CA CA - Sydney “Syd” West, 19, University of CA student, San Francisco, 30 Sept 2020

[ElizabethAnne]

With the lack of updates and information I don’t know how we can help or how it will stay in the news.
No ground searches?

I am puzzled about no ground searches. Since Matthew Wilson was able to subsist on leftover campus food at UC Berkeley and live undetected there for 8 months, if I were the parents, I would organize a UC Berkeley search (see article Missing Texas student wanted to 'disappear' ) as well as a search at the college campuses Sydney wanted to attend. Back when Matthew Wilson, an Oklahoma student that was missing from Texas's Rice University, the Oakland Tribune (sorry I don't have a link because the Oakland Tribune does not exist anymore), I recall them speculating that Wilson disappeared and ended up turning up at UC Berkeley because that was the college he regretted not attending in the first place.

 

[ocsalumni]

I believe this is a new flyer. Posted on the offical FB page an hour ago.

They added one new picture and the number for the private investigator.

Find Sydney West

 

[10ofRods]

I believe this is a new flyer. Posted on the offical FB page an hour ago.

They added one new picture and the number for the private investigator.

Find Sydney West

This is VERY good news. (So I take it back - SFPD is workimg on this case - great description, just what we wanted and needed).

She would look rather different with glasses. But, baristas and other early morning workers would recognize the shoes, as that age group tends to remember shoes, along with her height.

Sounds like she was staying in SF that night and I bet it was near Crissy Field, so the PD truly needs the public's help in finding her. Any sighting at all.

 

[ElizabethAnne]

Depression, anxiety, insomnia, bipolar. No reason to think she was "heading home to bed." If she had a regular place to stay, we don't know about it...nor have her roommates spoke up.

The Gap Year Blues Part 1 essay was published Oct 3, 2019 and she is missing this year Sept 30, 2020. Some people have Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) which means as the days get shorter, people plunge into a depressive state, but do not know why. Serotonin levels are affected. This may not be the case here, but in some people who have it, it looks like bipolar - spirits great in the spring/summer, but during the latter part of the summer as the days get shorter through the winter - there is a crash with depression and anxiety. This is just speculation on my part due to the timing of the Gap Years Blues essay. Also, Seasonal Affective Disorder may affect females much more than men.

 

[NSamuelle]

The Gap Year Blues Part 1 essay was published Oct 3, 2019 and she is missing this year Sept 30, 2020. Some people have Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) which means as the days get shorter, people plunge into a depressive state, but do not know why. Serotonin levels are effective. This may not be the case here, but in some people who have it, it looks like bipolar - spirits great in the spring/summer, but during the latter part of the summer as the days get shorter through the winter - there is a crash with depression and anxiety. This is just speculation on my part due to the timing of the Gap Years Blues essay. Also, Seasonal Affective Disorder may affect females much more than men.

I got the impression from her poem that she was always trying to white-knuckle it through “grit” until she couldn’t, because she was so understandably tired. Trying to be perfect. But I agree that seasons may have had a worsening effect. Thinking that all that stands between you and success is “grit” is a horrible feeling. She sadly reminds me of Madison Holleran.

 

[ElizabethAnne]

I got the impression from her poem that she was always trying to white-knuckle it through “grit” until she couldn’t, because she was so understandably tired. Trying to be perfect. But I agree that seasons may have had a worsening effect. Thinking that all that stands between you and success is “grit” is a horrible feeling. She sadly reminds me of Madison Holleran.

If she had gone to a smaller school like her first choice (Lehigh), perhaps she would have not been as overwhelmed as she was at University of Penn. Unfortunately, for some reason, people think going to an Ivy League school is a great thing. But yes, there are lousy professors at Ivy League schools just like at public universities. Sure there are some good professors, but just like every university, there are bad TAs, bad professors, bad dorms, etc. From what I read about her and what happened at UPenn during what they called a "suicide cluster," it is just such a tragedy.

 

[Lusitana]

This is VERY good news. (So I take it back - SFPD is workimg on this case - great description, just what we wanted and needed).

She would look rather different with glasses. But, baristas and other early morning workers would recognize the shoes, as that age group tends to remember shoes, along with her height.

Sounds like she was staying in SF that night and I bet it was near Crissy Field, so the PD truly needs the public's help in finding her. Any sighting at all.

Unfortunately, those shoes are not distinctive at all, and I highly doubt it would catch anyone's attention, everyone is wearing them, from preschool kiddos to young adults. Slip-on VANS are very popular and have been for a few years.

 

[NSamuelle]

Sad but potentially relevant questions:
- Do cameras cover every angle of the GGB? Is it possible that someone could jump and not be seen?
- How difficult is it to search the bay? I’ve heard about people who jumped and were never recovered. Is the bay routinely searched when people jump or are thought to have jumped?

It was apparently foggy the morning of the 30th, so my concern is that she might not have been seen by bridge cameras, and if she did jump, she would likely be out to sea by now.

 

[elisimo]

Sad but potentially relevant questions:
- Do cameras cover every angle of the GGB? Is it possible that someone could jump and not be seen?
- How difficult is it to search the bay? I’ve heard about people who jumped and were never recovered. Is the bay routinely searched when people jump or are thought to have jumped?

I don’t know the answers to those questions. I thought I had read about a suicide barrier; apparently its construction has been delayed.

Golden Gate Bridge suicide barrier delays add $23 million to cost

 

[10ofRods]

Sad but potentially relevant questions:
- Do cameras cover every angle of the GGB? Is it possible that someone could jump and not be seen?
- How difficult is it to search the bay? I’ve heard about people who jumped and were never recovered. Is the bay routinely searched when people jump or are thought to have jumped?

It was apparently foggy the morning of the 30th, so my concern is that she might not have been seen by bridge cameras, and if she did jump, she would likely be out to sea by now.

The bay is really too large for any effective searches. The current at the bridge itself is very strong, and it's very deep right there. If they see someone go over, they do look right away and then at intervals at and near the surface. Bodies have been found as far away as Santa Cruz.

 

[anneg]

The bay is really too large for any effective searches. The current at the bridge itself is very strong, and it's very deep right there. If they see someone go over, they do look right away and then at intervals at and near the surface. Bodies have been found as far away as Santa Cruz.

I have been wondering whether the tide was going in or out on Sept 30 in the "early morning"--presumably before dawn. Probably that's too vague a timeframe.

I just looked online and it appears that low tide in the SF Bay was about 5 a.m on the 30th. High tide the night before was around 11 p.m.

Continuing prayers for Syd and her family and friends.

 

[RedMaple]

It would be a huge (therefore unlikely IMO) oversight if the purchasers for the GGB's multi-million dollar security system didn't account for the Golden Gate's famous fog and purchased standard cameras exclusively. I imagine that there are all sorts of infrared or thermal motion detection systems and cameras in place. I highly doubt the bridge's managers via requirements from the Department of Homeland Security would allow a system that doesn't detect and record every entrance and exit onto or around the bridge. Of course, systems and machines fail from time to time, so perhaps Syd got on the bridge undetected.

Still on the topic of the bridge, does anyone have any data or photographs that support the anecdotal (to my knowledge) evidence that it was foggy the morning of the 30th? The bridge is closed to pedestrians from 8pm-5am. Pre-COVID, from 5am until 8pm, it was rare to be alone (meaning without another person less than 50 yards from you), and that would only really be possible in the first ten minutes or so after the gates opened. From that time on, you'd be joined by photographers hoping to get set up before the sunset and countless bicyclists either commuting or working out. I haven't lived in SF since 2019 and I imagine the number of bikers has dropped significantly due to WFH.

MOO Unfortunately, if it was foggy, I could envision a scenario where the bridge authorities and law enforcement knew that someone got on the bridge and jumped (via motion detection, infrared, thermal imaging, etc). Without visual video of this, they'd suspect it was Syd but cannot confirm until a body is found, therefore keeping the case open. Syd's parents would probably be aware of this, which would explain their behavior and tone.

Of course, I truly hope this isn't the case and that she left on her own accord. I revisited some of her posts across the internet and found her account on Medium. Does anyone else find the last line in her poem "fun and games" a little haunting?

"Big wins, do not happen overnight. I will have to be quiet for a while until they do."

I know it's a stretch but does anyone think that there's a possibility that she's considered running away ("be quiet") for 9-10 months?

 

[overworkedcollegestudent]

I got the impression from her poem that she was always trying to white-knuckle it through “grit” until she couldn’t, because she was so understandably tired. Trying to be perfect. But I agree that seasons may have had a worsening effect. Thinking that all that stands between you and success is “grit” is a horrible feeling. She sadly reminds me of Madison Holleran.

How were you able to find Gap Year Blues? I have googled so many things people have suggested and so many people have seemed to find at least the cached text only version but I just can’t find it.

 

[RedMaple]

I just looked online and it appears that low tide in the SF Bay was about 5 a.m on the 30th. High tide the night before was around 11 p.m.

Still struggling with the "early morning" term. Pedestrians can't get onto the bridge before 5am, and if someone was to "break into" the bridge, I have to imagine LEO would quickly arrive to investigate a potential act of terror on an iconic piece of American infrastructure. Someone jumping at 5am would likely come into the bay for the next six hours or so, increasing the chances that they'd wash up on shore or get snagged on something. However, the bay has hundreds of miles of shoreline and many of those miles aren't frequented by people, at least on any sort of thorough-canvassing level.

 

[ChatteringBirds]

I don't think she jumped. I think if they had some proof of that, they would seek witnesses. (Wouldn't they?)

I speculate based on her and her father having recently had a long talk, that she's voluntary missing, but beyond that is a mystery. Just my feeling.

 

[Mommy2411]

How are they so sure what she was wearing, pants, shirt, hair in a bun, van shoes - but not sure if she was wearing glasses or contacts??

Do they know if she packed additional contacts and contact solution or was that left behind wherever she was living?? Were her glasses left behind?? For someone that wears glasses at bedtime and contacts during the day, you need to pack extra contacts and solution in case they break, etc.

what about a passport? Did she have one? Was it left behind? What if she went to Mexico or Canada? Did she have a car?
Where was she living? Why not an address given? No friends speaking out?

 

[darring21]

How were you able to find Gap Year Blues? I have googled so many things people have suggested and so many people have seemed to find at least the cached text only version but I just can’t find it.

Put this into google search.
"gap year blues" site:medium.com

There is a down arrow beside the "medium.com>gap-year..." line. Click the down arrow and select cached. It will still say removed but from that page, select "text only". I'm on a PC and this doesn't work on my iphone.

<modsnip>

 

[caido47]

Sad but potentially relevant questions:
- Do cameras cover every angle of the GGB? Is it possible that someone could jump and not be seen?
- How difficult is it to search the bay? I’ve heard about people who jumped and were never recovered. Is the bay routinely searched when people jump or are thought to have jumped?

It was apparently foggy the morning of the 30th, so my concern is that she might not have been seen by bridge cameras, and if she did jump, she would likely be out to sea by now.

GGB has multiple, hidden and not hidden, surveillance from the welcome center on the SF side all the way throughout the bridge to the Marin side. Parking lots are also monitored. Odds are if you walked the bridge alone you were closely monitored or even stopped by GGB bike patrol (As a local, I have been stopped and “checked on” by GGB LE as those walking alone often are). The bay is highly monitored with coastguard who are alerted by GGB LE with potential/successful jumpers.

There are definitely jumpers, although uncommon, who were not seen on surveillance but this is likely due to the particular spot of departure from the bridge. On this note, there are also those who have jumped but were never recovered as the tide of 50-70 ft below carried them out to sea. (Again, uncommon but true)

The time of day does not matter as GGB surveillance can detect jumpers even at night - however if very foggy in the morning it can be difficult to scout specific articles of clothing, appearance, etc.

 

[Emi]

#MissingPerson Please share & help spread the word until we find Syd! If you have any ideas where she may be, please call our Private Investigator @ (925) 705-8328 & @SFPD
at (415) 575-4444. #FindSydneyWest

 

[caido47]

I believe Syd's parents do not wish to speak as transparently as the public would like them to. But would any parent? If I were in their shoes, I wouldn't want to inform the public about every detail regarding my child (especially if they are informed of events by LE but cannot officially make a public report).