I'd be nervous and on edge too HarmonyE especially if I had minor children that I would be watching like a hawk and even warning my teens to be aware as to whose around and what they're doing.
The children were all with their father in the truck/car and said they all shouted their goodbyes to Sandra. She may of stayed outside waving etc. to them as they left. Might be why he didn't see her actually go inside.
I know he was in the truck with the children but was it the children who "actually said" they all shouted their goodbyes or was it someone else who said they did ?
Well, it was their father but I wonder if they or the older child were asked if they saw their grandmother go in the door but in a gentle etc way of course. Asked if they waved and shouted goodbye when they brought her home. Their mother might not of thought of asking, maybe, as would not want anything of this to worry them and upset. It would of been suggested she ask them I'D THINK, by the police investigator.
I do remember in The Vanished Episode#269 podcast, LM said her son said "Grammy, is in heaven, she hit her head." I would have thought the police investigators would not have suggesting asking the kids anything because they thought it was just a missing person case, no foul play involved. EDITED BY ME TO ADD: I don't think the police even entertained the thought of a mishap followed by a cover-up which someone suggested in an earlier post.
Oh yes, I remember the grandson saying that. Imagination or his takeaway depending on how it was explained by mother and father where Grammy was, but not sure if at that time Sandra was def assumed not alive. At some point her daughter felt she was not.
Glad you remember that too. Made me think, did he overhear adults talking, did he see something ? You just never know.
That's what I thought /think too.
I think the police have not thoroughly invested gated the obvious.
Thank you OnlyFacts, every possibility should be looked at. Until HarmonyE suggested it could have been an unintentional mishap followed by a coverup, I didn't even think along those lines.
Several people on here have said they thought she never made it back into the house. There is a possibility (however slight) that this is the reason why.
Ha Ha, so cute and innocent.
The unintentional mishap and the coverup that could have happened (not saying it definitely did) fit right in with she never made it back into the house. The SIL got out of work late, was he expected at mechanics at a specific time and was late getting there too ? He might have felt stressed and overwhelmed and in a hurry when he dropped SC off. That's how accidents happens sometimes. A little bit of information here and there can create a scenario that is unexpected and surprising sometimes. This is just another theory.I'd only suggest that there is no evidence that she made it back into the house after she left to drop her car off. As it appears she went missing wearing the same clothes and shoes and with the same purse, it is something that cannot be ruled out. Her SIL cannot confirm she got back into her house. Her cousin says Sandra never called her back after making plans to discuss a visit once she knew more about time frames (recall SIL was running late and there were no phone calls exchanged between him and Sandra that day). I just think this possibility cannot be ruled out out-of-hand as no one can confirm she ever walked back into her house.
I know some have pointed to the lights being on as proof she left after dark, but I don't agree it's necessarily proof of anything. First, as noted in this picture, Sandra's living/kitchen area was lit by a set of recessed lights; more than one would necessarily expect for a tiny house, but given that there was so little floor space, it actually was a practical solution, eliminating the need for several tables with lamps or floor lamps. Less clutter for a small space.
These sorts of lights are usually on no more than one or two switches. "All the lights" may have been controlled by one switch.
Note also that all of the window light from the living area side of the house comes from one direction. Unless this wall faced south or maybe west, she may not have gotten much light in later afternoon, and perhaps she was in the habit of using the recessed lights during the day. Finally, it was not a sunny day. It was overcast and rained at times. Here's the weather for the area from about 2 - 5 pm that day.
1:54 PM 82 °F 69 °F 65 % SSW 17 mph 0 mph 29.81 in 0.0 in Light Rain
2:01 PM 82 °F 68 °F 62 % SSW 16 mph 0 mph 29.81 in 0.0 in T-Storm
2:16 PM 83 °F 69 °F 63 % S 13 mph 0 mph 29.80 in 0.0 in Mostly Cloudy
2:54 PM 78 °F 71 °F 79 % SW 20 mph 29 mph 29.81 in 0.0 in Light Rain
3:06 PM 78 °F 69 °F 74 % SW 14 mph 0 mph 29.80 in 0.0 in Light Rain with Thunder
3:21 PM 79 °F 70 °F 74 % SSW 8 mph 0 mph 29.79 in 0.0 in T-Storm
3:30 PM 80 °F 71 °F 74 % SSW 6 mph 0 mph 29.79 in 0.0 in Mostly Cloudy
3:54 PM 82 °F 72 °F 71 % SE 7 mph 0 mph 29.78 in 0.0 in Mostly Cloudy
4:54 PM 83 °F 69 °F 63 % S 16 mph 0 mph 29.78 in 0.0 in Mostly Cloudy
