WA WA - Tyler Christensen, 16, Mukilteo, 19 April 2016

[Kodiak]

A brief FB post on the Help Find page was posted 30 minutes ago, basically saying there is no new info and we'll all be updated when there is, and when Tyler is found.

I also see recent comments on the page from people stating they are confused and that there is something off with the entire case. It's the vagueness that have people pondering.

 

[wendybtn]

I read the comment as well and agree with you but it made me have a question that maybe someone can answer.

He is 16. While still a minor he is also not considered a child. If the the police knew he was somewhere safe and did not deem Tyler's family as unsafe, could/would they require him to rejoin his family? What if he was filing for emancipation, which in WA you can do at 16? I guess that comment did make wonder if the police actually would make him return home if they knew he was not in danger.

Emancipated minors in Tennessee have to show they are working and attending school and basically are mature enough to live on their own, meeting their responsibilities without adult supervision. It will not be granted simply because you are mad at your folks or disagree with the house rules. If you are abused or neglected, you go into the custody of CPS.

 

[KentuckyKaren]

I'm just saying based on the posts on SM from the official page It would be very difficult for a child who doesn't agree with his families beliefs or who doesn't fit their ideas of a good person (i.e. If he was gay) to live and survive in that household.

I wondered about this too, especially based on the family interview... It was obvious that his sister knew he had left on his own, even before that news was out, because she said "Tyler, please come home" when families who suspect abduction usually beg "Whoever has him, please bring him home." But the dad said something like "God can intervene in his life..." which was an odd thing to say... but makes sense if the dad is so horrified by why Tyler left. I can see this reaction if Tyler left to pursue a relationship with someone he met online or something... especially if it was a man/boy.

 

[toevlugsoord]

I'm just saying based on the posts on SM from the official page It would be very difficult for a child who doesn't agree with his families beliefs or who doesn't fit their ideas of a good person (i.e. If he was gay) to live and survive in that household.

I wondered about this too, especially based on the family interview... It was obvious that his sister knew he had left on his own, even before that news was out, because she said "Tyler, please come home" when families who suspect abduction usually beg "Whoever has him, please bring him home." But the dad said something like "God can intervene in his life..." which was an odd thing to say... but makes sense if the dad is so horrified by why Tyler left. I can see this reaction if Tyler left to pursue a relationship with someone he met online or something... especially if it was a man/boy.

I picked up on that too, and also strange the sister chose to highlight her relationship with her boyfriend and Tyler saying he liked seeing that. A very odd thing to mention in an interview about him leaving. Not about the last thing she said to him, but rather that. I have suspected from the start this was a sexual orientation clash, and I feel like the pieces are coming together possibly to lead to that. Heartbreaking regardless of the reason, as they seem like a very loving family. Hopefully he is somewhere in a safe home and not on the streets or in a shelter of some sort.

 

[KentuckyKaren]

Toevlugsoord-- I wondered too about the comments the sister made about the boyfriend... Could this even have been a coded message for Tyler? It's a stretch but who knows? It seemed an odd thing to go into detail about. Although it could have just been her reflecting on their last conversation before he left. The other piece that fits in here is that at one point the dad told searchers to go home. Sounds like this was an angry reaction to something investigators had shown or told him... Maybe that was when he found out a possible reason Tyker left and initially reacted with "then let him stay gone" or a similar
sentiment. TOTALLY SPECULATING here. Just seems to make sense of the puzzle.

 

[toevlugsoord]

Toevlugsoord-- I wondered too about the comments the sister made about the boyfriend... Could this even have been a coded message for Tyler? It's a stretch but who knows? It seemed an odd thing to go into detail about. Although it could have just been her reflecting on their last conversation before he left. The other piece that fits in here is that at one point the dad told searchers to go home. Sounds like this was an angry reaction to something investigators had shown or told him... Maybe that was when he found out a possible reason Tyker left and initially reacted with "then let him stay gone" or a similar
sentiment. TOTALLY SPECULATING here. Just seems to make sense of the puzzle.

Definitely could have been coded...I suspect Tyler left in a huff after an argument confrontation OR after a previous confrontation and then he silently slipped out with a lie of where he was going. Or where they thought he could have been or should have been going.

 

[manlet]

I have suspected from the start this was a sexual orientation clash.

If that's the case I hope this organization is helping him or he eventually finds it if he's still in the Seattle area:
http://www.youthcare.org/find-help
http://www.youthcare.org/40percent

 

[PoirotsGirlFriday]

I have to agree with others who have said that this seems like they are keeping things active and public so that Tyler may hear it/read it/see it. This passage by PoirotsGirlFriday really struck me. I am not sure I am in complete agreement - I think his comments to his sister re: her boyfriend sounded like a farewell - but this is a really good point and makes me think even more that all of their efforts are really directed to speak to Tyler and not anyone else.



I love your posts, PGF. You always make me look at things in a new way.

Well, thanks! I always appreciate your perspectives, as well.

And I have to say, now that you reminded me of Tyler's final words to his sister, I have to agree with you. It is doubtful that Tyler had any intention of just leaving and then watching to see when would be a good time to return, or let his family know of his whereabouts. Doesn't sound like that was in the plan. And that just makes me think, well, all sorts of sad things. How bad might it have been for a 16 yr old to possibly never intend to see or talk to his sisters again, or at least, not for a long while? I know kids get very angry at their parents, but you would think that he might at least want to reach out to his siblings over Facebook! Unless he is off to pursue a life or a relationship that his sisters are not ok with either?

The idea that their messages might be more for Tyler's eyes than the public's might explain why the messages just don't make much sense sometimes!

 

[PoirotsGirlFriday]

Just thinking about video footage, evidence, and the bus. If they pulled footage from the bus or the Park and Ride or ferry dock cams, then the last place Tyler was seen would have been one of those places not Beverly Park Rd...so he either did not take the bus, or that is not where the "evidence" came from or if it is, then SD is not releasing all of the info (still investigating?)

Since I read your post earlier today, I've been wondering about this, too. If the only reason they think/know he didn't head to the church is from footage off the neighbor's camera, then it does seem like that must mean they couldn't find evidence of him boarding a bus or ferry. So I am guessing that would mean he either walked to a bus stop much further out (far enough out that LE wouldn't bother to check there) or that he was picked up by someone along the way. The latter seems more likely, IMO.

If he was picked up by someone he knew, then I am fairly certain it would have been a prearranged rendezvous. So it seems possible that there would be evidence of Tyler and the "accomplice" planning the time and place over text, Facebook message, etc. Of course, Tyler could have deleted everything, but I'm sure LE could retrieve deleted messages, if they truly wanted to. I guess the question is, would they even bother in a case like this? Or would they even be permitted to without the family requesting it?

The other possible scenario is that he didn't have a prearranged plan and he just took off, perhaps to get to a bus or ferry. And maybe someone passing by offered him a ride, and he accepted. That's why situations like this are so scary. Tyler very well could have left of his own volition and still be in danger now, depending on who he may have encountered along the way. Which is just one more reason why I hope that LE doesn't give up until they can confirm that he is safe.

But of course, I don't know how common it might be in that area for a stranger to offer a teenager a ride. We certainly don't do that in the part of WA I live in, but then people walk here all the time, so it is nothing to see a young person walking/running down the street. I don't know how different it might be in Tyler's area...

 

[JaimeSommers]

I picked up on that too, and also strange the sister chose to highlight her relationship with her boyfriend and Tyler saying he liked seeing that. A very odd thing to mention in an interview about him leaving. Not about the last thing she said to him, but rather that. I have suspected from the start this was a sexual orientation clash, and I feel like the pieces are coming together possibly to lead to that. Heartbreaking regardless of the reason, as they seem like a very loving family. Hopefully he is somewhere in a safe home and not on the streets or in a shelter of some sort.

Ditto.
Ditto.
Ditto.

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[KentuckyKaren]

As far as "evidence"... they keep saying they have reason to believe he planned his departure and left of his own volition. To me, that says nothing of video evidence of him anywhere beyond the "walking the wrong way" footage. I have always assumed it meant they found some communication (probably on an electronic device) in which he planned to leave (either with someone online or on his own, like in a journal.) This seems to make the most sense to me.

 

[toevlugsoord]

As far as "evidence"... they keep saying they have reason to believe he planned his departure and left of his own volition. To me, that says nothing of video evidence of him anywhere beyond the "walking the wrong way" footage. I have always assumed it meant they found some communication (probably on an electronic device) in which he planned to leave (either with someone online or on his own, like in a journal.) This seems to make the most sense to me.

That would explain why the family's answers about that is so vague. LE would have totally said they had surveillance etc. So I think you're right.

 

[sallye818]

prayers for Tyler's safety!

 

[KentuckyKaren]

I may have missed this somewhere, so forgive me if it is a redundant question, but was that Slavic Baptist church the one Tyler's family attended? Or was it just a youth group he went to with friends, etc? Did the family attend Sunday church services somewhere else? I thought I read somewhere that his dad was a pastor, but then I read something different. Also, as noted before, by people in this forum, it is strange that the Slavic church's FB page has no mention of this "member" of their youth group who has gone missing. Anyone have any ideas about any of this?

 

[PoirotsGirlFriday]

I may have missed this somewhere, so forgive me if it is a redundant question, but was that Slavic Baptist church the one Tyler's family attended? Or was it just a youth group he went to with friends, etc? Did the family attend Sunday church services somewhere else? I thought I read somewhere that his dad was a pastor, but then I read something different. Also, as noted before, by people in this forum, it is strange that the Slavic church's FB page has no mention of this "member" of their youth group who has gone missing. Anyone have any ideas about any of this?

I do not believe that the Slavic church is the church where Tyler's family attends. I found out that an East Indian family that I know goes to church with Tyler's family. (This connection was made after Tyler went missing). Although I don't know the exact name of the church where the Indian family goes to, I feel pretty confident that it is not the Slavic church. I can't imagine why an Indian family would go there, or that they would be overly welcomed. So if they don't go there, then neither does Tyler's family.

Another thing that leads me to believe Tyler's family attends elsewhere is that in her original post on Facebook, Tyler's sister referred to it as a "Russian youth group" rather than "our church's youth group" or "Tyler's youth group."

Having grown up in church my whole life, I know that it is very common for teenagers to invite and bring friends along with them to church activities. Some of these friends might even start attending events every week, especially if their family does not go to church regularly or if their family's church is small and maybe doesn't have an active youth group. However, with this particular church being specified as a "Russian" church, I did find it a little odd that Tyler would attend there, even as an infrequent visitor. In my experience, a lot of times those type of churches do not have services in English! (But perhaps the youth events do?). Also, we have been told by the media that Tyler was committed to his church. HIS church, not the Slavic church, so, that also makes it seem odd that he would go somewhere else at all.

The only time I ever knew of a non-Slavic teen hanging out at a Slavic church was a young man who was very interested in dating a Slavic girl. From what I gathered, the guy wasn't overly welcomed and his presence wasn't overly appreciated. Of course, I am not saying this was the same in Tyler's case. It's very possible he just had some good friends at the Slavic church and they invited him to fun youth activities. It makes sense that a 16 year old would want to go hang out with friends, at church or wherever! But I do think it would be interesting to know what the connection was. If it happened to involve a romantic relationship, that would seem like something LE would definitely want to look into.

 

[JanetElaine]

I may have missed this somewhere, so forgive me if it is a redundant question, but was that Slavic Baptist church the one Tyler's family attended? Or was it just a youth group he went to with friends, etc? Did the family attend Sunday church services somewhere else? I thought I read somewhere that his dad was a pastor, but then I read something different. Also, as noted before, by people in this forum, it is strange that the Slavic church's FB page has no mention of this "member" of their youth group who has gone missing. Anyone have any ideas about any of this?

My kids are never in public pictures like that - church, school etc.. I am painfully careful with their privacy and don't want to have them plastered all over creation. Maybe Tyler's family is the same way. Or he could have possibly been a guest a few times and just not be in any pics because he wasn't around much. Or they don't photograph guests out of principle (I don't believe it was their church - JMO). Just a few ideas I can come up with.

ETA I realize I more addressed the lack of pics of Tyler on their page. I guess I still had that stuck in my head.

 

[essieB33]

Wondering if he said was going to new church's youth group because that would be a condoned kind of activity, but in reality he never went and instead was with friend or was planning his freedom. Do we know that he is known at the Slavic church? I can't remember.

 

[Kodiak]

I do not believe that the Slavic church is the church where Tyler's family attends. I found out that an East Indian family that I know goes to church with Tyler's family. (This connection was made after Tyler went missing). Although I don't know the exact name of the church where the Indian family goes to, I feel pretty confident that it is not the Slavic church. I can't imagine why an Indian family would go there, or that they would be overly welcomed. So if they don't go there, then neither does Tyler's family.

Another thing that leads me to believe Tyler's family attends elsewhere is that in her original post on Facebook, Tyler's sister referred to it as a "Russian youth group" rather than "our church's youth group" or "Tyler's youth group."

Having grown up in church my whole life, I know that it is very common for teenagers to invite and bring friends along with them to church activities. Some of these friends might even start attending events every week, especially if their family does not go to church regularly or if their family's church is small and maybe doesn't have an active youth group. However, with this particular church being specified as a "Russian" church, I did find it a little odd that Tyler would attend there, even as an infrequent visitor. In my experience, a lot of times those type of churches do not have services in English! (But perhaps the youth events do?). Also, we have been told by the media that Tyler was committed to his church. HIS church, not the Slavic church, so, that also makes it seem odd that he would go somewhere else at all.

The only time I ever knew of a non-Slavic teen hanging out at a Slavic church was a young man who was very interested in dating a Slavic girl. From what I gathered, the guy wasn't overly welcomed and his presence wasn't overly appreciated. Of course, I am not saying this was the same in Tyler's case. It's very possible he just had some good friends at the Slavic church and they invited him to fun youth activities. It makes sense that a 16 year old would want to go hang out with friends, at church or wherever! But I do think it would be interesting to know what the connection was. If it happened to involve a romantic relationship, that would seem like something LE would definitely want to look into.

Tyler's family attends Heritage Baptist Church in nearby Lynnwood. On their website, there is a photo of his dad under the Deacon listing.

 

[toevlugsoord]

Wondering if he said was going to new church's youth group because that would be a condoned kind of activity, but in reality he never went and instead was with friend or was planning his freedom. Do we know that he is known at the Slavic church? I can't remember.

Yes, someone from the church was in a news article (it's way further up the thread) as having said Tyler always tells him when he's on his way and he didn't tell him he was coming this time.

 

[MU42M]

I wonder if the family knew or suspected he ran away all along and simply suggested to LE he didn't in order to get press or more search attention. In an article on the missing Arlington/Oso couple, it mentioned 280 man hours were used searching for Tyler.


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