SC SC - Stanley Kotowski, 60, Hilton Head, 16 Aug 2024

[PommyMommy]

AUG 21, 2024

‘Want you home’: Family speaks out as search for missing Mass. man in South Carolina enters 5th day

The man walked out of their vacation rental in Hilton Head and disappeared.

www.boston25news.com

[...]

The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office said Kotowski did not take any personal items with him like his wallet or phone. ...

Kotowski’s wife said her husband developed really bad insomnia in the last month.

“His anxiety just kept getting worse and worse and worse. And he started to get a little paranoid. He thought someone was chasing him,” Jackie Kotowski said.

[...]

The search for Kotowski to bring him back to Methuen includes deploying canines, drones, helicopters, and boats.

[...]

South Carolina authorities are hoping people there in the area will review their home cameras in hopes of finding out what may have happened to Kotowski.

 

[mlhenn]

https://www.islandpacket.com/news/local/crime/article291261070.html

The condo the Methuen, Massachusetts resident and his family were renting is on South Sea Pines Drive, a lightly wooded area within the gated community of Sea Pines. The 5,000 acre area is near the shores of the Calibogue Sound and Braddock Cove. There are also are handful of lagoons in the area.

The department also is utilizing a helicopter to search over waterways and more heavily-wooded areas.

In recent days, the department has been in the process of contacting property managers and landlords in other communities to search vacant homes, outbuildings and unoccupied spaces to look for any signs of Kotowski. Homes within the immediate neighborhood have also been searched. Allen said that until he is found, the department can not rule out any area. The other concern Allen raised is Kotowski may be changing locations.

 

[acutename]

there is also this:

Sea Pines Forest Preserve​

sctrails.net
https://www.sctrails.net › trails › trail › sea-pines-forest-...




It is the largest tract of undeveloped land on Hilton Head Island and provides a valuable oasis of habitat for wildlife as well as outdoor recreation for humans ...

A lot of trails, swampy areas.... would not be easy to search IMO

 

[Unalienable Rights]

Report details what missing man's wife told deputies after he disappeared from Sea Pines house

Stanley Kotowski, 60, was last seen August 16 leaving the family's vacation home at the Sea Pines Resort.

www.wjcl.com

*****
According to a report from the BCSO, Jackie Kotowski told deputies that her husband "believes Sea Pines is a 'set up' and has a conspiracy that the people here are out to get him. She stated that Stanley has made several statements of people at this place "watching him.""

She also told deputies that, before he left, Stanley told her "Promise me you will go on without me."

*****
Support for the family has been flooding in on social media, where people have offered up their homes for the family to stay as search efforts continue.

*****

 

[Sunshynn]

“His anxiety just kept getting worse and worse and worse. And he started to get a little paranoid. He thought someone was chasing him,” Jackie Kotowski said.

I know that it's hard to fathom sometimes for people but I wonder if anyone has looked into possible addiction issues, possibly within the last month to two month time?

I know that insomnia can make you paranoid but meth (or several other drug) usage can also do that, as well as give you insomnia.

My ex disappeared for three days when we were on vacation once in Florida many moons ago and when he finally did appear again told me a wild tale of law enforcement following him and setting up snipers. He couldn't tell me where he had been and his feet were tore up from walking and it turns out he gotten into some kind of drugs.
Thankfully, he returned but this case is making think back to that time.

Regardless whether it is mental illness, drug use or something else - I'm keeping this family in my thoughts and hoping he is found and safe.

 

[charminglane]

Had he had Covid recently?
There's such a thing as Covid psychosis.

COVID-19 and New-Onset Psychosis: A Comprehensive Review

Psychosis is a multifactorial condition that typically involves delusions, hallucinations, and disorganized thought, speech or behavior. The observation of an association between infectious epidemics and acute psychosis dates back to the last century. ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Doctors are still not certain that is what was the cause of my Dad's short psychosis episode.

 

[darmela]

She also told deputies that, before he left, Stanley told her "Promise me you will go on without me."

That doesn't sound good at all.

 

[mlhenn]

Haunting footage shows last sighting of missing man who left home barefoot

A FAMILY is seeking answers after a man went missing while on vacation as haunting footage captures the last time he was seen. Stanley Kotowski, 60, left his family’s vacation rental in …

www.the-sun.com

Kotowski's family reported him missing two hours after he was last seen, said the BCSO Master Sergeant Daniel Allen.

 

[RedAndBlue]

Had he had Covid recently?
There's such a thing as Covid psychosis.

COVID-19 and New-Onset Psychosis: A Comprehensive Review

Psychosis is a multifactorial condition that typically involves delusions, hallucinations, and disorganized thought, speech or behavior. The observation of an association between infectious epidemics and acute psychosis dates back to the last century. ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Doctors are still not certain that is what was the cause of my Dad's short psychosis episode.

Yes, he had battled COVID recently too. My family is confident he was not using narcotics. They believe this was a perfect storm of adverse reactions to stress, medications, insomnia, and potential fallout from COVID.

 

[GMS]

Yes, he had battled COVID recently too. My family is confident he was not using narcotics. They believe this was a perfect storm of adverse reactions to stress, medications, insomnia, and potential fallout from COVID.

@RedAndBlue In reference to the extracted statement below, I'm curious if you know if these beliefs Stan had about "Sea Pines" started prior to the vacation or manifested once they arrived? If previous, I wonder if stress about traveling to Hilton Head contributed in any way. I also read he (SK) is not a fan of the ocean, fears sun exposure, is a golfer, but had not played during the vacation, so it seems visiting Hilton Head may have not been his ideal vacation (imo).

According to a report from the BCSO, Jackie Kotowski told deputies that her husband "believes Sea Pines is a 'set up' and has a conspiracy that the people here are out to get him.

 

[Jinkasaurus]

What they're describing is a delusional disorder - subtype - persecutory - which is one of the most common subtypes. For this type of delusional disorder, the person believes they are being followed, harassed, stalked, often by a network or large organization (such as the govt, the fbi, etc.).

Hopefully a medical cause can be identified leading to resolution. Delusional disorder can be extremely persistent and difficult to treat as these beliefs feel completely real to the person who has them. Often people with delusional disorder can function normally in other areas of their lives as long as the focus of their delusions is not brought up.

Its possible he has had delusional disorder for a longer period of time and the anxiety from it was triggered by going to this location, leading to the severe insomnia and now having gone missing.

 

[NYSofMindHunter]

I have visited friends in Sea pines and we saw a fairly large alligator on the walking trail while jogging one morning. However, you would have expected parts of that wagon to have been found by now if they went in a pond with him.

In the information released by the family, it stated that "He (Stanley) did not take the beach cart (in picture) with him."

 

[annpats]

Interesting to note Hilton Head Island is a lot bigger than I expected it to be.
It's approximately 12 miles long and 5 miles wide.

I had a look on Google Street View, and the South Sea Pines Road area he was staying in is a lot more 'woodsy' and rural than I expected it to be.

You can't really see the houses too much from the road, they are quite set back and trees and foliage obscure the view.

You wouldn't know there's a beach nearby, or that it's an island just by looking at the Google Streetview shots. It doesn't necessarily have that 'coastal' look that other areas have, like Massachusetts or California that are more obvious.

I'm guessing as it's peak vacation time that most of these homes are currently lived in or rented out, but there may be the chance he is holed up in an empty one, or even an outbuilding somewhere. Or in the woods. Yup, lots of trees.

There are also about 12 golf courses on the island, so lots of different land (and water) to search.

 

[fcavanaugh]

What they're describing is a delusional disorder - subtype - persecutory - which is one of the most common subtypes. For this type of delusional disorder, the person believes they are being followed, harassed, stalked, often by a network or large organization (such as the govt, the fbi, etc.).

Hopefully a medical cause can be identified leading to resolution. Delusional disorder can be extremely persistent and difficult to treat as these beliefs feel completely real to the person who has them. Often people with delusional disorder can function normally in other areas of their lives as long as the focus of their delusions is not brought up.

Its possible he has had delusional disorder for a longer period of time and the anxiety from it was triggered by going to this location, leading to the severe insomnia and now having gone missing.

Just jumping off your post as I too was considering if something similar with regard if delusions/delusional disorder possibly plays a role here. I’m not a medical professional and it was always my understanding that many/most? mental illnesses/disorders tend to manifest in late teens and twenties and was surprised to read the following snipped from article at link:

“Delusional disorder most often happens in middle to late life”.

So with SK being 60 years of age, and based on what his wife reports about things he was saying just prior to disappearing, seems it could be *possible* that SK is suffering from a DD which based on the above pulled from the WebMD article, he very recently could’ve started suffering from at his current age-60, or possibly even a little before that, and as you point out perhaps stress, anxiety, insomnia triggered some extreme paranoia/delusions to such a degree it caused him to leave/runaway during this vacation.

Whatever the case or cause of SK being missing, how scary and sad for him and his loved ones. My heart really goes out to him and his family.
I hope Stanley is located safe soon.

Delusional Disorder

Delusional (paranoid) disorder is a serious mental illness where a person cannot tell what is real from what is imaginary. Know causes, symptoms, and treatment.

www.webmd.com

IMHOO

 

[annpats]

Perhaps stress, anxiety, insomnia triggered some extreme paranoia/delusions to such a degree it caused him to leave/runaway during this vacation.

Does Stanley have a stressful job back home in Massachusetts?

I haven't seen his job mentioned anywhere.

Interesting to hear if any of his parents, grandparents or other family have ever had mental illnesses. It can run in families and some people are genetically pre-disposed.

 

[fcavanaugh]

Does Stanley have a stressful job back home in Massachusetts?

I haven't seen his job mentioned anywhere.

Interesting to hear if any of his parents, grandparents or other family have ever had mental illnesses. It can run in families and some people are genetically pre-disposed.

That is a really good question, I haven’t seen a job mentioned anywhere either.
Anyone know if SK works, is perhaps Retired, semi-retired etc?

Really good point, I’d also be interested to hear if anyone in his family has ever had mental illness and I agree it can run in families and some people are genetically pre-disposed.

IMO

 

[Rush4087]

It does sound like SK is perhaps suffering from delusions and paranoia. If he thinks the gated and enclosed (and privately owned) Sea Pines Plantation is a “set up” and the people there are out to get him, my guess is he is either hiding nearby, or he left (or tried to leave) Sea Pines Plantation.

I would check the boats and out buildings at South Beach Marina if they haven’t already been checked (plus there are probably a couple of cctv cams around the marina). Actually, any vacant boat or vacant rental unit (now that school has started back, it’s no longer peak summer season). I’m sure the resort has info on which units are not currently occupied).

If he was trying to exit Sea Pines, there are only 3-4 ways I can think of. It sounds like he didn’t; take their car, or their golf cart / beach buggy, and, if they had even rented bikes, he didn’t take one of their bikes - or the family would have said so,

To me, that leaves: taking somebody else’s golf cart / buggy, renting a bike (which I think you could probably do with just your license and cash or cc (I know his wallet was at still at the rental, but was his license and cc’s in the wallet?), taking somebody else’s bike, or walking. I don’t think you can rent a jet ski at South Beach Marina, but it sounds like he would have avoided the ocean at all costs anyway.

If he’s not hiding in a boat or in a rental unit nearby, he may have grabbed an unlocked bike (or rented a bike) or found a golf cart / buggy with the key in it. He could’ve walked out of the resort barefoot
- but it wouldn’t have been easy

I think it would be difficult to leave the resort barefoot from where their rental was located (you can walk on the HH beaches barefoot - it’s awesome - but it’s tough walking barefoot on those concrete sidewalks and paved bike paths and roads - and harder still through the woods. Not that it couldn't be done - but it is 4.5 miles from their unit to the Sea Pines traffic circle, and then he’d still be on foot..

But leaving without shoes seems almost to have been a spur of the moment decision, with no pre-planning, because if your plan was to leave the resort, you’d go at night, and you’d wear shoes. You’d probably also take the golf cart or car. Idk, maybe he hit the beach and tried to go up the east side to Cologny, but once he hit that far, he’d still be barefoot..

Very sad that he was experiencing such fear. I hope he returns or is found soon.

All jmo

 

[annpats]

Also, just to add, he has actually now been missing for a whole week.

Which makes me think the outcome won't be a happy one.

From the Google Streetview images, the roads don't appear to have any streetlights, so needless to say, that is going to be dark out there once the sun sets, and even more so in the surrounding forests. I wonder if he wandered into water or a ditch in the dark?

Entering the ocean too, has to be considered, and is also likely.

There haven't been any sightings of him on the island and he can't have survived this long without food and water.

 

[Orange And Purple]

I'm extended family to the missing and related to @RedAndBlue.

Just to help fill in a little detail to questions here: Increased stress and anxiety had apparently been an ongoing issue for a while due to work. Stan experienced a bout of COVID just last month, which is what appears to have triggered the insomnia and sleep deprivation issues. This is what they believe led to the delusions/paranoia/psychosis. I was told he'd gone to the doctor to address all of these things. Zero known dependency to any drugs or alcohol.

We find it hard to believe he entered the water since he seemingly had little interest. Media coverage has spread outside of the island, but as far as I'm aware, no one has been actively searching outside of it. Since it has been a week, he could be far off the island by now.

Agreed that it's frustrating how there has been zero trace of him since last Friday. He was last seen on video camera wandering/sauntering near The Salty Dog Cafe. The next step has been trying to get video from the surrounding areas to try and see if his direction of travel was captured.

Thank you to everyone who's been keeping this thread active. Stan, Jackie, and their two sons are all genuinely great people. Stan's the absolute last person I'd expect to be in a situation like this. Our heads are spinning and it's been an extremely stressful week.

 

[Orange And Purple]

Updates posted by Jackie today (in blue), 8/22: