Found Deceased NY - Sierra Shields, 30, Queens, 14 January 2016

[Tssiemer]

17th or 14th?


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[Periwinkl3]

From the Chicago Tribune article cited above: "Hoping to get better information, the Shieldses are in New York, where they've been in contact with a New York police captain, they said.

Although the couple characterized the investigation as 'very guarded,' Donna Shields said the captain has been 'just incredibly helpful.'"

If the family feels that NYPD is being "very guarded," that suggests to me that they don't just see this case as a likely suicide-and that another or others are involved in Sierra's disappearance. And that the family says that Sierra "had no current romantic involvement" makes me want to know: who was she involved with previously? And where is that person--or where are those persons?

Further:

According to Donna Shields, her daughter's supervisor at Shuttle America said she hadn't seen her since Sierra asked to talk to a union representative. Donna Shields said she and her husband are "still trying to determine" what the issue was. "Her supervisor doesn't know why; we don't know why," she said.

This seems odd to me. I'm a former flight attendant for a different airline. If Sierra was so upset about something that she went to see her supervisor and then asked to see her union rep--yet no one else seems to know on what grounds--I am concerned that she was being somehow harassed at work by someone who was not a member of her union. If she were in trouble for something at work, I would think she would have confided in someone--a more senior f/a, a roommate, her pastor. Reports say that she went to see her supervisor the same day she was scheduled to work a trip. When I flew, if a flight attendant was called on the carpet, she arranged for a rep to accompany her to see the supe--she wouldn't just go in alone. It is not an informal meeting. Airline crews are quasi-military in their structure. She would ask the rep directly to come with her, not ask the supe if she could speak to a rep. These are Teamsters. They take the welfare of their members very seriously. If she went in for something benign, and suddenly the supe said, “Sierra, we've had a complaint about you” (or whatever negative scenario), she would have done what she learned in her f/a training class to do: immediately stop the conversation and say, Ms. Supe, I will need to consult with my union rep and bring him/her to our next meeting. (It's like on cop shows: I want a lawyer.)

It has been reported that Sierra quit her job in that meeting, yet the supervisor doesn't know the issue? Doesn't sound right to me.

 

[DatelineFan]

Hmmm... It does sound like she was possibly being harassed, doesn't it? I wonder if a frequent flyer has become obsessed with her or something. From the start, I had a feeling she was afraid.

 

[whimdriven]

According to Donna Shields, her daughter's supervisor at Shuttle America said she hadn't seen her since Sierra asked to talk to a union representative. Donna Shields said she and her husband are "still trying to determine" what the issue was. "Her supervisor doesn't know why; we don't know why," she said.

Or the police have asked the supervisor to withhold the information ... just a thought ...

 

[Tssiemer]

Idk why but pregnancy keeps popping in my head. You can't be an FA if you're pregnant right? Too much radiation or something?


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[Periwinkl3]

Or the police have asked the supervisor to withhold the information ... just a thought ...

That's always a possibility.

 

[DatelineFan]

Idk why but pregnancy keeps popping in my head. You can't be an FA if you're pregnant right? Too much radiation or something?


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That's a fair idea. I would think that if she was involved with someone who her family wasn't aware of, LE would absolutely know by now. But I wouldn't expect them to tell the public. She seems like such a lovely woman. I hate to think harm has come to her. Sadly I think it's likely. She doesn't seem like the type to leave her family and friends voluntarily.

 

[Periwinkl3]

Idk why but pregnancy keeps popping in my head. You can't be an FA if you're pregnant right? Too much radiation or something?


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Pretty sure that's right in the US--not sure about other countries.

 

[Midge Montana]

Idk why but pregnancy keeps popping in my head. You can't be an FA if you're pregnant right? Too much radiation or something?


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I'm not following your line of thought. Why would pregnancy make her disappear?

 

[DatelineFan]

I'm not following your line of thought. Why would pregnancy make her disappear?

I know I'm not the poster, but my thinking was that women are at a higher risk of being victims of foul play while pregnant. I know I've read that before.

 

[LaborDayRN]

Hmmm... It does sound like she was possibly being harassed, doesn't it? I wonder if a frequent flyer has become obsessed with her or something. From the start, I had a feeling she was afraid.

I think had a frequent flyer become a problem for her, her coworkers would have known about it. In general, I think problem clients are usually talked about in the workplace. Perhaps a coworker or supervisor would be a more likely candidate. Wanting union advice/help would make a lot of sense in this type of situation. She may not have told anyone at work due to fear of retaliation, particularly if it was a person of authority. Also, the offending party could worry about job loss if it was a case of harassment, wanting to keep her quiet.

 

[DatelineFan]

I think had a frequent flyer become a problem for her, her coworkers would have known about it. In general, I think problem clients are usually talked about in the workplace. Perhaps a coworker or supervisor would be a more likely candidate. Wanting union advice/help would make a lot of sense in this type of situation. She may not have told anyone at work due to fear of retaliation, particularly if it was a person of authority. Also, the offending party could worry about job loss if it was a case of harassment, wanting to keep her quiet.

Yes, great points! I agree.

One thing about a client though, is that perhaps people did know and have told LE. They aren't likely to make that information public at this point.

 

[LaborDayRN]

Thinking more about Sierra asking to speak to her union rep.......
I can think of a couple or reasons for requesting this. One, she was being harassed. Two, she was being reprimanded or "written up" for something. From the sound of it, she was considered a great employee so I think the second option is unlikely.

 

[DatelineFan]

Thinking more about Sierra asking to speak to her union rep.......
I can think of a couple or reasons for requesting this. One, she was being harassed. Two, she was being reprimanded or "written up" for something. From the sound of it, she was considered a great employee so I think the second option is unlikely.

Yeah, if you look at post #122, I think it definitely indicates she wasn't in trouble at work.

 

[Tssiemer]

I'm not following your line of thought. Why would pregnancy make her disappear?

Pregnant by someone she shouldn't be.


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[Purplepixii]

What I've read in these threads from MSM / LE from the beginning of Sierra's case I understand that she is:
Deeply religious & studying to be a minister
Described by many as "sweet" and "nice"
Quit her job unexpectedly
Her phone / purse left at home
There was something obvious in her tone / words spooked her sister enough to make her get on a plane to NYC
Her family are fearful of suicide / hint of mental health problem
She was reported as depressed in the days leading up to her disappearance


There are a couple of scenarios in my head
1. Sierra committed suicide and has yet to be found
2. Someone hurt her on her way from the airport to her home

There's also something else niggling me. As a flight attendant, away from home a lot, I'm aware that co-worker relationships / 1-night-stands happen. If this happened to Sierra, and it conflicted with her religious beliefs, could this possibly be enough to "tip her over the edge" maybe and make her question herself? Or maybe she witnessed / was drawn into something that had a similar effect on her?

I'm probably rambling so just throwing these ideas out :blushing:

 

[Momoffourboys]

IMO Sierra made it home,, safely, that day.
Her purse, wallet and phone were all found at her apartment.

 

[tiffay01]

I don't disagree with the suicide theory (because frankly it makes the most sense). But I also think that with her being so very deep in her religious beliefs, I am thinking she wouldn't want to go that route. I would also think that if she committed suicide that with as close as she is to her family and God, that she would have left a note or something to tip them off.

My thought is this, perhaps she had met with some kind of harassment or workplace issues (hence the reason she wanted to speak to the union rep). Once she arrived home after having dealt with everything, I wonder if she reached out to a friend or trusted member of her church, who came over to talk with her. I am interested to see if there is a religious camp or "rehabilitation" that Sierra has checked into, no one has or will contact family or LE while she is dealing with whatever is going on?

 

[DatelineFan]

I really don't think she's in a church rehab. She doesn't seem to be into fundamentalism or anything like that.

I struggle with the suicide theory because if she's Christian (or many other religions) she likely believes she would go to hell.*

I'm leaning towards her having a romantic partner that went badly or (more likely) something work related like I mentioned earlier.

*I'm not arguing for this belief at all, I just know it's a common belief.

 

[scoodyboo]

I flew in and out of LaGuardia this past week and couldn't stop thinking about Sierra. I just wonder if she went home after the work situation and then left her place for a walk or to wander aimlessly and either impulsively did something to harm herself or somehow entered harm's way. Isn't it true that distressed people are distracted and therefore easy prey for bad people? I remember reading about some of Ted Bundy's victims and how that was the case.

A friend's dear friend turned up after she was missing for three weeks - she'd been in a hospital psychiatric ward. In that case, also here in NYC, there were no search parties or family members as there are in this case. I imagine Sierra's family is in touch with each and every hospital.