CA CA - Sydney “Syd” West, 19, Univ of CA student, San Francisco, 30 Sep 2020 #2

[collegeisintense]

I'd like to know exactly where the backpack was found and was there anything helpful in it and what kind of shape was it in. Was it neatly placed somewhere in the open or well hidden or did it look like it was thrown because of an "abduction". Who found it? Also why haven't any friends or family members that she was staying with for a month prior to missing spoken out?

I don’t think the placement of the backpack would hold much value to it simply because it is the Golden Gate Bridge, it’s a crowded, busy place; I’m sure whoever found and turned it in, was most likely not the first to come across it. Someone may have ransacked her bag (which may explain why her rose gold beats headphones are missing), looked for ID, someone also may have moved the bag out of the way or picked the bag up. Unless they see her place the backpack down, which is very plausible, I don’t think how the backpack was found has much meaning.

 

[10ofRods]

I definitely thought of that but I think Scott Dudek/Kim&Jay would have mentioned if she went to any of those locations or anywhere nature-y that morning or if she had plans to.

You may be misunderstanding. To a San Franciscan, Chrissy Field and the immediately adjacent "woods" of the Presidio are nature.

The fact that there's more open space/nature on the other side of the bridge is interesting - if we had any evidence she had gone there (cameras on the bridge do not show this).

But it is a pleasant, open, airy, woodsy space - at the edge of Chrissy Field, hence, it is considered "nature" here in California.

I also think people are misunderstanding just how thinly stretched LE in SF are. It's a lot like London. Not every crime or incident gets investigation and without constant public pressure, even major crimes are not investigated. By that, I mean "investigated in a manner that involves finding witnesses and following through on all clues."

If anyone wants to go look at the crime closure rates for SF, feel free. It's a long and harrowing story.

 

[ElizabethAnne]

Very well said. Her withdrawal from Berkeley took some time to come out as well, I believe (though it was weeks, not months). They still haven’t confirmed the date of withdrawal.

The initial missing person press releases referred to her as a UC Berkeley student. It wasn't until the UC Berkeley police in their Twitter announcement on Oct 5th corrected this misinformation and referred to her as a former student. They referred to her as until just recently a UC Berkeley student here https://twitter.com/UCPD_Cal/status/1313270863458791424/photo/1
And you are right. We still don't know the day she dropped out.

 

[gentlehart]

You may be misunderstanding. To a San Franciscan, Chrissy Field and the immediately adjacent "woods" of the Presidio are nature.

The fact that there's more open space/nature on the other side of the bridge is interesting - if we had any evidence she had gone there (cameras on the bridge do not show this).

But it is a pleasant, open, airy, woodsy space - at the edge of Chrissy Field, hence, it is considered "nature" here in California.

I also think people are misunderstanding just how thinly stretched LE in SF are. It's a lot like London. Not every crime or incident gets investigation and without constant public pressure, even major crimes are not investigated. By that, I mean "investigated in a manner that involves finding witnesses and following through on all clues."

If anyone wants to go look at the crime closure rates for SF, feel free. It's a long and harrowing story.

I think what collegeisintense was saying is that she was not seen or known to go to any of the particularly known areas for nature like the woods on the other side of the bridge THAT morning. I may be wrong but that’s how I understood it.
Also, I know there are many crimes that are dismissed by LE but Sydney’s case is not likely one of those. She is a white, teenage girl considered attractive, and comes from educated and upper-middle class family. I’m sure LE thoroughly investigated Sydney’s case as it usually is exactly the kind of case that is prioritized.

 

[gentlehart]

The initial missing person press releases referred to her as a UC Berkeley student. It wasn't until the UC Berkeley police in their Twitter announcement on Oct 5th corrected this misinformation and referred to her as a former student. They referred to her as until just recently a UC Berkeley student here https://twitter.com/UCPD_Cal/status/1313270863458791424/photo/1
And you are right. We still don't know the day she dropped out.

Oh wow! I didn’t realize it came out like that...

 

[10ofRods]

I don’t think the placement of the backpack would hold much value to it simply because it is the Golden Gate Bridge, it’s a crowded, busy place; I’m sure whoever found and turned it in, was most likely not the first to come across it. Someone may have ransacked her bag (which may explain why her rose gold beats headphones are missing), someone also may have kicked or picked the bag up. Unless they see her place the backpack down, which is very plausible, I don’t think how the backpack was found has much meaning.

Except for the fact that abandoning a backpack is part of a narrative about suicide - on the Golden Gate Bridge.

Sure, it could be a random event, but as the sole clue released, it's tragic and sobering. How would you know who first came across and turned it in? Most people are honest and will turn in a backpack - esp. on GG Bridge.

I am a bit flabbergasted that you think the finding of her backpack (without her attached to it) is not significant.

How did she depart from her backpack?

 

[collegeisintense]

Not at all. How it was found vs how she departed from her backpack are totally different.

Most people are honest but let’s be practical. Countless people visit the bridge each day, it’s likely it was looked through (to see if there was Identification, etc) or moved out of the walkway. Unless there is video or a witness account of how she became separated from it I don’t think how it was found is necessarily an accurate indicator of what happened to her.

 

[10ofRods]

I think what collegeisintense was saying is that she was not seen or known to go to any of the particularly known areas for nature like the woods on the other side of the bridge THAT morning. I may be wrong but that’s how I understood it.
Also, I know there are many crimes that are dismissed by LE but Sydney’s case is not likely one of those. She is a white, teenage girl considered attractive, and comes from educated and upper-middle class family. I’m sure LE thoroughly investigated Sydney’s case as it usually is exactly the kind of case that is prioritized.

Okay. So, again, the last place associated with her is her backpack so minimizing its importance in a missing persons case is beyond me.

I doubt SF LE thoroughly investigated her disappearance (and she's not the only educated white girl in trouble there. I am speaking from experience.

SF LE doesn't prioritize murder, much less missing persons (IMO). Are you local? If you are, I'd be very interested in your perspective. Even in their "priority" cases, SFPD spends very little time, compared to some other jurisdictions, on investigation.

Which is why there is so much unresolved crime (and disappearances and suicides) in SF. It's the place to go to "jump off" and not ever be found. IMO.

 

[gentlehart]

Not at all. How it was found vs how she departed from her backpack are totally different.

Most people are honest but let’s be practical. Countless people visit the bridge each day, it’s likely it was looked through (to see if there was Identification, etc) or moved out of the walkway. Unless there is video or a witness account of how she became separated from it I don’t think how it was found is necessarily an accurate indicator of what happened to her.

Exactly, how it was found vs how she departed from it are two different things.

 

[gentlehart]

Okay. So, again, the last place associated with her is her backpack so minimizing its importance in a missing persons case is beyond me.

I doubt SF LE thoroughly investigated her disappearance (and she's not the only educated white girl in trouble there. I am speaking from experience.

SF LE doesn't prioritize murder, much less missing persons (IMO). Are you local? If you are, I'd be very interested in your perspective. Even in their "priority" cases, SFPD spends very little time, compared to some other jurisdictions, on investigation.

Which is why there is so much unresolved crime (and disappearances and suicides) in SF. It's the place to go to "jump off" and not ever be found. IMO.

I am local. I live in Pleasanton and grew up In downtown SF. No one is “minimizing” how she departed from her backpack but rather being practical enough to realize that it most likely was not left exactly how Sydney departed from it unless it was found very shortly after she went missing.

 

[gentlehart]

Exactly, how it was found vs how she departed from it are two different things.

She could have even staged it to look a certain way. How it was found doesn’t mean much unless there is a witness account or video to prove that’s how Sydney became detached from it.

 

[flowingbrooks]

Okay. So, again, the last place associated with her is her backpack so minimizing its importance in a missing persons case is beyond me.

I doubt SF LE thoroughly investigated her disappearance (and she's not the only educated white girl in trouble there. I am speaking from experience.

SF LE doesn't prioritize murder, much less missing persons (IMO). Are you local? If you are, I'd be very interested in your perspective. Even in their "priority" cases, SFPD spends very little time, compared to some other jurisdictions, on investigation.

Which is why there is so much unresolved crime (and disappearances and suicides) in SF. It's the place to go to "jump off" and not ever be found. IMO.

That was my point, the backpack is a solid piece of evidence she left behind so anything about it I'd like to know even if it ends up being meaningless.

 

[ElizabethAnne]

Except for the fact that abandoning a backpack is part of a narrative about suicide - on the Golden Gate Bridge.

Sure, it could be a random event, but as the sole clue released, it's tragic and sobering. How would you know who first came across and turned it in? Most people are honest and will turn in a backpack - esp. on GG Bridge.

I am a bit flabbergasted that you think the finding of her backpack (without her attached to it) is not significant.

How did she depart from her backpack?

It is unclear. However, the New Yorker article on Golden Gate suicides indicate that often times someone considering jumping will put the backpack, briefcase or wallet they are carrying down beside them. Jumpers This signals the monitors of the bridge that they may have someone on the bridge that might jump. It is doubtful that the cameras would have picked this up since 6:45 AM was before sunrise and it was foggy/smoky from the wildfires that day.

Abandoned cars/bikes and abandoned personal items often times are the only clues left that a person has in fact jumped when there are no eyewitnesses.

 

[crhedBngr]

This case. Vexing, frustrating - where is she??

Prayers she is found soon.

JMVHO.

 

[10ofRods]

I am local. I live in Pleasanton and grew up In downtown SF. No one is “minimizing” how she departed from her backpack but rather being practical enough to realize that it most likely was not left exactly how Sydney departed from it unless it was found very shortly after she went missing.

I lived in SF for more than a decade and I agree that even an early morning backpack might riffled through (although...I am not going to say that is certain).

I think that some people on WS think that there should be or should have been more of an investigation involving this missing person, but since I worked in the Bay Area (mostly in jails and mental hospitals) for 15 years (not that long ago), I am well aware that LE doesn't spend tons of man hours on these cases.

We'd have young people in mental wards for six months before any LE would even answer our emails or letters. And SF has a terrible crime clearance rate. For a county of 900,00o or so (many of them rich). I think some people regard this as "minimizing," which is all I'm saying. That was back in the day (15 years ago) where such longterm holds for young people were possible - today they are turfed out or simply discharged, disoriented, in urban settings.

I'm neutral. I think this case has gotten way more publicity that any case in the town where I currently live, but it's still not very much.

There are 20,000 missing persons in California. How many of them are on WS? Only a handful.

Which counties have the highest rates of missing persons? I am not sure, but NorCal (Humboldt County in particular) has the worst record, IMO. There are more articles about Sydney than any other SF missing person that I can find - including young teens.

That's because her parents have been diligent in contacting LE, IMO.

But the fact that her last known artifact is on GG bridge is a big clue, and I do not think that SF are going to go to any further lengths, at this point, to find her.

She went to Crissy Field early in the morning (and apparently changed clothes within sight of the Bridge). Then somehow her backpack is on the approach or early section of the bridge.

She could have hitchhiked. But her social media presence was pretty regular, and no one has heard from her.

 

[SFbaychild]

Exactly, how it was found vs how she departed from it are two different things.

Really good point, I never thought of that. Also, because whoever found it likely didn't realize it was Sydney's (unless they were looking for it) and maybe doesn't even remember exactly how it was placed because it wasn't of importance until after the fact. I definitely think how her backpack was found is important BUT, it certainly doesn't hold THAT much weight simply because it could have been moved by so many different people so many times.

 

[SFbaychild]

Not at all. How it was found vs how she departed from her backpack are totally different.

Most people are honest but let’s be practical. Countless people visit the bridge each day, it’s likely it was looked through (to see if there was Identification, etc) or moved out of the walkway. Unless there is video or a witness account of how she became separated from it I don’t think how it was found is necessarily an accurate indicator of what happened to her.

I agree, the only way to know how Sydney became separated from that bag is if there were eyewitnesses OR it was on video footage. I would love to know if the backpack was simply just found, if they saw her ditch it on camera, or if they saw her on camera after ditching it totally fine...I would love to know exactly how much information they have on the discovery and details around the backpack.

 

[SFbaychild]

She had said on Reddit that she just wanted to find a community college. I wish she had.

I do too, I think she was worried about how her parents would react/feel and how it would make her family look. If her parents were (according to Sydney's reddit post)angry that she did not get into Ivy League schools I can't imagine how they would handle her going to a community college.

 

[crhedBngr]

I do too, I think she was worried about how her parents would react/feel and how it would make her family look. If her parents were (according to Sydney's reddit post)angry that she did not get into Ivy League schools I can't imagine how they would handle her going to a community college.

And, if the above is true, I can't imagine too many situations that are worse for a young person struggling with decisions such as these.

I started out at a community college, and transferred to the UC system, where I did just fine. No shame in this, even if certain people think so.

If your parents don't support you, whom can you depend upon??

JMVHO.

 

[Lilibet]

There is NO WAY to determine who is suicidal unless they express some kind of plans.

None of the people in the suicides I dealt with had said a single word about what their intentions were, etc. The all came across as stressed, but stable psychologically.

Then there's the 'suicide note' - I never found a single one at any of the suicides and attempted suicides I have ever investigated.

Although I don’t have your professional experience @SpanishMossAntiques, my experience with suicide cases here at WS parallels yours exactly...no way to determine who is suicidal ahead of time if they don’t speak of it (and they don’t), possibly (but not always) showing signs of depression, often high achievers with future plans and “so much to live for” (at least in my experience here), sometimes writings that reveal a sensitive soul in pain, and never a suicide note, or at least not one we hear about.

The stigma surrounding suicide is huge and it’s generally seen as a very selfish act. So it’s no wonder that family, friends and WSers are reluctant to consider the possibility and hang onto the hope that the person has just decided to disappear. But the suicide cases here at WS have taught me that underlying (and often well-hidden) depression can lead to a sense of failure and the feeling that their loved ones would be better off without them. Combine that with a relentless emotional pain that it seems will never end and suicide becomes an attractive option, unfortunately. And now it is the first possibility I consider in cases like Syd’s, as time passes.

We may never know what happened to Syd, and although others may disagree, I think the totality of evidence after this length of time points to suicide.