Found Deceased CA - Blaze Bernstein, 19, Lake Forest, 2 Jan 2018 #1

[houndpounder]

Yes parents go to the Dentist with their college children for 3 reasons. To Pay the bill, transportation and to spend time with them before they go back to school.

 

[j_in_c]

On this topic, I found some things in this article to be odd.

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-bernstein-search-20180108-story.html

He was to be driven to the dentist apt. by his mom, and when he didn't show up, she assumed that he would meet her at the dentist? She needed to go to the dentist with him?

A lot of college students would still be on the parents insurance plans so perhaps this is just a matter of the mom paying or providing insurance info. I think the main point is that he did not have any firm commitments up until this scheduled appointment which is when the family recognized something was wrong and began to worry and look for him.

He is attending an Ivy League school and from all that has been shared is a high/over-achiever and all the stress that brings. That said, the circumstances still seem off for a self-harm or planned break from life. I really hope he is located soon.

 

[JerseyGirl]

I go to the dentist and doctors appointments with my college-aged daughter. I suppose it's because she lives out of town and comes home only during breaks and needs transportation could be the reason. I'm sure if she lived at home and had a car, I wouldn't have to escort her.

__

Drones used in search: http://fox5sandiego.com/2018/01/08/...e-student-who-went-missing-during-socal-hike/

 

[TMAN2014]

So Blaze lived 5 minutes from the park, was meeting some person in the park, and needed a third person to drive him to the park? Why did he need the ride and that person (the driver) there, but not really there with him conducting his business, just waiting for him in a car, at some late hour, where you can probably barely see? Why would they choose that place to meet, at 11 PM? Why couldn't the driver go with him to his destination? What was the driver told, as the reason they were going to the park at 11 PM. Yet, the driver friend is not a suspect?

 

[TMAN2014]

What are the possibilities?

He left wallet home, so maybe we can rule out drug deal. Also, he supposedly has zero tolerance for drugs and alcohol. If he was hooking up with someone, would he really need to have a third person ride him there and wait? Maybe, but if that driver was supposed to be there for safety reasons in case anything bad happened, it sure doesn't seem like that person knew they were there for safety reasons.

Wouldn't Blaze have told the driver the reason he was going into the wilderness area, and to check back with him to make sure everything went down ok? There is a lot of vagueness to the story.

 

[kdg411]

OC Register

Jeanne Bernstein said she noticed Wednesday morning that Blaze was missing and called law enforcement at about 4:30 p.m. that day after he failed to show up for a 3 p.m. dental appointment, she said.

 

[JerseyGirl]

more pictures of BB:

https://www.ocregister.com/2018/01/05/search-under-way-for-missing-19-year-old-lake-forest-man/

 

[TTF14]

I am not at all understanding the mindset of just assuming he'd show up at the dentist. I'd be FLIPPING OUT if my child wasn't at home when I thought they'd be, even a college student. He's still a kid. Where did they think he was if he wasn't using a car?

 

[orangesandapples]

I think we're using conflicting info to assess the parents actions. In some scenarios they seem possibly overprotective- i.e. possibly looking to track his whereabouts. However, they did not panic until he didn't show up to the dentist, which to me seems pretty normal for a college sophomore who may have been out with friends, doing his own thing and not causing worry.

I will also say that when I was 19 I almost always went to the dentist with a relative because I hated it and, of course, they were paying

I truly hope Blaze is ok.

 

['Ailina]

I am not at all understanding the mindset of just assuming he'd show up at the dentist. I'd be FLIPPING OUT if my child wasn't at home when I thought they'd be, even a college student. He's still a kid. Where did they think he was if he wasn't using a car?

From what I saw in interviews with the parents, I think BB enjoys a relationship of high-level trust with his parents and a strong measure of independence. The mom never questioned BB's whereabouts and immediately assumed he was out doing his own thing but would show up promptly when it was time for business. I gather BB is a highly reliable, responsible kid. I think he'd have to be, to be an Ivy Leaguer.

 

[TTF14]

From what I saw in interviews with the parents, I think BB enjoys a relationship of high-level trust with his parents and a strong measure of independence. The mom never questioned BB's whereabouts and immediately assumed he was out doing his own thing but would show up promptly when it was time for business. I gather BB is a highly reliable, responsible kid. I think he'd have to be, to be an Ivy Leaguer.

Good points, and I'm sure he is an amazing young man. She must be 100% less neurotic than I am. I'm not criticizing her or blaming her at all. Just not understanding.

 

[Grapey]

So 'driver friend' lost Blaze in the park that night, had a quick look around but couldn't find him and then went home. But at 4am the next morning they were still so worried about Blaze that they ended up going back to the park for another search?

They were worried enough to go and search the park again but not so worried that they thought to go and check Blaze's house/see his parents? :thinking: They knew the address after all.

Trying to cover for the fact their phone may have pinged in the park area the next morning, perhaps? :thinking:

 

['Ailina]

Good points, and I'm sure he is an amazing young man. She must be 100% less neurotic than I am. I'm not criticizing her or blaming her at all. Just not understanding.

Ha! I can tell you, I'm a different kind of mom with much different kinds of kids than hers. My kids? Show up on their own at the dentist, and on time??? Hohoho!! [emoji1]

 

['Ailina]

So 'driver friend' lost Blaze in the park that night, had a quick look around but couldn't find him and then went home. But at 4am the next morning they were still so worried about Blaze that they ended up going back to the park for another search?

They were worried enough to go and search the park again but not so worried that they thought to go and check Blaze's house/see his parents? :thinking: They knew the address after all.

Trying to cover for the fact their phone may have pinged in the park area the next morning, perhaps? :thinking:

(Bolded by me.) Excellent point here. I hadn't thought of that.

 

[kirkassoc]

I know this is not likely, but I was wondering if this young man might have perused "items for sale in the area" websites on his ipad and came across something he wanted to purchase (i.e., cellphone, something he needed for school, etc.). Most people WOULD NEVER want to allow the seller to know where they lived and would meet at a well populated area (a park, for instance). This is just one of the things which might have led him to that park to meet someone in a public place.

Such a nice looking young man (sort of reminds me of a young James MacAvoy). I pray he is found safe....and soon.

 

[BethAnn777]

I am not at all understanding the mindset of just assuming he'd show up at the dentist. I'd be FLIPPING OUT if my child wasn't at home when I thought they'd be, even a college student. He's still a kid. Where did they think he was if he wasn't using a car?

Of course she was flipping out! She was hoping he would show up at the dentist. Not that it was all that likely but why wouldn’t she hope he would show up there and be there just in case.

Heck when I was in college I had many a night I crashed at a friend’s sleeping off too much alcohol. If I had an appointment the following day I would set an alarm and get to the appointment. Not saying this is what Blaze did, but I can’t imagine his mom not showing up at the dentist office.

 

[Mominmi]

I’m the mom of a high achieving, highly responsible 19 year old male College student who lives away at College. Also one who graduated several years ago. I accompanied him to a dentist appointment this break just because I wanted to spend the time with him. That seems quite normal behavior on both mother and son’s part and doesn’t raise any concerns for me about the level of trust between parents and Blaze. Nor does mom wanting to use phone tracking app to be able to locate Blaze at school. I think most of my friends with kids at college asked their children to do the same. Though I have never actually looked at the tracking app to see where he was. This doesn’t necessarily strike me as an indication of problematic behavior just as an extra level of precaution. Now, leaving the house without telling anyone you’ve left does seem out of the norm for me for a responsible kid this age. My 19 year old doesn’t ask permission but just as a normal courtesy let’s me know. “Hey mom, I’m going to the park to hang with friends. Don’t wait up.” This is what I’d expect to see. Again, this is the norm for my friends children too. The fact that he left with no word, no note, no text makes me think he was most likely either going somewhere he didn’t want his family to know or with someone he didn’t want them to know about. And those are the two areas I’d hope are very strongly being investigated. My opinion only.

 

[Mominmi]

...Most people WOULD NEVER want to allow the seller to know where they lived and would meet at a well populated area (a park, for instance). This is just one of the things which might have led him to that park to meet someone in a public place. ....

Except that would he have expected the park to be very well populated at that time of night?

 

[kirkassoc]

Except that would he have expected the park to be very well populated at that time of night?

Yes, IMHO, if he had a dental appointment the next day and was flying back to school the following day. The important thing is you never want them to know where you live. His meeting someone at the park indicates to me he didn't want this person to know where he was living. JMO, MOO. I'm sure LE as checked his ipad for such information. But, I was just wondering "why" the park and other than for nefarious reasons.

 

[kdg411]

I think we're using conflicting info to assess the parents actions. In some scenarios they seem possibly overprotective- i.e. possibly looking to track his whereabouts. However, they did not panic until he didn't show up to the dentist, which to me seems pretty normal for a college sophomore who may have been out with friends, doing his own thing and not causing worry.

I will also say that when I was 19 I almost always went to the dentist with a relative because I hated it and, of course, they were paying

I truly hope Blaze is ok.

BBM above
For myself, the confliction is occurring due to the parents statements much more than their actions.

Has anyone heard of requests by LE for surveillance video?