VA VA - Katelin Akens, 19, Springfield, 5 Dec 2015 #1

[katydid23]

If she left voluntarily and set up the abduction then she had to have some help. Someone had to have a car and helped her ditch the suitcase and is hiding her out somewhere. And the only motive I could think of for wanting to cut all ties is if she is running off with someone that her family would not approve of. If she just wanted to break up with her fiance she would not have to fake her death. So this is confusing.

If this was not a staged event then I think something happened right before she arrived at the mall or immediately afterwards. But that is a pretty small window.

 

[pappa rob]

Katelin didn't text anyone including Amber to tell her plans changed and she would be at the mall then the airport to my knowledge. It would seem natural for a girl her age to be on her phone and, in anticipation of getting back to AZ and seeing Amber, to text or call her that day prior to boarding the plane especially if she was knocking off time walking around a mall.

<modsnip>

I also agree if the plans changed from what the mother was aware of at the time of dropping her off with step-father (and he really isn't anymore if they are divorced) the burden lies with him to explain exactly what happened word for word and step by step.

I guess you don't understand the true beauties of being an ex, you don't have to explain anything or even talk.

 

[bessie]

If she left voluntarily and set up the abduction then she had to have some help. Someone had to have a car and helped her ditch the suitcase and is hiding her out somewhere. And the only motive I could think of for wanting to cut all ties is if she is running off with someone that her family would not approve of. If she just wanted to break up with her fiance she would not have to fake her death. So this is confusing.

If this was not a staged event then I think something happened right before she arrived at the mall or immediately afterwards. But that is a pretty small window.

That all makes sense, yet it wouldn't be the first time we've seen a person voluntarily disappear under inexplicable circumstances. But Katelin doesn't sound like a young woman who would hurt those who love her on a whim. One article said that she planned the trip home months ago when her sister first announced her pregnancy. Obviously, there's a close bond and a lot of love between them, and the same is probably true of the relationship with her fiancé. The alternative is just so hard to consider.

A timeline of the day's events would alleviate some of the confusion. Who did Katelin text or talk with, and when? Her sister said Katelin normally texted her a million times a day. When was the last text she received from Katelin that day? What time did her mom drop her off? What time did Katelin and the SD leave for the airport? Did she tell anyone they were on the way? What time was the SD's car seen in the area of the mall? What time did mom receive the text that said Katelin arrived at the airport? If we had answers to even a few of those questions, the picture would start to come into focus.

 

[Ibiz]

If the relationship with her stepfather was not real good, why did her Mom make that arrangement?

Did stepfather call or text mom to let her know change of plans immediately, before it was discovered that Katelin was missing? If so, do we know what mom's response was - okay with it or upset?

From what I read, KA is a grown up. Who said the mother made any arrangements for her? And why would the SP be calling the mother and asking if KA can do this, or can KA do that?

On another note, something I found a bit baffling the other night when looking at the find KA Facebook page. It seems that the photos of her posted in news articles, and on the missing posters are of her when she was 15 and 16 years old.

When her girlfriend Amber posted a picture of what she looks like today; I was shocked to see that she is much larger, and looks nothing at all like the Katelin in those old pictures that are on the missing poster.

 

[calo44]

I found that odd, too, almost as if whoever supplied the photos and info on those posters is somehow 'frozen in time' and still sees Katelin in her youth vs. the young lady she is today.

 

[Wyle_E_Coyote]

I found that odd, too, almost as if whoever supplied the photos and info on those posters is somehow 'frozen in time' and still sees Katelin in her youth vs. the young lady she is today.

Or not on good terms with those who would have recent photos.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[Dion]

I'd like to know how the arrangement was made for the step-father to take Katelin to the airport? Did he offer to take her, or was he asked if he could drive her there?

It's been reported that when he was driving her to the airport, she decided to go to the Springfield Town Centre first. It's only his word, that she changed her mind, and it seems unlikely to me, that she would want to interrupt the trip to go shopping, or whatever. What reason did she give? Surely if she were en route to the airport, she wouldn't just say "drop me off at the mall", she would give an explanation. If traffic looked heavy and she decided it would be faster to take the metro, why wasn't she dropped her off there, and not the mall?

It appears that Katelin has distinctive facial piercings and tattoos, so people would probably remember seeing her if she was in the mall or metro station, especially if she purchased items or tickets. I think it's unlikely that she went to the mall - it just makes no sense.

 

[Dogface]

Do we know the text to mom unprompted? Or did mom text and say "did you make it to airport?" I know on iPhones you can hold the home button down on a locked screen and simply say for example "text mom I'm at the airport" so if a text had come in from mom and a random someone had seen it(depending on her phone and the privacy settings of viewing texts on a locked screen) all they would have to do is that to reply. If someone knew she was suppose to be at the airport, they could have done the same thing.

 

[Soulmagent]

Family, friends take to streets, searching for 19 year old

http://www.nbc12.com/story/30732846/family-friends-take-to-streets-searching-for-19-year-old#.Vm1UkHOozA0.facebook

 

[calo44]

Or not on good terms with those who would have recent photos.

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Exactly! This is pretty evident from the FB exchange the other day, as well...

I also find it odd that only Amber and her mom seem to be willing to go on SM to clear up inconsistencies, provide info, answer questions - anything, to help the investigation. I haven't heard much from Katelin's immediate family. Although I have no right to judge how a family responds to something of this nature, I do hope that KA's family speaks out soon to help provide additional details that might help bring their loved one home.

It would be nice to know if she met with any friends while on her visit home, what her mood was, how she felt about returning to AZ, if she was excited or scared to start school, why the family friend couldn't drive her to the airport, if it was normal to shop at Springfield Mall or if her computer history shows her looking up the stores there or researching how to catch the metro from the mall itself. Was it commonplace to take the metro to the airport? Was she a seasoned traveler; would she know how to navigate metro and airport check-in by herself? Did she do online check-in from home, showing she had every intention of catching the plane? Had anyone heard from her at all once she was dropped off at the SD's house? (If she was a frequent texter, she probably was contacting someone in between the time her mom dropped her off there and the time she made it to the mall?). Just any of these questions would help provide a little more info&#8230; jmo

 

[Kairi'sMom]

I wonder which side of the road her luggage was found on-and would it help indicate the possible direction of travel of the person(s) who dumped it? Is the road narrow enough to pitch her belongings out the driver's side of the vehicle and onto the opposite side of the road? Or would it be easier for a driver to pitch out the passenger side? And, is the road busy enough that pulling over to throw away her belongings would not be too risky?

Was the luggage on the side of the road leading away from stepfather's home or toward stepfather's home?

 

[Onebest]

I wonder if LE is looking at who did get on the flight that KA was supposed to be on? Was her ticket used? Was there a person not originally scheduled that got on instead?

 

[realanastasia]

I wonder if LE is looking at who did get on the flight that KA was supposed to be on? Was her ticket used? Was there a person not originally scheduled that got on instead?

You mean using her ticket? Seems like that'd be nearly impossible given the level of security at U.S. airports.

While it's possible maybe someone was on "standby" for the flight, I would be surprised if that person would have anything to do with Katelin's disappearance (though anything is, of course, possible).

 

[realanastasia]

That is a really good point about the texting/calling her fiancé. My daughter texts her boyfriend endlessly throughout the day. Especially when one of them is out of town. My son and his wife text constantly as well. I was having lunch with him recently when his wife was out of town with their baby, visiting her family. She was constantly updating him about her plans for the day and a change in her arrival time.

So it does seem odd that if she was 'early' and hanging out in the mall, that she wouldn't send her gf a text to say 'Hey, @the mall, having a latte, heading to Metro now' .....

I agree that this is not uncommon, but if someone has a pre-paid mobile plan, perhaps they're limited in the number of airtime minutes and text messages they can send in a given period. I've known people (teenagers) who've used up all their "minutes"about three days into a plan that was supposed to last a month, so perhaps the lack of communication between KA and her fiancee could have arisen from a similar situation.

 

[Dee10]

http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/l...ch-Yields-Nothing-New-361708171.html#comments

"Family and volunteers spent Saturday searing the Fredericksburg area, where Katelin Michelle Akens' luggage was found in a ditch."....


"Akens' luggage was found in a drainage ditch on River Road, near the Fredericksburg city limit, police said. Money, her cellphone and some clothes were missing."

 

[Ibiz]

http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/l...ch-Yields-Nothing-New-361708171.html#comments

"Family and volunteers spent Saturday searing the Fredericksburg area, where Katelin Michelle Akens' luggage was found in a ditch."....


"Akens' luggage was found in a drainage ditch on River Road, near the Fredericksburg city limit, police said. Money, her cellphone and some clothes were missing."

Wow! Did this article come with fries? If this one is true then without certainty I would say she left on her own accord.

One other thing, besides the old photos looking nothing like her. I find it very strange that her weight is being reported at 120 pounds? It seems very inaccurate.

 

[bessie]

Can someone paraphrase what happened on FB? I've stepped back from FB a few weeks ago and don't want to go on as I know I will be on all the time again.
Tia


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Hi, dyanna. As you know, SM discussions are taboo around here for the most part. So to avoid having to remove posts, before anyone else replies I'll just tell you that Katelin is fortunate to have many people who love her, and who are frightened, weary, and emotionally overwhelmed. As often happens when families are distraught, an unpleasant exchange occurred between a few relatives of both Katelin and Amber. It ended pretty quickly when Amber very graciously stepped in. The Find Katelin page is now private.

So that's it. Enough said. Subject closed.

 

[Tabirey]

Soulmagent posted a wonderful video of the road up thread. The road is a 2 lane rural road, very narrow with no asphalted sides (soft roadside with some shallow ditches ) and curvy in some spots . At the time Soulmagent recorded, it looked well travelled.
IMO, depending on how large her luggage was, it would have been easy to quickly toss it out the window from either side without being seen. Or on a straight away, when you can see if anyone is coming, open the door and shove it out. The side of the road is very close, unlike some roads that have an asphalted side where you can pull over out of traffic.

 

[dyannaON]

Thank you so much Bessie


[

Hi, dyanna. As you know, SM discussions are taboo around here for the most part. So to avoid having to remove posts, before anyone else replies I'll just tell you that Katelin is fortunate to have many people who love her, and who are frightened, weary, and emotionally overwhelmed. As often happens when families are distraught, an unpleasant exchange occurred between a few relatives of both Katelin and Amber. It ended pretty quickly when Amber very graciously stepped in. The Find Katelin page is now private.

So that's it. Enough said. Subject closed.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[bessie]

Wow! Did this article come with fries? If this one is true then without certainty I would say she left on her own accord.

One other thing, besides the old photos looking nothing like her. I find it very strange that her weight is being reported at 120 pounds? It seems very inaccurate.

But consider this direct quote from her sister:

" On Monday, Akens’ luggage was discovered abandoned in a drainage ditch on River Road in Spotsylvania County near the Fredericksburg city limit.

“Her phone charger, her wallet, it still had her ID, her credit cards, cash, her old glasses and her old plane ticket,” said Katelin’s sister, Gabrielle Akens.

Akens’ family tells 8News that her cell phone goes straight to voice mail when they call it."

http://wric.com/2015/12/10/new-developments-in-case-of-19-year-old-missing-from-spotsylvania/

Another article says that she has only one bank card from which she can access cash, and it was inside the suitcase with her wallet.

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/teens-luggage-found-ditched-after-she-vanished-on-way-to-airport/