Found Safe OH - Katarina Bitterman, 17, Parma, 4 March 2017 *Arrest*

[Deltucky]

Wow, this is amazing! I'm so glad she was brought home safely:heartbeat:

I've always wondered what "safe" and "unharmed" means when a missing person is found. Doesn't tell us much about emotional state. Does "unharmed" mean no rape or just no life threatening injuries?

Anyway so happy for the parents who are overwhelmed with relief. I cannot imagine the roller coaster ride these folks have been through... RSOs, searching the reservations, etc..

IMO I have always suspected that found safe means "no life threatening injuries". The term has been used by my local news media when abuse of a minor has occurred; so it's your call from there. I guess the media never wants to mention the mental damage that happens, again MOO.

 

[JeannaT]

IMO I have always suspected that found safe means "no life threatening injuries". The term has been used by my local news media when abuse of a minor has occurred; so it's your call from there. I guess the media never wants to mention the mental damage that happens, again MOO.

There was one media outlet that announced "Sherri Papini has been found safe and sound". Um what?

 

[Whiskers16]

There was one media outlet that announced "Sherri Papini has been found safe and sound". Um what?

Yeah when I see "found safe" it just means to me that they're alive. Actually on these forums when I see "found" and a link to a news article my instinct is, uh oh, it doesn't say found safe so does that mean a body was found...

 

[LisaWL7TR]

Yeah when I see "found safe" it just means to me that they're alive. Actually on these forums when I see "found" and a link to a news article my instinct is, uh oh, it doesn't say found safe so does that mean a body was found...

When I see recovered listed I immediately think a body but sometimes it means alive and safe.

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[msphilosopher]

IMO I have always suspected that found safe means "no life threatening injuries". The term has been used by my local news media when abuse of a minor has occurred; so it's your call from there. I guess the media never wants to mention the mental damage that happens, again MOO.

Good insight! Even in WS located persons some are labeled "found safe" others "found alive" don't know what the difference is especially if found safe persons met foul play.

 

[JeannaT]

Good insight! Even in WS located persons some are labeled "found safe" others "found alive" don't know what the difference is especially if found safe persons met foul play.

I asked the mods once what the difference was, and was told there really wasn't any difference; sometimes, the mod who labels it uses the words LE uses when announcing the person is found. There's really no distinction between Websleuth's found safe or alive titles.

 

[eucalyptuz]

Nice to chalk one up for a 'happy' ending.

I guess this went one of three ways but I don't think we'll get many more details with her being a minor...
either:
A- she was completely complicit in the disappearance and continued absence, perhaps checking out of her home life for a shot at adulthood
OR
B- it started with her being complicit and things escalated and it turned into an abduction scenario
OR
C- she thought she was meeting for a quick coffee IRL and the 19-y-o male is some kind of sexual predator who groomed and abducted a naive 17-y-o.

The leaving of the phone at home suggests to me that she didn't want to be tracked: this says two things 1)she was undertaking something her perents wouldn't approve of and/or 2)her parents have the knowledge and perhaps previous history of tracking her and she knows that. I know many parents that don't know of/use this technology.
If there was any kind of deprivation of liberty this will go down very badly for the 19-y-o. Even if she just wanted to call her parents to let her know she was OK and he refused this will bring criminal charges.... I am leaning to a type B scenario.

 

[BoggLed in Ohio]

Nice to chalk one up for a 'happy' ending.

I guess this went one of three ways but I don't think we'll get many more details with her being a minor...
either:
A- she was completely complicit in the disappearance and continued absence, perhaps checking out of her home life for a shot at adulthood
OR
B- it started with her being complicit and things escalated and it turned into an abduction scenario
OR
C- she thought she was meeting for a quick coffee IRL and the 19-y-o male is some kind of sexual predator who groomed and abducted a naive 17-y-o.

The leaving of the phone at home suggests to me that she didn't want to be tracked: this says two things 1)she was undertaking something her perents wouldn't approve of and/or 2)her parents have the knowledge and perhaps previous history of tracking her and she knows that. I know many parents that don't know of/use this technology.
If there was any kind of deprivation of liberty this will go down very badly for the 19-y-o. Even if she just wanted to call her parents to let her know she was OK and he refused this will bring criminal charges.... I am leaning to a type B scenario.

Any idea when they will release the guys name ?? Good lord i thought they would have by now. Getting impatient as always lol

 

[Rachel1]

They may never release his name especially if there ends up being not much story to tell.
Example- Sarah dunsey. Her family swore she was trafficked.
They found her and brought in two guys that she was found with. Immediately released one of them. Never named the second guy. But by sleuthing the area that they where arrested in, I found that nobody was arrested for human trafficking but there was a guy who happened to be charged with complicity, harboring and such.
So it's very tricky in some of these Minor cases. Maybe later they'll end up charging the man with more serious crimes for SD or maybe I sleuthed the wrong person but my point is that so far we haven't heard much about the " trafficking" that her family claimed. Maybe more details will be released, what do I know?!?


If this guy abducted her and held her then I certainly hope he's charged accordingly.
In the interviews her friends gave, they said she was very shy. Maybe she was tricked? Who knows?! But I am glad she's safe as so many of these cases don't end as well as this one.

 

[Elle*Bee]

Wow, this is amazing! I'm so glad she was brought home safely:heartbeat:

I've always wondered what "safe" and "unharmed" means when a missing person is found. Doesn't tell us much about emotional state. Does "unharmed" mean no rape or just no life threatening injuries?

Anyway so happy for the parents who are overwhelmed with relief. I cannot imagine the roller coaster ride these folks have been through... RSOs, searching the reservations, etc..

I guess it depends on who's speaking. My hubby is ex-LE. Years ago, his department used "unharmed" to describe someone who wasn't physically injured (or sexually assaulted). May be emotionally traumatized, sure.

"Safe" was the term they used to convey that the person was no longer under the threat of injury, but may have, in fact, suffered physical injuries or assault.

Things certainly may have changed since his days with the department. JMO

 

[Mercedes]

:thinking: Who would have arrested the young man? The FBI, sheriff's dept., or local police?

 

[monkeypants]

Yes
It is a shame if that's the true story. We just don't know at this point though.
If a 19 yr old boy wants to date a17 yr old girl,I don't think he should be charged with a crime.
But if that same boy kidnapped her, that's a different story and he should be charged.
I guess we will have to wait and see how it ends up although we may never know.

My roommate in college freshman year was 17 just to put that age into perspective....on her own, living 5 states away from her family etc....

 

[monkey222]

Very glad she is safe. Now bugging me: was her school on break? Was she spotted with any type overnite bag, etc. when seen on her walk?

 

[alk]

Saw this article figured I would share. My apologies if it was already posted

http://fox8.com/2017/03/11/parma-neighbors-thankful-that-missing-teen-has-been-found-safe/

 

[Etilema]

Very glad she is safe. Now bugging me: was her school on break? Was she spotted with any type overnite bag, etc. when seen on her walk?

She went missing on a Saturday. She was said not be carrying anything that would seem to be extra clothes or travel bag.


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[bellyup]

I think it's hasty to jump to any conclusions about if she did / did not go willingly. There are so many possible scenarios and unknowns. She could have gone of her own accord and been happy to be gone. She could have gone of her own accord but ran into trouble. She could have been taken by the 19 year old or someone else who later handed her off to said 19 year old.

I feel badly for the boyfriend who is likely hearing speculation that "his girl" ran off with this guy in the event that isn't the case. Especially because he seemed so deeply distraught when she was missing.

My gut says there is a lot more at play than 17 year old girl runs off with 19 year old romantic interest. For one, the FBI wouldn't have been investing time / money and effort into searches and planes had they felt this was the case. Second, an extradition is a big step if the only charges are transporting a minor across state lines or interfering with custody.

 

[ambi]

I agree with Bellyup. Very difficult to predict what happened, hopefully they'll release more information soon.

I'm glad she was found safe and sound though!

Really weirdly, I saw a theatre show today and the main girl looked so much like Kat. It was a strange coincidence!


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[ts51]

So happy she was found and unharmed!! and relieved!! This case (the only one I followed from the first day) taught me a very good lesson. I thought the worse after the second page and was so sure (maybe not SO sure) it involved the RSOs around her neighborhood. If this happens again, (someone goes missing), and I pray it doesn't, I'll try to be positive from the get go and try not to make up my mind so quickly. As someone else somewhere on WS has mentioned, it's not always the most obvious, or what I think is the most obvious in 2 days!!! I'm always learning something here! MOO

 

[DatelineFan]

IMO, nothing will be mentioned about sexual assault. I guess it's possible if charges are filed. But she's a minor, and even if she wasn't, they try to protect the privacy of survivors.

 

[Virgogirl3]

So happy that Katarina has been found and is safe. As a Cleveland resident who works in the Parma area, I have been avidly following this story. One thing that has stuck with me is the nap. She told her parents that she was going to take a nap and then work on her school project. This was a smart way to buy herself an hour or two that she could guarantee her parents probably wouldn't call. This would allow her to sneak out to meet someone that she probably wasn't supposed to meet. Of course her phone has to stay at home in case her parents are tracking it and she is supposed to be sleeping. This, plus the fact that she left the tv on and the dogs outside, makes me think that she only expected to be gone a short time...maybe to meet up at the park or for coffee. I think the person she was supposed to meet picked her up and took her out of state against her will. People that know her said she was a responsible girl that was excited about her cosmetology project, so I don't think she went willingly. Whatever the reason, very relieved she is safe.