CA CA - Sydney “Syd” West, 19, University of CA student, San Francisco, 30 Sept 2020

[SouthAussie]

The most recent information places her on the GGB early in the morning. 6:45? 7:45? Before that, it was Crissy Field near sunrise. I think the timeline is unclear/vague/confusing, which is another strange thing about this case.

Yes, but when was Syd seen in shorts? 4pm, 5pm, 7pm, 10pm? When she left her place of residence? ...... how long was she out and about? Was she up all night?

In the book I read, Josh said that 3am was always a bad time for him. A very lost and lonely time.

(Syd was on/near the GGB at 6:45-7am ish)

 

[elisimo]

Yes, but when was Syd seen in shorts? 4pm, 5pm, 7pm, 10pm? When she left her place of residence? ...... how long was she out and about? Was she up all night?

In the book I read, Josh said that 3am was always a bad time for him. A very lost and lonely time.

(Syd was on/near the GGB at 6:45-7am ish)

These are excellent questions. I’ve been following the case fairly closely, and I’m not quite sure of the answers!

 

[NSamuelle]

Could the media get GGB video coverage (or other information) through FOIA requests or other means?

Views of the bridge are available on several sites, but they seem to be live cams: Park webcams in the San Francisco Bay Area

 

[elisimo]

Could the media get GGB video coverage (or other information) through FOIA requests or other means?

LE doesn’t have to release information that is part of an ongoing investigation.

 

[Cryptic]

The UC/CSU admissions office has full authority and acts as judge, jury, and executioner.

I think it would be interesting to see if they have ever used that authority to revoke an admission. Not only can Native American claims be pretty nebulous, but so can claims to 'Hispanic'.

At the end of the day, 'Hispanic' is a culture, not an ethnicity. Surnames do not have to be Spanish, and physical appearances can vary immensely. So can knowledge of Spanish and well, Hispanic culture.

 

[amethystcrystal]

I think she was seen wearing both that morning (first the shorts and later the leggings) though I'm not sure of the timeframe for them.

 

[turanna25]

I wonder where she stopped to change. Coffee shop? place she was staying? Friends place? Outdoor facilities in or near Chrissy field?

 

[SouthAussie]

I wonder where she stopped to change. Coffee shop? place she was staying? Friends place? Outdoor facilities in or near Chrissy field?

This shorts/leggings thing sometimes makes me wonder if it was even Syd who was on the GG bridge.

Was she the only one who was out at 6:45am in a teal sweatshirt? How well could the person be seen in the fog?

I believe they know that she was at Crissy Field, because they have likely worked out how she got there.

 

[turanna25]

This shorts/leggings thing sometimes makes me wonder if it was even Syd who was on the GG bridge.

Was she the only one who was out at 6:45am in a teal sweatshirt? How well could the person be seen in the fog?

I believe they know that she was at Crissy Field, because they have likely worked out how she got there.

Yea... I'm wondering that too. I can't imagine many places were open at that hour for her to change from shorts to leggings. I wish we had some more information.

 

[ElizabethAnne]

Could the media get GGB video coverage (or other information) through FOIA requests or other means?

Views of the bridge are available on several sites, but they seem to be live cams: Park webcams in the San Francisco Bay Area

You could email this agency Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District | Golden Gate and ask about the process to file a "Public Records Act Request" to view GGB videos. Though I would think a FOIA would be for information on the Presidio land (since it is Federal), though I may be wrong, I think that the GGB and the CHP process would be the California State public access laws -- the Public Records Act request process -- since they would be considered local/state agencies. The Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District is a special district of the State of California and the CHP is a state agency.

 

[SouthAussie]

Yea... I'm wondering that too. I can't imagine many places were open at that hour for her to change from shorts to leggings. I wish we had some more information.

As well, what happened to the backpack. Had it when wearing shorts (probably) then didn't have it when wearing leggings (probably). Judging by the order in which things have been presented. So was it definitely Syd in the leggings, in the fog, without a backpack?

Everything seems so questionable, because we have so little information. Speculation is rife.

 

[10ofRods]

Could the media get GGB video coverage (or other information) through FOIA requests or other means?

Views of the bridge are available on several sites, but they seem to be live cams: Park webcams in the San Francisco Bay Area

Exceedingly doubtful. It may even fall under HIPAA if it involves a suicidal person. Someone must review the video, and those people are almost certainly LE. If it's an ongoing investigation (and it is) it doesn't fall under FOIA.

I presume that LE have shared the information with the parents, as it's up to LE to decide that in an open investigation. I don't know of anyone who streams and captures that camera footage, although it's surely possible to do so (so in that since, is already made public).

 

[kaen]

Yes, but when was Syd seen in shorts? 4pm, 5pm, 7pm, 10pm? When she left her place of residence? ...... how long was she out and about? Was she up all night?

In the book I read, Josh said that 3am was always a bad time for him. A very lost and lonely time.

(Syd was on/near the GGB at 6:45-7am ish)

I will concur with the idea that late night/early morning can be very difficult/lonely/concerning times for people with depression and anxiety. Sleep disruption can only cause more confused thoughts and ideas based on those overwhelming feelings, in my experience with clients.

 

[kaen]

Yea... I'm wondering that too. I can't imagine many places were open at that hour for her to change from shorts to leggings. I wish we had some more information.

You don't need a building to change clothes. It is totally possible to change in the shadows.

 

[amethystcrystal]

I know there's a public restroom by Crissy Field Center and also by the Warming Hut cafe and Fort Point (some might be open during certain times only though).

 

[Kaligirl]

I wonder where she stopped to change. Coffee shop? place she was staying? Friends place? Outdoor facilities in or near Chrissy field?

I know this area well as I used to run from the marina to and over the GG bridge a few times a week. There are bathrooms next to the hut/coffee shop and the path up from the hut to the bridge has trees etc and also bathrooms right before you go onto the bridge. It wouldn't be hard to do a quick change.

 

[elisimo]

But why would she change?

1) she was cold
2) to evade/confuse surveillance
3) she wasn’t in a good frame of mind so might do something that seems abnormal to an outside observer

If she disappeared voluntarily, maybe there’s more to the story than school troubles and family discord.

 

[Sillybilly]

ADMIN NOTE:

It is my understanding that Syd said she had an "irrational" fear that she had done something wrong on her college application ... irrational meaning she had a fear that was not justified. This discussion about cheating or lying about ancestry is just going too far off topic.

Unless someone can provide a link where it is known that she did in fact knowingly lie, please move on from the discussion about the college application.

 

[10ofRods]

But why would she change?

1) she was cold
2) to evade/confuse surveillance
3) she wasn’t in a good frame of mind so might do something that seems abnormal to an outside observer

If she disappeared voluntarily, maybe there’s more to the story than school troubles and family discord.

4) She wanted to change clothes in the morning (living rough)

5) Athletic reasons (freedom of movement vs. friction control for upper legs)

6) No reason at all or something to do

7) Meeting up with someone, wanted a more covered look

I know there's a public restroom by Crissy Field Center and also by the Warming Hut cafe and Fort Point (some might be open during certain times only though).

I thought those were closed for Covid at the time (park rules said the park was closed - that usually means restrooms are closed).

 

[amethystcrystal]

4)
I thought those were closed for Covid at the time (park rules said the park was closed - that usually means restrooms are closed).

I've been there recently, they reopened the restrooms. When the stay at home orders were going on they temporarily closed them and the parking lots though they reopened them in June.