FL FL - Margaret “Helen” Becker, 81, Sebring, 16 Jan 2020

[PommyMommy]

Highlands County woman missing for nearly 2 weeks

Margaret “Helen” Becker, 81, was last seen at a CVS in south Sebring around 4:30 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 16. The last person to see Helen told deputies she appeared confused.

• She usually goes by the first name of Helen.
  
• She may be driving a 2018 Chevrolet Colorado pickup with the Ohio tag HOB8214 and a handicap placard hanging from the rear-view mirror.
  
• Call 863-402-7200 or email [email protected] with any information.

Highlands County Sheriff's Office

 

[KatzEye]

From the Highlands County link Pommy shared above, there is another link which has additional photos and a video from Helen's husband. Unfortunately, I can't get audio to work on the video.

Hcso Pio

Image of a truck similar to the one she was driving :

4:19 p.m. – Mrs. Becker arrives at the CVS at 2728 US 27 South (Southgate Plaza) in a blue 2018 Chevrolet Colorado (Ohio tag HOB8214). She goes into the store and picks up prescriptions and exits at 4:48 p.m. A person who saw her at the store said she appeared confused. She has not been diagnosed with dementia, however.

6:05 p.m. – Mrs. Becker enters the Publix at the Southgate Plaza (2848 US 27 South). The video shows she was wearing knee-length light blue pants (maybe jeans) and a blue checkered shirt. She appeared a little unsteady on her feet. She purchased bananas and left the store at 6:17 p.m.

 

[PommyMommy]

From the Highlands County link Pommy shared above, there is another link which has additional photos and a video from Helen's husband. Unfortunately, I can't get audio to work on the video.

Hcso Pio

Image of a truck similar to the one she was driving :

Thanks, Katz. The audio is working for me. Her husband doesn't really provide much useful information. He mainly talks about missing her and the music he plays for her on the organ. MOO

 

[KatzEye]

Family pleads for help on 11th day of elderly woman’s disappearance

Video with pleas from Helen's husband and step-daughter at this link.

BBM

Surveillance video shows Becker rather unsteady while at the supermarket, according to Dressel.

Once she left Publix, there has been no sign of Becker.

“Usually your cell phone and your Onstar, they’re dropping breadcrumbs and we haven’t been able to find any,” said Dressel.

Military operations at the nearby Avon Park Air Force Bombing Range may have interfered with Becker’s GPS signal, officials say.

Authorities do not suspect foul play

 

[Katerz]

So happy to see a thread about this. I’m a local in Sebring. Her going missing has everyone baffled at how someone can just disappear without any trace. The Publix that she was last seen at is less than a mile from my work place, same with the CVS since it’s in the same parking lot as the Publix. I just really hope that she wasn’t met with foul play. Her family was so distraught during the press conference.

 

[PayrollNerd]

Ok, it's Florida, there's water, wetlands, lots of lakes in Sebring. What was the route from the last place she was seen and her home? Did she have any interest lately in going to another location (old home, old workplace) that she would have headed in that direction?

 

[Katerz]

Ok, it's Florida, there's water, wetlands, lots of lakes in Sebring. What was the route from the last place she was seen and her home? Did she have any interest lately in going to another location (old home, old workplace) that she would have headed in that direction?

I don’t know if they’ve released where she lives. It the problem with that complex is there are no cameras outside to show which direction she went IF she left the parking lot.

 

[KatzEye]

I don’t know how to copy paste from my phone to here so.. if it’s too big can someone please re-size?

Here's the FB post from LE :

Highlands County Sheriff's Office

BBM

At approximately 1:50 p.m., divers confirmed a vehicle was in the river, about 30 yards off the boat ramp, in an area that ranged from 15 to 30 feet deep. The vehicle was still in drive and three of the windows were rolled down, which indicates Mrs. Becker was in the vehicle when it entered the water, but she was not inside when it was pulled to the bank. A thorough search of the area immediately downstream of the boat ramp was completed, but only some items that had been inside the vehicle were located.

 

[PommyMommy]

Here's the FB post from LE :

Highlands County Sheriff's Office

BBM

Oh no, that's awful!

Noting:

• Ms. Becker had driven through the front gate at the Avon Park Bombing Range around 7:30 p.m. the night she disappeared.
• Her vehicle was found Feb 1 in the Kissimmee River about 30 yards off the boat ramp on the Bombing Range.

 

[rkendmar]

Highlands County Sheriff's Office
To answer some questions:
Mrs. Becker was identified by the person working the main entrance to the Range as the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle when it entered the Range. There is no actual gate. The main entrance has manned guardhouse with no physical barrier. She entered the Range without stopping to check in at the guardhouse on Jan. 17, 2020, the day she went missing.
Highlands County Sheriff's Office

 

[PayrollNerd]

Doesn’t seem like you need to stop at the entrance, altho it was dark at that point. The comments on the FB page are definitely some of the same questions I have. Rather odd that no one called it in when they saw an elderly woman driving alone that time of night. Three windows were down on a cool January evening but not the drivers window. In Florida, in the woods/wetlands, after dark, the mosquitoes would eat you alive. Doesn’t quite pass the sniff test....

 WELCOME TO THE FISH, WILDLIFE, AND OUTDOOR RECREATION PROGRAM  

To visit APAFR, proceed northeast along Highway 64 outside of Avon Park and follow it to the end. Proceed through the front gate and go straight for about a mile to the Outdoor Recreation Office at Building 600 (it looks like a log cabin). Be sure to check in with the Park Rangers at our office to purchase the required permits (see Fees for more information).

 

[KatzEye]

Was looking for possibly some pics of the boat ramp and instead found feral hogs and massive gators. Dang it !

APAFR Outdoor Recreation

 

[PayrollNerd]

Was looking for possibly some pics of the boat ramp and instead found feral hogs and massive gators. Dang it !

APAFR Outdoor Recreation

And did you notice that last weekend was Kids Alligator Hunt???? Yeah. Maybe some necropsies are in order....

 

[Katerz]

Here's the FB post from LE :

Highlands County Sheriff's Office

BBM

Thank you!

 

[Katerz]

The weird thing is her husband said during the press conference a few days ago that she never traveled far by herself. He either went with her or she had her dog. So my question is.. she was in her 80’s, she’s not gonna just jump out of the truck as it’s driving into the water. She’d really really hurt herself. So where the heck is she? I haven’t been to the bombing range personally, but before you hit the cut off to get there off of state road 17, there’s a lot of woods and stuff. And even a big crater in the ground and I’m not sure what it’s for.

 

[KatzEye]

No news, but they're still searching.

Highlands County Sheriff's Office

 

[Katerz]

I’ve been posting on the highlands county Facebook under one of the posts about finding her truck. Other people don’t understand about this sleuthing thing lol. One lady told me to solve the crime since I’m a know it all

 

[PayrollNerd]

Post last night on Highlands County Sheriffs page with lots of comments.

Units from the HCSO and the FWC are on the Kissimmee River today searching for Margaret Helen Becker. We will let you know when we have more information.

Highlands County Sheriff's Office

 

[Katerz]

I don't know if I can post a link to the highlands county sheriff facebook page on here.. but they posted a lengthy post about Miss Helen. Can someone please do it for me?

 

[KatzEye]

I don't know if I can post a link to the highlands county sheriff facebook page on here.. but they posted a lengthy post about Miss Helen. Can someone please do it for me?

Here ya go :

Highlands County Sheriff's Office

SEARCH FOR MARGARET HELEN BECKER SUSPENDED

After nine days spent searching the Kissimmee River and surrounding area for Margaret Helen Becker, the effort was called off on Monday, Feb. 10.

Becker went missing on Jan. 17, and her empty truck was found in the river on Feb. 1, about 30 yards off a boat ramp in the Avon Park Bombing Range. At this point, all information developed by detectives indicates Becker was alone when she went missing and was alone in the vehicle when it went into the river, where it is presumed she drowned. There are zero signs of any criminal activity or foul play involved with her disappearance.

Sad news, but certainly not unexpected. IMO, they went above and beyond to try to find Mrs. Helen.