Found Deceased CA - Lauren Cho, 30, from NJ was visiting for 2 mos, Morongo Valley, 28 Jun 2021

[JerseyGirl]

Authorities unsure if human remains found in Yucca Valley are missing New Jersey resident Lauren Cho

 

[PommyMommy]

OCT 10, 2021
Deputies find human remains in search for Lauren Cho, missing N.J. woman
[...]

No connection has been made to the 30-year-old woman, known to friends and family as Lauren "El" Cho. Identification of the remains by the San Bernardino County coroner could take weeks, sheriff's officials said.

"The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department conducted an additional search and rescue operation in the ongoing search for Lauren Cho," it said in a statement. "During the search, unidentified human remains were located in the rugged terrain of the open desert of Yucca Valley."

The location roughly matches the area where Cho was last seen and includes a property that been searched in July.

[...]

 

[swedeheart]

Human remains found in search for Lauren Cho

"Authorities in Southern California found 'unidentified human remains' Saturday during their search for Lauren Cho, who was reported missing in June, the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department (SBSD) said in a press release.

It could be weeks before an identity and cause of death are revealed, said the SBSD. The remains were found in the rugged terrain of the open desert of Yucca Valley."

 

[swedeheart]

Human remains found in California desert during search for missing NJ woman | Daily Mail Online

 

[swedeheart]

Starts at about 2:08:00:

 

[Rob774]

This sucks! Let's face it, when I came across a youtube link on her a few days ago prior to the recent remains, I knew this was how it was going to end.

The classic "She left out and didn't return" has been done how many times over the years?
"I went to look for her and she was gone! She evaporated in 10 minutes"
Sadly, we all knew how this was going to end. At least now that we have a body, things can move forward and we can focus in on this guy.

 

[moonbeams]

It's very strange for her to be visiting Morongo Valley -- mostly known for its rather large-ish casino -- for two whole months. I'm wondering how her mental state was or what brought her out here. I hope she is found safe and sound soon!

There is NO casino in Morongo Valley.

 

[LAhiker]

Human remains found in Yucca Valley amid search for missing woman

 

[kelsie]

Why It Could Take 'Several Weeks' to Identify Remains Found in Search for Lauren Cho

According to police, the identification process could stretch into late October. “The scientific process to identify remains can be a lengthy process and is dependent on many factors,” a spokesperson for the San Bernardino sheriff’s department told Rolling Stone. “This being said, it could take a few days or several weeks.”

The expediency of body identifications depends on various factors, according to Victor Weedn, Maryland’s chief medical examiner. A driver’s license or a confirmation by a relative can be among the quickest ways. Other times, like in cases of mass casualties from a disaster, scientific methods may be needed, like using fingerprints, dental records, or DNA testing.

According to police, her friends said she became “upset and presumably walked away from the resort, leaving behind her personal belongings.” A person police describe as Cho’s ex-boyfriend reported her missing around three hours after she disappeared and according to authorities he “indicated she was suffering from mental distress.”

Hypothetically, if this is El...

I am really hoping she planned a way to go quickly IF suicide is what occurred, because death by exposure is probably one of the worst things a person can experience, but it also wouldn't make sense I'd think, because she'd be found. I'm confused - if all her friends searched for her so vigorously within a few hours of her going missing - how didn't they find her?

 

[kelsie]

Additional links

Lauren Cho: human remains found in California in search for missing woman

Body found in search for missing N.J. woman in California desert

Human remains found by deputies looking for Lauren Cho in California

Lauren Cho search: Body found in Yucca Valley, California desert

Remains found in California desert may belong to missing 30-year-old

 

[njwildflower]

NewsNation really messed up with interviewing the housekeeper that is suddenly claiming that Lauren was day drinking and that's "why" her keys had to be taken from her. The housekeeper is employed by the property owner of the AirBnB where Lauren disappeared from, so of course she's going to say something to defend this suspicious group of characters! Family and friends (even including one guy who keeps harassing the family and making false claims about what they're like) supports the notion that Lauren was drinking. Such journalism.

 

[njwildflower]

NewsNation really messed up with interviewing the housekeeper that is suddenly claiming that Lauren was day drinking and that's "why" her keys had to be taken from her. The housekeeper is employed by the property owner of the AirBnB where Lauren disappeared from, so of course she's going to say something to defend this suspicious group of characters! Family and friends (even including one guy who keeps harassing the family and making false claims about what they're like) supports the notion that Lauren was drinking. Such ****** journalism.

* NOT drinking

 

[Dre]

From my own experience and from several cases here on WS, family, especially far away, know our core but not necessarily what is going on in that moment or chapter of our lives.
I’ve had phases that I did not tell my parents about, and had I gone missing during those times my parents would absolutely dispute the facts. family and friends back home surely know less about what was going on.. I do understand that since the situation is shady that the friends might be shady, but the likelihood of them all covering up is pretty slim. Jmo

 

[Nanobody]

MOO it's important to remember that the 'friends' publicly discussing her mental health all knew her for about six months or less if she moved to Bombay Beach in December and then to Yucca to work at the Airbnb a few months later. The only person there who knew her for any longer than that is the ex/last person to see her alive.

These are also the same friends who said that she would have never gone off trail in early interviews, if the body they found on nearby private property turns out to be her then maybe they don't know her nearly as well as they thought they did.

 

[j_in_c]

Why It Could Take 'Several Weeks' to Identify Remains Found in Search for Lauren Cho



Hypothetically, if this is El...

I am really hoping she planned a way to go quickly IF suicide is what occurred, because death by exposure is probably one of the worst things a person can experience, but it also wouldn't make sense I'd think, because she'd be found. I'm confused - if all her friends searched for her so vigorously within a few hours of her going missing - how didn't they find her?

sadly it does happen that even trained search teams miss finding people, particularly unresponsive or evasive search subjects.

I guess we will need patience to wait on an ID and hope that they can determine COD.

 

[kelsie]

www.laurencho.com
Her family shared the site on the FB page for finding Lauren and said her friends made it (I am veeery much assuming they're referring to her NJ friends she grew up with, and not people in CA).
They said:

El has some seriously beautiful people in her life. The thoughtfulness and commitment seen in these friendships with El remains unparalleled.
We need answers for all of us.

Cho, 30, was last seen at 3 p.m. on Monday, June 28 in the 8600 block of Ben Mar Trail in Morongo Valley, CA. She was wearing a yellow T-shirt (pictured) and jean shorts.

El had a parrotlet named Porkchop that she didn’t like to leave. Since El’s disappearance, Porkchop became sick and has succumbed to the illness.
(This is so upsetting to hear. Lauren leaves and then her prized, loved, gorgeous pet died from illness and honestly, probably a broken heart too from missing their favorite human so much. Wow.)

(El sings in this video uploaded by The Virtual Choir.)

Lots of pictures of Lauren if you click on Media.
Under the How to Help section, there is some interesting information.

I have only seen this specific source that says her car was packed with food and water. I have seen conflicting statements regarding the keys, so I am confused on that aspect.

This image is self-explanatory. I mean, I did not personally know Lauren. The only claim I will make is that I've looked at this case quite intensely and have written a lot about it (an entire script for a YT video and then some). My theory? #1 self harm, #2 ex-boyfriend. Lauren had told her friends, who have been investigated and investigated and investigated, that she was very depressed and had a very hard time feeling like she had worth as a human being. I understand her friends do not want to believe that. Nobody wants to think their friend would kill themselves - most people would like to think their friend would come to them and confide in them or ask for help. Unfortunately, I'd assume the vast majority of people who kill themselves are loved by at least a couple people if not many people. I am getting the feeling many of her friends back home were people she grew up with in her religious environment, and/or when she was younger, and perhaps did not know Lauren at age 30...

Okay, well, now that remains have been found very close to where she was staying, I think the tables have turned a bit and makes the self-harm theory more likely. As I stated in a previous post, IF those are Lauren's remains, I do not think Lauren died of exposure. I think it is quite possible she took a method or two with her into the desert. This is all just my opinion of what I feel like makes the most sense given the information with which we have been provided.

 

[PoppySleuth]

Why It Could Take 'Several Weeks' to Identify Remains Found in Search for Lauren Cho



Hypothetically, if this is El...

I am really hoping she planned a way to go quickly IF suicide is what occurred, because death by exposure is probably one of the worst things a person can experience, but it also wouldn't make sense I'd think, because she'd be found. I'm confused - if all her friends searched for her so vigorously within a few hours of her going missing - how didn't they find her?

And she would have taken care of her bird, Porkchop. He was her baby. She wouldn't leave him to die (which is what happened)

 

[kelsie]

And she would have taken care of her bird, Porkchop. He was her baby. She wouldn't leave him to die (which is what happened)

I know, that makes me so sad. I can't imagine leaving my pet. The bird supposedly succumbed to an illness?

 

[kelsie]

<modsnip>

Also, after looking on social media a bit, El's friends all seem to think the remains are likely hers. I think the opinion that's differing between everyone at this point is how it happened.
What happened to Lauren? Was it a suicide or a murder? Did she really just walk into the desert and die of exposure because of an argument with Cody (I'm not buying that)?

 

[Hippononymous]

I'm fairly new to this case and am sorry if this has been asked and answered. Are there two vehicles/buses involved? I've seen a "tour" bus referred to and also a "school" bus (that was to be her food truck). So did they each have a bus?