If she had planned to leave the NY area for such an extended period of time (approaching 3 weeks now), I would think she would have contacted or touched base with her attorney or her accountant prior to leaving.
Even if she had not wanted the immediate family to know the particulars of their whereabouts, I would think someone would have known considering the amount of time away had she planned on being gone this long.
Unless she was fleeing. The less people who are involved, the better.
Plus I imagine she would have sorted out certain things out if she were leaving for an extended period of time - things like the farm workers pay, instructions for the upkeep of the animals for a long period of time, handing in a notice at her daughters school to say she would be absent?
The fact that she *didn't* sort that out lends itself to the fleeing theory, IMO.
Definitely. I also don't believe she woukd leave her farm. She is very attached to her animals.
I think a person who has had their world rocked by the passing of their spouse and then embroiled in legal battle over the money which supports her lifestyle and is now facing a lifestyle change may be induced to leave that behind. She may feel they are in better hands with others. If she was left without enough money to maintain the farm and the animals she loved, she may not have been able to face selling them or rehoming them.
Perhaps, had previously purchased property in Manhattan in her name alone that the family members were not aware of (anticipating that there would be contesting of will and acrimony had husband passed) and they are laying low there...
I think that would have not only come up in a property search but from the financial aspect, she would have had to fund that in cash during the battle over the Will, etc. I think her case has been in the public enough now that someone assisting her with that transaction would have reported it. A mortgage could easily be located by LE and a cash transaction that large, I believe, has to be reported to the government.
After reading about the contesting of the will maybe she could not afford to keep her daughter in the school, could not afford to feed her animals and especially her horses. Big expensive right there.
I felt when reading about the will, well I was oh, ok, they are fine and just getting away from everything for a little while but then I fear the worst.
Praying.
That pretty much sums it up for me, too.
My first gut instinct on this is that they went on a cruise, the timing was perfect for spring break and you wouldn't have cell phone use out there probably. I can't help but wonder, with the ongoing contesting of her deceased husband's will, whether there was reason for her to think she'd be served by a process server for anything anytime soon (all of that would likely be available online in court records, or they are in my own part of NY state anyway)... I've heard of people staying away from their home to avoid being served before, to buy them more time before going to court. If the timing was during spring break I could imagine going away for an extended time, if I had the money/credit to do so.
I hope they're fine. I have a feeling they are.
I have a feeling they are, too.
How much money is being fought over with the will?
If substantial, it could ge a reason for someone to want them to dissappear.
I would have to think that with a lifestyle that includes a 36k year schooling for their child, the sum of money must have been substantial.
I am thinking that they paid up front to have the car there through Tuesday (the 14th) and that's why they didn't have it towed before it was found on the 15th (in fact perhaps it was found because that was when they called police/towing to get it removed and LE realized the plate was a match for hers). I can't imagine such high-dollar real estate as 42nd street parking would be allowed to be tied up for weeks if they weren't expecting it and/or getting paid for it either way. I know someone who was less than 24 hours late getting their vehicle from a NYC parking lot and it was already towed before they even got there.
Unless it was a reserved or rented space, maybe?
Case Victory for Clients Claiming Improper Execution of Father's Will (George D. Costello)
Posted on Apr 1, 2014 8:25pm EDT
On March 4, 2014<modsnip>
Thanks for sharing this. It definitely sounds like there is a lot more to the case than just a mom and a daughter who went in to town to see a show and did not make it home.
Sounds like she may have fled the country.
That is my thought, too. I would guess LE is working with federal authorities to see if she was on a passenger list, etc, but those things usually take a little time to research.
Anyone know if she's American? Iona is more of a Scottish or Irish name. Either way, maybe she has dual citizenship if she has relatives in England. Her child could, too. With Air BnB nowadays and paying cash, they could have traveled to and stayed anyplace in the world undetected, at least immediately.
March 30 was a Monday, and Mondays are dark for most Broadway theatres, yet they were "seeing shows?" Odd. I also read she told farm staff that they'd be "back Tuesday." No matinees on Tuesdays, so that's some weird timing to drive all the way back to the East End after a show that probably lets out at 10 pm or so. I don't buy it.
If the stepkids had just won, they'd have no reason to harm her or her daughter. Based on legal developments, she must have been going through hell, with more to come. The daughter may not have been aware of the ramifications of her mother's stress, grief, fear and financial straits. I pray that they just fled the country in hopes of starting over.
I agree that I don't think the stepkids had a reason to harm her after the suit was already won. And I agree that a 14 year old may not really understand the full scope of what was happening.
There was a mention in one of the articles that she has family in England but they claim they have not heard from her, either.
If she fled, I would imagine a large amount of money was recently withdrawn.
I still can't imagine she left her family and farm without a word.
Or she was putting money aside bit by bit or had some stashed for a rainy day. And I think as far as not telling anyone she was leaving, it would be safer if she was fleeing. No one to thwart her, no one to divulge the secret. It keeps her friends and loved ones safe from being complicit if in fact she was fleeing from prosecution or debt, etc.
She must have used her credit card for the parking garage, but re an hotel, not sure what happened there yet.
IF she had an hotel room reserved, she would have had to reserve with a credit card and present the CC at arrival even had she eventually paid by cash.
Makes me think, either they were not staying at an hotel or never arrived there (no charges appearing on her CC).
I feel like a lot of us latched on to the idea that she went to a hotel when we first heard about the case b/c they were supposed to be going in to the city to see a show, etc but I really do not believe they checked in to a hotel at all. I think LE probably worked that angle quickly and as others have said, were they in a hotel and harm came to them, they would have been found by now.
We don't actually know more about the parking garage other than 42nd and when she arrived, right? This was a wealthy family. They could have well had a reserved space in the city. We don't know if it was a daily or weekly lot, do we? Maybe she did pay in advance. Maybe they knew her car so well, they were giving her leeway. Some lots have a 30 or 45 day window before they tow. So many possibilities there that we just don't know about at this point (unless I missed something!!!)
