MA MA - Abbie Flynn, 60, went for walk before Super Bowl party, Gloucester, 2 Feb 2020

[PommyMommy]

Speaking of the house I hope that they’ve searched the entire house. By entire I mean every single space where a human body could fit. Every so often we read about some poor guy who has been caught behind bookcases, in walls, behind freezers, etc. a very long time ago we had a case where a house had been sold at least twice and the new owners found grandpa sitting in a rocking chair in the attic. He’d been there 50 years.

So true. I think it was just yesterday that a woman was found in a crawl space under her parents home in Malibu. MOO

 

[PommyMommy]

After looking at the pics of Brace Cove (thank you @afitzy !) ... it made me wonder. Abbie's phone was left at the house, but did she have another camera with her? I know she is an avid photographer and something like the seals might have attracted her attention.

Both of her [known] cameras were in the home per the Chief's interview. It is unknown if she owns any other cameras. MOO

 

[Spider92]

I wonder how much time passed before the Coast Guard went out looking. They are based right there in Gloucester, so they didn't have very far to go. The reason I am wondering is because if she's deceased, and her body temp dropped, thermal imaging may have not worked if her body temp matched ambient temp if they waited a while, and although I have nothing to base this on, my guess is they waited til all other avenues were exhausted, (her bring with a friend, over someone's house visiting , checking cell phone records, etc.) which may have taken many hours.
Drones are great, and this time of the year there are no leaves on the trees, however a drone may not be able to spot someone under a pine tree, which there are a lot of there.
It was nice of the neighbor to help like that.

Comprehensive search began within two hours of being reported as missing: dogs, boats, dozens of LE, and a chopper. Quickest multi-prong response I've ever seen.

 

[kay74]

Why would her husband be practicing in Houston instead of Mass? Financial reasons?

 

[amp7788]

I am baffled that there is simply not a single trace of her.

 

[amp7788]

Why would her husband be practicing in Houston instead of Mass? Financial reasons?

They lived, worked and raised a family in Houston after her husband got a job there. Spent summers and other time in Gloucester - a beautiful north shore community where she grew up. Her children were all on the east coast and she had retired, I think, and was spending more time in Gloucester, where she grew up and closer to her children. My guess would be that he had a thriving career in Houston and didn't want to uproot that at this stage of the game; the kids probably had friends in Houston and in Gloucester; and she probably enjoyed time in both locations. I don't find it at all unusual that she spent time there solo while he was working in Houston. With no children home and him working she'd probably spent a lot of time alone in Houston when she was there.

 

[amp7788]

Well, that house was unoccupied. Perhaps he would have been heard if someone were inside the house . Though I see your point that police didn't hear anything.

Presuming Abbie's friends looked around for her when they didn't find her home, I still believe she would have been able to make some kind of noise (fists, feet) and been heard. As I said before MOO, JMO

I also think her dog would have been in the vicinity of where she might be trapped or hurt if it was in the house. Dogs are pretty sensitive to those things and as they get older like to be in the vicinity of their owner.

 

[donskysmumz]

I also think her dog would have been in the vicinity of where she might be trapped or hurt if it was in the house. Dogs are pretty sensitive to those things and as they get older like to be in the vicinity of their owner.

Agree. And given that they think she was wearing her coat and boots, probably not trapped inside.

 

[donskysmumz]

See, keys and phone left at home (especially if door was unlocked, which I don't think we know right now) makes me think of a person who just stepped outside for a minute. Like someone pulls up out front--someone you know OR don't know--and you step out to talk with them. You think you will be right back in your house within a minute, so no reason to bring phone or keys. This is all MOO but it's just what it makes me think of. If someone comes to my door, my dog goes kind of nuts and I can't open it, so I usually go out through my garage and speak to them in my driveway. I usually never grab my keys or phone unless I'm already holding one or both of them.

But if she was wearing coat and boots, I'm thinking she didn't just step outside. Maybe that's just me, but if I'm running out to get mail or do something quick outside, I'll slip on moccasins and light jacket/sweater or even no jacket at all.

 

[The Night Watchman]

FB Group about Brace Cove - some good photos of the area to give an idea of what walking in the area might have been like for AF.

Brace Cove - Gloucester, Massachusetts - Landmark & Historical Place, Beach | Facebook

Nice images, they give a good feel for Brace Cove. I took one of the images from the link, showing two woman in winter on the breakwater between Niles Pond and Brace Cove (Niles Pond on the left). This seems like the only area that Abbie could fall into Niles Pond. And I think she would have been found by now. Note: a woman ended up in the colder Merrimack River about 60 miles from here and her body was found.

Abbie's cameras were accounted for I believe. I find it odd that Abbie didn't take her dog, or at least her camera with her on her potential walk. Most dog people I know would take a dog on an afternoon walk.

 

[Yemelyan]

Nice images, they give a good feel for Brace Cove. I took one of the images from the link, showing two woman in winter on the breakwater between Niles Pond and Brace Cove (Niles Pond on the left). This seems like the only area that Abbie could fall into Niles Pond. And I think she would have been found by now. Note: a woman ended up in the colder Merrimack River about 60 miles from here and her body was found.

Abbie's cameras were accounted for I believe. I find it odd that Abbie didn't take her dog, or at least her camera with her on her potential walk. Most dog people I know would take a dog on an afternoon walk.

Without knowing her routine, I also find it a little odd that she didn't take her camera, only because when I went through a big photography phase I always took mine on walks like this. But being more than a hobbyist maybe her routines were different.

IMO the dog may have been elderly/infirm and so not able to keep up on a brisk walk.

 

[SaltyGirl]

I can't stand all the nitpicking that happens on these threads so please take this question in the way it was intended (which is not to catch you out in an inaccuracy), but DO we know that Theresa Coen went into the water near here? We know that police believe she left on foot, or they thought so at the time. But when they announced she'd been found on a Chatham beach (they don't say which one, I'm wondering if it was Lighthouse Beach since it's the only ocean side beach in Chatham) it gave me a horrible feeling thinking that her remains traveled that far through the ocean and then (to me, improbably) washed up on the Cape. That made me wonder if at some point in their investigation LE may have learned she went on to Cape Cod, perhaps by ride share or something. They certainly were convinced from just a few days in that she ended her own life.

My question, though, is relevant to Abbie Flynn because I'm wondering how far someone could really end up if they entered the water near Brace Cove, for example.

There was a child that went missing in Gloucester, a few years back, from Long Beach. It’s reported she was chasing a ball while playing with her sister, and the parent had looked away at that time. Presumed the child got washed into the creek, drowned, and was taken by current with the out-going tide. The child, was found, at least a year later, near Nehant/Nehant beach. Or DNA matched human remains. The story of which I write was scary and disheartening for the community- first reports were of possible child abduction. Unfortunately, the child washed out with the tide. But this gives you another perspective as to how far a body can travel in the ocean currents.
I was equally surprised by the “Chatham Beach” report, but the ocean is its own force. Seasonal water temperature plays a part in ocean currents, along with marine topography, or whatever the correct word is for that, you get the idea?

 

[SaltyGirl]

I just can't wrap my head around this. I love walking by the beach and am about the same age as Abbie. Can't imagine going out on the breakwater or rocks on a Feb afternoon as it's getting dark, too afraid of slipping. Unless. And a cold ocean would not be a fun way to go.

Perhaps she stumbled into an old well or hole somewhere? Was there snow on the ground that day? I'm reaching, I know.

I just can't wrap my head around this. I love walking by the beach and am about the same age as Abbie. Can't imagine going out on the breakwater or rocks on a Feb afternoon as it's getting dark, too afraid of slipping. Unless. And a cold ocean would not be a fun way to go.

Perhaps she stumbled into an old well or hole somewhere? Was there snow on the ground that day? I'm reaching, I know.

‘All’ the snow had melted by February 1st; generally the ground and roads were dry, though, I imagine that some “low” points on trails, ones that generally collect puddles, may have been muddy or a watery puddle.
The coastal rocks, however, may have been deceptive in appearance, slippery when wet, both from algae, and possibly ice or black ice.

 

[siliconrod]

There seems to be radio silence from the local LE, media and Abbie's family for over a week now.
Maybe they have covered all options and nothing new to report. Maybe they have concluded that she fell into the water and may never be found. In the early days of Abbie's disappearance there was flurry of activity to find her then it suddenly stopped except for a water search the next week.
I did notice there is a private FB page that discusses Abbie's disappearance but I don't have access to it. I am curious if Abbie's friends or family have commented on it and if so is the information they posted different from what has been released to the public.

 

[Yemelyan]

There seems to be radio silence from the local LE, media and Abbie's family for over a week now.
Maybe they have covered all options and nothing new to report. Maybe they have concluded that she fell into the water and may never be found. In the early days of Abbie's disappearance there was flurry of activity to find her then it suddenly stopped except for a water search the next week.
I did notice there is a private FB page that discusses Abbie's disappearance but I don't have access to it. I am curious if Abbie's friends or family have commented on it and if so is the information they posted different from what has been released to the public.

Her family is not in that group. Some friends are but the group is full of such crazy speculation that I think most were offended and left. There is no inside info that hasn't been discussed in MSM. The group knows about this Websleuths thread and some of the posts here have been copied over there and discussed at great length.

 

[The Night Watchman]

Her family is not in that group. Some friends are but the group is full of such crazy speculation that I think most were offended and left. There is no inside info that hasn't been discussed in MSM. The group knows about this Websleuths thread and some of the posts here have been copied over there and discussed at great length.

I wish you posted this earlier Yemy, because I joined it an hour ago.

I went in, then came out, and I am pretty sure that I am a little dumber for having done so.

 

[Yemelyan]

I wish you posted this earlier Yemy, because I joined it an hour ago.

I went in, then came out, and I am pretty sure that I am a little dumber for having done so.

Wish I had spared you!

 

[coastalpine]

I was also going to say the silence is deafening, and the public is not privy to what is happening. Which sometimes doesn’t seem fair, as we are so very concerned. I guess it is the right thing for LE to do for Abbie’s family.

On a similar note, are we to believe that the reason the other four women disappeared (including the woman in her car ) was due to self harm?

And lastly, was the last white van accounted for?

 

[trujac]

Howdy everyone, I have been following this case closely--reading everything posted here, as well as media news and reports. And, I keep getting the impression that Ms. Flynn is still somewhere in her immediate neighborhood...perhaps,taken by a neighbor. The thought I have is someone, not necessarily invited to her Super Bowl party at quick notice, showed up at her house or encountered Abbie as she was outside walking. The notion that she slipped into water and drowned doesn't seem to match up with her level of hiking experience and familiarity with her surroundings. The fact that a lot of homes are occupied seasonally and some are vacate might have embolden someone to take advantage of Abbie's walking routine. I hope the investigation sheds some light soon for Abbie's family and friends.

 

[SAMS]

I was also going to say the silence is deafening, and the public is not privy to what is happening. Which sometimes doesn’t seem fair, as we are so very concerned. I guess it is the right thing for LE to do for Abbie’s family.

On a similar note, are we to believe that the reason the other four women disappeared (including the woman in her car ) was due to self harm?

And lastly, was the last white van accounted for?

I would love to know more about the other disappearances too. And from what I remember from the video interview with chief he said they did not identify the last white van. I’ll check again for clarity. MOO