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

[flowingbrooks]

Her mother said “no evidence of suicide”(which is a weird thing to say considering all of the circumstantial evidence pointing towards suicide) I don’t know if she would say that if there was a note. Sydney’s poems that her parents deleted shortly after she went missing may have been her way of saying goodbye. Her poetry and writing painting a picture of a very depressed and at times suicidal teenager.

also if Sydney left a note it would be really wrong for her parents to be trying to raise money to help find her through their pop up store.

 

[collegeisintense]

I am still curious about this pop up shop...it says “a portion of the proceeds” will go towards finding Sydney. Before purchasing it would be nice to know how much of the proceeds go towards finding Sydney and where the rest of the proceeds actually go. I think shipping and the t shirt costs would be included in the “search for Sydney expenses” or they would say that’s where the rest of the proceeds were going

 

[SFbaychild]

Me too. I think it would be a painful reminder for me to look and think of Sydney's case if I were to buy one of the shirts/masks, I wish there was a go fund me so we could just directly donate money. I assume there must be some legal aspect as to why they can't raise money based on the circumstances. I am sure there must be more information that leads to suicide preventing them from legally being able to raise money for the search for her.

 

[collegeisintense]

Me too. I think it would be a painful reminder for me to look and think of Sydney's case if I were to buy one of the shirts/masks, I wish there was a go fund me so we could just directly donate money. I assume there must be some legal aspect as to why they can't raise money based on the circumstances. I am sure there must be more information that leads to suicide preventing them from legally being able to raise money for the search for her.

Yes totally, people have offered to donate copious amounts and to match the reward but the family never addresses those offers!

 

[flowingbrooks]

Yes totally, people have offered to donate copious amounts and to match the reward but the family never addresses those offers!

The family has said in the past that they're conflicted asking for donations as they are capable of taking care of most of the expenses themselves. In one posting the father asked how people honestly would feel if he charged $5 for each download of Sydney songs because so many people have asked to donate. The pop-up store doesn't bother me in regards to proceeds but I still don't see how this is really helpful in finding their daughter.

 

[ElizabethAnne]

Changing the lyrics to Row Row Row Your Boat to
"I'm dying deep down
I'm not as happy as I seem"
in this Tik Tok video
TikTok just weeks before she disappeared seem to show she was extremely depressed. The video was posted mid-July a few weeks before she moved into the dorms at UC Berkeley.

Her name does not show up on the Gawadlabs.com website at Stanford under the "Team" Gawad Lab Website link which shows all current and past participants (and even mascots) and would seem to indicate the spring Stanford internship she touted on Reddit on her college applications never happened either ("doing an internship at cofounders lab at stanford this spring") from https://www.reddit.com/r/chanceme/comments/eswh7h/gap_year_applicant_to_stanford_ivys/

There have been conflicting stories about where she was in September once she dropped out of UC Berkeley (on Nancy Grace podcast, PI says "couch surfing" in Pleasanton, mother says living with friends in Livermore, father says living with friends in San Francisco doing musical gigs on open mic nights). I feel very sad if her last weeks were instead spent by herself in some Bay Area hotel or motel room.

It is not uncommon for suicidal Pleasanton residents to jump off area bridges. A few weeks ago, the local newspapers reported that the son of a former Pleasanton mayor recently did the same thing on Feb 21st.

 

[collegeisintense]

The family has said in the past that they're conflicted asking for donations as they are capable of taking care of most of the expenses themselves. In one posting the father asked how people honestly would feel if he charged $5 for each download of Sydney songs because so many people have asked to donate. The pop-up store doesn't bother me in regards to proceeds but I still don't see how this is really helpful in finding their daughter.

I thought about that but then why make a pop up shop to raise money if you have the finances to take care of it? Maybe it’s a pride thing.

 

[collegeisintense]

Changing the lyrics to Row Row Row Your Boat to
"I'm dying down deep
I'm not as happy as I seem"
in this Tik Tok video
TikTok just weeks before she disappeared seem to show she was extremely depressed. The video was posted mid-July a few weeks before she moved into the dorms at UC Berkeley.

Her name does not show up on the Gawadlabs.com website at Stanford under the "Team" Gawad Lab Website link which shows all current and past participants (and even mascots) and would seem to indicate the spring Stanford internship she touted on Reddit on her college applications never happened either ("doing an internship at cofounders lab at stanford this spring") from https://www.reddit.com/r/chanceme/comments/eswh7h/gap_year_applicant_to_stanford_ivys/

There have been conflicting stories about where she was in September once she dropped out of UC Berkeley (on Nancy Grace podcast, PI says "couch surfing" in Pleasanton, mother says living with friends in Livermore, father says living with friends in San Francisco doing musical gigs on open mic nights). I feel very sad if her last weeks were instead spent by herself in some Bay Area hotel or motel room.

It is not uncommon for suicidal Pleasanton residents to jump off area bridges. A few weeks ago, the local newspapers reported that the son of a former Pleasanton mayor recently did the same thing.

Yes those tiktoks of her singing about depression with a friend were telling.

 

[flowingbrooks]

I thought about that but then why make a pop up shop to raise money if you have the finances to take care of it? Maybe it’s a pride thing.

I think it's more about awareness than raising money

 

[collegeisintense]

I think it's more about awareness than raising money

I agree! That’s what’s confusing, you would think a photo of her face would be on it. People who saw something may recognize her people can’t put the pieces together with just a name:/

 

[NSamuelle]

Yeah, I don't think her concussion played a role in her disappearance. I am sure if her behavior changed after the concussion they would have mentioned that. The SFPD labeled her at risk because of depression not because she may be disoriented because of a head injury/concussion.

I agree; I think the concussion is mentioned because it sounds plausible (e.g., concussions can make it harder to stare at a computer all day). But Sydney dropped out in the first week - that makes me think she was overwhelmed almost immediately and there was more to it than a concussion. Presumably she would’ve spent some time on her computer prior to enrolling and would’ve known if that was going to be a major issue (or even if it was a major issue, it may have taken more than a week to reach that major decision to drop out).

College is hard enough, I can’t imagine starting with COVID isolation in effect and having the extra pressure of feeling like you really “have to make it count” after a gap year.

 

[flowingbrooks]

The family has said not suicide, not running away but instead foul play like being abducted. If so why isn't the police more involved and why aren't they and the PI doing interviews and pleading for help?

 

[flowingbrooks]

I agree! That’s what’s confusing, you would think a photo of her face would be on it. People who saw something may recognize her people can’t put the pieces together with just a name:/

Exactly! It's seems like a half effort, like not really going all out because maybe they really believe otherwise, that she probably did harm herself.

 

[collegeisintense]

The family has said not suicide, not running away but instead foul play like being abducted. If so why isn't the police more involved and why aren't they and the PI doing interviews and pleading for help?

I think it’s because LE knows what happened. I mean, hell, logically I think I know what happened. An “at risk” depressed teenager went missing on the Golden Gate Bridge and was never heard from again. Foul play was most likely not involved. It’s very hard for someone to snatch or even pick someone up from a car on the bridge.

 

[collegeisintense]

The family has said not suicide, not running away but instead foul play like being abducted. If so why isn't the police more involved and why aren't they and the PI doing interviews and pleading for help?

Their behavior rarely matches what they say.

 

[flowingbrooks]

I agree; I think the concussion is mentioned because it sounds plausible (e.g., concussions can make it harder to stare at a computer all day). But Sydney dropped out in the first week - that makes me think she was overwhelmed almost immediately and there was more to it than a concussion. Presumably she would’ve spent some time on her computer prior to enrolling and would’ve known if that was going to be a major issue (or even if it was a major issue, it may have taken more than a week to reach that major decision to drop out).

College is hard enough, I can’t imagine starting with COVID isolation in effect and having the extra pressure of feeling like you really “have to make it count” after a gap year.

I think it’s because LE knows what happened. I mean, hell, logically I think I know what happened. An “at risk” depressed teenager went missing on the Golden Gate Bridge and was never heard from again. Foul play was most likely not involved. It’s very hard for someone to snatch or even pick someone up from a car on the bridge.

I know! It's not logical what they're claiming and the fact that the police have not jumped on board is telling. If they really thought abduction, why aren't they screaming and pleading for her to be let go.

 

[collegeisintense]

I know! It's not logical what they're claiming and the fact that the police have not jumped on board is telling. If they really thought abduction, why aren't they screaming and pleading for her to be let go.

And they wouldn’t potentially tip off her kidnappers of traffickers by specifically saying they have new credible tips, like her father posted. Too risky.

 

[collegeisintense]

I know! It's not logical what they're claiming and the fact that the police have not jumped on board is telling. If they really thought abduction, why aren't they screaming and pleading for her to be let go.

Yes! The police haven't said anything. The only comment they made in relation to Sydney’s case was about how they are dealing with countless mental health crises.

 

[owleye]

According to the public Find Sydney website run by the family, they have engaged a very high-end PR firm located in Washington D.C. to manage the case. Does anyone know why a PR firm would be needed since the family doesn't do (or hasn't done) any media interviews? I don't think I've heard of PR firms managing abduction/disappearance cases before. Curious as to why.

 

[NSamuelle]

According to the public Find Sydney website run by the family, they have engaged a very high-end PR firm located in Washington D.C. to manage the case. Does anyone know why a PR firm would be needed since the family doesn't do (or hasn't done) any media interviews? I don't think I've heard of PR firms managing abduction/disappearance cases before. Curious as to why.

I believe the PR person they engaged is a family member, judging from her earlier comments on the family’s pages if you search for her name. I’m not sure why they would need PR, though.