney General's Missing Person Archive:

Katherine Claire Schneider

oag.ca.gov

 

[TwinkieDefense]

August 8, 2023 article - indicates Family said she didn't have a phone or any electronics with her.

Katie Schneider's car found, but Saratoga teen remains missing

Over a month into Katie Schneider's disappearance, family says the teen's car has been found but she remains missing. They have been posting updates and photos on a social media account dedicated to finding her.

www.ktvu.com

[…]

On July 5, surveillance video captured her car near Castle Rock on Skyline Blvd in Los Gatos pulled to the side of the road at 1:34 p.m., according to the Find Katie Schneider posts.

"At 1:38pm an individual resembling Katie got out of the driver's side and briefly disappeared from view," the post continued. "That person got back into the Honda Accord at 1:41pm and drove in the same direction."

[…]

The sheriff's office confirmed to KTVU Tuesday afternoon that her car was found Monday on Skyline Boulevard near Castle Rock State Park. The vehicle was unoccupied they said, and there were no further updates.

Anyone with information on Schneider's whereabouts is asked to contact the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office at (408) 808-4500.

Or you can contact the Santa Clara Sheriff’s Office Investigative Services anonymous tip line at phone number (408) 808-4431, or email: PIO@shf.sccgov.org

 

[AnyNameIWish]

They found her Honda on 8/7.

From the instagram page of
find_katie_schneider

The Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office has successfully located the Honda Accord. However, they are still working to locate Katie. Due to the ongoing investigation, we are unable to provide further details at this time. Your understanding is greatly appreciated.

 

[PommyMommy]

AUG 8, 2023

Missing Saratoga teen's car found empty in the Santa Cruz Mountains

The Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office on Monday recovered the car of missing Saratoga teen Katherine Schneider, but she was nowhere to be found.

www.nbcbayarea.com

Schneider's Honda Accord was found on Skyline Boulevard near Castle Rock State Park in the Santa Cruz Mountains, the sheriff's office said. No one was inside.

The sheriff's office said it had no further updates.

 

[SimplyCass]

The Instagram account find_kate_schneider posted an updated press release from the Santa Clara Sheriff.

"On 8/07/2023, The Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office recovered Katherine Schneider's Honda Accord on Skyline Boulevard near Castle Rock State Park. The vehicle was unoccupied. At this time, there are no further updates."

I am having trouble finding this press release on SCC's website but hopefully someone can find it.

That is pretty much where that CCTV footage is from. She didn't get too far from there.

Questions:
- was her car there the entire time? I have a hard time believing it would be missed if it was there. Google Maps street view shows "no stopping" signs on Skyline Rd, so IMO it would have been towed if it had been there since 7/5.

- Nobody can really answer this, but I would like to know if there was an attempt at concealing the car from the road. Or if there was any signs of a fight or disturbance (if she was forcibly taken away, for instance).

- The vehicle not being occupied - I interpret that (in a qualified manner) as being 'good news' that she wasn't in a road accident.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

 

[Warwick7]

August 8, 2023 article - indicates Family said she didn't have a phone or any electronics with her.

Katie Schneider's car found, but Saratoga teen remains missing

Over a month into Katie Schneider's disappearance, family says the teen's car has been found but she remains missing. They have been posting updates and photos on a social media account dedicated to finding her.

www.ktvu.com

[…]

On July 5, surveillance video captured her car near Castle Rock on Skyline Blvd in Los Gatos pulled to the side of the road at 1:34 p.m., according to the Find Katie Schneider posts.

"At 1:38pm an individual resembling Katie got out of the driver's side and briefly disappeared from view," the post continued. "That person got back into the Honda Accord at 1:41pm and drove in the same direction."

[…]

The sheriff's office confirmed to KTVU Tuesday afternoon that her car was found Monday on Skyline Boulevard near Castle Rock State Park. The vehicle was unoccupied they said, and there were no further updates.

Anyone with information on Schneider's whereabouts is asked to contact the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office at (408) 808-4500.

Or you can contact the Santa Clara Sheriff’s Office Investigative Services anonymous tip line at phone number (408) 808-4431, or email: PIO@shf.sccgov.org

There has to be other cctv footage.

 

[siliconrod]

This story is very local to me but today is the first I have heard about it.
KS has been missing for a month but her car was located on Aug. 7 in the same area it been seen on CCTV a month earlier. I can't believe the car was hiding in plain sight for a month. Did KS or someone else drive the car out of the area for about a month and then return it to the area it was first seen. This is a strange one.
Praying for the best for Katie.

 

[swanniee11]

Missing Saratoga teen's car found empty in the Santa Cruz Mountains

The Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office on Monday recovered the car of missing Saratoga teen Katherine Schneider, but she was nowhere to be found.

www.nbcbayarea.com

Very concerning, she didn't have her cell phone with her. They are searching wooded areas/state park which is where they found the car. I agree that car couldn't have been sitting there for a month but sadly family wanted to keep this private and locals wouldn't have known to be on the look out. Praying for her.

 

[PommyMommy]

AUG 9, 2023

Search continues for Katie Schneider in Santa Clara County after vanishing a month ago

Multiple search and rescue crews combed an isolated stretch of Highway 35 in the Santa Cruz Mountains on Wednesday for clues in the disappearance of a 17-year-old girl.

www.ktvu.com

Multiple search and rescue crews combed an isolated stretch of Highway 35 in the Santa Cruz Mountains on Wednesday for clues in the disappearance of a 17-year-old girl.

The collaborative efforts started around 6 a.m. as deputies from Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, and Monterey counties converged on the narrow area approximately one mile east of Castle Rock State Park. Crews used ropes to navigate the steep and rugged terrain.

[...]

According to Santa Clara County sheriff's investigators, Schneider's car was located in the vicinity on Monday, showing signs of damage to the surrounding brush and rocks, presumably caused by a vehicle.

At least two search dogs were brought in to aid in ground search efforts.

[...]

 

[citizen_sleuth]

AUG 9, 2023

Search continues for Katie Schneider in Santa Clara County after vanishing a month ago

Multiple search and rescue crews combed an isolated stretch of Highway 35 in the Santa Cruz Mountains on Wednesday for clues in the disappearance of a 17-year-old girl.

www.ktvu.com

Multiple search and rescue crews combed an isolated stretch of Highway 35 in the Santa Cruz Mountains on Wednesday for clues in the disappearance of a 17-year-old girl.

The collaborative efforts started around 6 a.m. as deputies from Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, and Monterey counties converged on the narrow area approximately one mile east of Castle Rock State Park. Crews used ropes to navigate the steep and rugged terrain.

[...]

According to Santa Clara County sheriff's investigators, Schneider's car was located in the vicinity on Monday, showing signs of damage to the surrounding brush and rocks, presumably caused by a vehicle.

At least two search dogs were brought in to aid in ground search efforts.

[...]

I wonder what they mean by the car “showing signs of damage to the surrounding brush and rocks”? Did she just adjust multiple times before she parked (assuming she was the one driving, which is what it sounded like)? Did the car go off the road and down an embankment? I can’t quite make sense of the wording.

 

[swanniee11]

I don't think the car went down the embankment due to the pictures they are showing of the car and the area, not sure if there are any scratches to the car or leaves etc.attached to the car. IMO

 

[PommyMommy]

I wonder what they mean by the car “showing signs of damage to the surrounding brush and rocks”? Did she just adjust multiple times before she parked (assuming she was the one driving, which is what it sounded like)? Did the car go off the road and down an embankment? I can’t quite make sense of the wording.

It's oddly worded. Damage to the rocks? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ MOO