Deceased/Not Found IN - Najah Ferrell, 30, Avon, Hendricks County, 15 March 2019

[GraceG]

They were foster parents and have 2 biological kids. This breaks my heart worse. They are kind, selfless people it seems. Where could she be... her being carjacked and the car dumped, personal items dumped as the lowlife walks away into the brush via a construction site?

Where her car was found would have been near the best route to take from Avon to that Panera, which is in Trader's Point shopping area. There are a number of "pay by the week" hotels just down the block and one that's just across the street so you might have some transients in the area. By the way, if you google Trader's Point in Indy you might actually get the location of Trader's Point Creamery, which is a dairy farm and restaurant not far from there (I lived in Indy 8 years).

 

[meanmaryjean]

The thing I find strangest about this from the beginning is why she was working at THAT Panera (I had breakfast there this morning). Avon is so built up/ booming - why would she need to go all that (relative) way to find a restaurant-type job? It just makes no sense to me.

 

[meanmaryjean]

Where her car was found would have been near the best route to take from Avon to that Panera, which is in Trader's Point shopping area. There are a number of "pay by the week" hotels just down the block and one that's just across the street so you might have some transients in the area. By the way, if you google Trader's Point in Indy you might actually get the location of Trader's Point Creamery, which is a dairy farm and restaurant not far from there (I lived in Indy 8 years).

Those pay by the week hotels are NOT transients- but rather long-term patients/ families of both the OrthoIndy hospital and St. Vincent (esp. those waiting on transplants). This is a solidly middle-class area.

 

[BethAnn777]

The thing I find strangest about this from the beginning is why she was working at THAT Panera (I had breakfast there this morning). Avon is so built up/ booming - why would she need to go all that (relative) way to find a restaurant-type job? It just makes no sense to me.

An earlier post mentions that she was still in the orientation phase of her new job. Perhaps she was training at one store but would work at a different location (closer to home)?

Knowing that she was new on the job makes me think her disappearance had nothing at all to do with her job. Seems if foul play was involved it would be personal or a crime of opportunity. Living in the area, I can tell you it’s safe and middle class.

Looking at her FB profile, she used to live in Gary, Indiana which is crime riddled. Not sure how long she has been in the Avon area?

 

[FrostedGlass]

I searched a couple of websites to find the area of I65 that had the road construction but wasn't successful. It seems like a carjacking would be the most likely explanation but where is she?

That Friday she went missing was her 3rd day of new employment orientation; so that may be the reason she had to be there so early. Maybe she stopped along the way to get a cup of coffee and someone saw her/followed her.

 

[GraceG]

Those pay by the week hotels are NOT transients- but rather long-term patients/ families of both the OrthoIndy hospital and St. Vincent (esp. those waiting on transplants). This is a solidly middle-class area.

With all due respect by "transient", I meant the formal definition from the encyclopedia.
tran·sient
noun
1.
a person who is staying or working in a place for only a short time.

That does not imply they or the area is less than middle class. I stayed in one of them 5 years ago, when I had smoke damage in my Zionsville home (elderly friend of my Dad, left something on the stove that caught fire). Some folks I talked to were only there for a couple of weeks like me, some were long term. But unfortunately, if you have people in and out it's less likely that someone would be aware of her missing and report anything suspicious they saw.

 

[meanmaryjean]

With all due respect by "transient", I meant the formal definition from the encyclopedia.
tran·sient
noun
1.
a person who is staying or working in a place for only a short time.

That does not imply they or the area is less than middle class. I stayed in one of them 5 years ago, when I had smoke damage in my Zionsville home (elderly friend of my Dad, left something on the stove that caught fire). Some folks I talked to were only there for a couple of weeks like me, some were long term. But unfortunately, if you have people in and out it's less likely that someone would be aware of her missing and report anything suspicious they saw.

Ah - point well taken. I wanted to point out that these are not hotels frequented as an alternative to homelessness / high crime areas. But rather extended stay facilities mainly servicing the two hospitals.

 

[GraceG]

Ah - point well taken. I wanted to point out that these are not hotels frequented as an alternative to homelessness / high crime areas. But rather extended stay facilities mainly servicing the two hospitals.

Agreed, I used to regularly go to Ted's Montana Grill there for a late dinner when I worked rather late and felt quite safe. I miss Indy a lot (and their housing costs - Chicago was a shock!)

 

[ilovechili]

Was the fiance at the PC? He is the one who last saw her as far as we know right? I know her mother was there.

As for Panera, I agree she could be training at one and then working at another. It is also possible (know nothing about her job history) this particular one may had an opening for a different position than anything in her area. Assistant manager or cook, cashier, just different than the openings in her own area and more fitting her experience? Just guessing, we know little thus far.

 

[PommyMommy]

MAR 30, 2019
MISSING: Family desperate for clues 2 weeks after mother of five disappears; cops believe ‘somebody knows something’
[...]

“As a department, our investigators have been working around the clock since this has taken place,” Brian Nugent said of the police response to the missing-person case.

[...]

As part of their effort to locate her, investigators have gathered footage from multiple nearby surveillance cameras and brought in police dogs to aid in the search.

[...]

Nugent made it clear police are focused on “a lot of theories” regarding her disappearance, noting the possibility of a medical or other emergency.

[...]

 

[ilovechili]

Before I forget, one thing that really impressed me in this PC was the way he STRESSED crimestoppers is confidential as a tip line, he spent some time in making it clear they have never ever given them a name of any caller or information, not once, and it is completely confidential. I found this really smart to do. I know of other recent cases where people were asking if tip lines were confidential and it was never confirmed they were. How many people might come forward if they were assured of this in some cases? It can be that they may be a gf or a spouse and be worried for their own safety, the person likely to know is someone close who can be in a tough spot, or a good friend, etc. Or they have other reasons.

The other IN case of the missing baby, Amiah Robertson, I think doing this and making this clear would be a great idea as well...

Edited to fix typo

 

[ilovechili]

MAR 30, 2019
MISSING: Family desperate for clues 2 weeks after mother of five disappears; cops believe ‘somebody knows something’
[...]

“As a department, our investigators have been working around the clock since this has taken place,” Brian Nugent said of the police response to the missing-person case.

[...]

As part of their effort to locate her, investigators have gathered footage from multiple nearby surveillance cameras and brought in police dogs to aid in the search.

[...]

Nugent made it clear police are focused on “a lot of theories” regarding her disappearance, noting the possibility of a medical or other emergency.

[...]

I do not understand how a medical emergency can be part of this. Her car was one place wasn't it and things belonging to her another? I know we have little info so far but I just cannot make that work.

 

[PommyMommy]

I do not understand how a medical emergency can be part of this. Her car was one place wasn't it and things belonging to her another? I know we have little info so far but I just cannot make that work.

I was also surprised to see that mentioned as a possibility. Doesn't seem likely from what we know. MOO

 

[ilovechili]

I was also surprised to see that mentioned as a possibility. Doesn't seem likely from what we know. MOO

I agree. It kind of fit in with him saying they are not ruling anything out as a possibility and my guess is that is the reason. It could be this or that or the other thing, to show they are looking at all angles. Just guessing and jmo.

 

[GraceG]

I agree. It kind of fit in with him saying they are not ruling anything out as a possibility and my guess is that is the reason. It could be this or that or the other thing, to show they are looking at all angles. Just guessing and jmo.

I imagine local LE is looking at her missing person case with the same questions that a forensic pathologist or coroner must answer as part of a formal death investigation. These questions come in real handy in a number of types of investigations.

• Who
• When
• Where
• How
• By what means (natural causes such as medical emergency or event, accident, suicide, homicide, or undetermined)

 

[ilovechili]

I imagine local LE is looking at her missing person case with the same questions that a forensic pathologist or coroner must answer as part of a formal death investigation. These questions come in real handy in a number of types of investigations.

• Who
• When
• Where
• How
• By what means (natural causes such as medical emergency or event, accident, suicide, homicide, or undetermined)

That makes perfect sense. Rule in and rule out as they go.

I just can't imagine it being medical and she alone leaving her things and her car.

 

[PommyMommy]

MAR 31, 2019
Indiana mom Najah Ferrell vanished 2 weeks ago, police asking public for help: 'Somebody knows something'
Police investigating the mysterious disappearance of an Indiana mother of five children have been "working around the clock" to track her down -- and are now asking for the public's help in the desperate search.

The Avon Police Department has cast a wide net to find Najah Ferrell since she went missing more than two weeks ago. Detectives have interviewed more than 40 people, pored over surveillance from 12 locations and conducted 30 search warrants, including for her home and analyzing her electronic devices, police said.

[...]

Ferrell's vehicle, a 2018 black Nissan Altima, was discovered last week about 2.5 miles from the Panera, police said. They also found evidence at a construction zone in the area, but Nugent wouldn't go into details about items, except to say they were taken to a crime lab to be examined.

Her phone was not among the items recovered, however, Nugent said.

He said investigators have zeroed in on that general area to see if witnesses will come forward with any piece of information.

[...]

 

[PommyMommy]

MAR 31, 2019
'Somebody knows something': Indiana mom of five missing for more than two weeks, police say
[...]

He said police consider the disappearance of Ferrell, who cares for three foster children and two biological children, suspicious.

"I think anyone that leaves their family for an extended period of time, we would call that suspicious," he said.

Police have not named a person-of-interest or suspect. But Nugent says police believe "somebody knows something" and pleaded with anyone who has information to "come forward and help bring Najah home."

[...]

 

[HayLouise]

News4JAX‏Verified account @wjxt4

Indiana investigators are begging for the public's help in locating a mother who disappeared on her way to a new job. Najah Ferrell vanished on March 15 after leaving her home around 3 a.m.

Indiana Police Plead for Help in Finding Missing Mom Najah Ferrell Who Vanished 2 Weeks Ago

News4JAX on Twitter

 

[PommyMommy]

Indiana mom Najah Ferrell vanished 2 weeks ago, police asking public for help: 'Somebody knows something'
[...]

Detectives have interviewed more than 40 people, pored over surveillance from 12 locations and conducted 30 search warrants, including for her home and analyzing her electronic devices, police said.

[...]

Nugent said there were no persons of interest at this time. Her friends and relatives have been cooperative, he said.

[...]

"If you're that somebody who thinks they know something ... we are still in desperate need of information," Nugent said. "We need you to come forward, tell us what you saw."

To that end, Seeds of Life, the organization that facilitated connecting Ferrell with her three foster children, is offering a $2,500 reward for information that would help find her.