Help my best friend find his mom! Please!

[AJStoleMyHat]

My best friend from childhood (who is 17 months younger than I am) has started to look for his mom and we need all the help we can get.

She suffers from schizophrenia and left Kevin nearly 10 years ago. Novermber 18, 1994 was the last time that he saw her (her birthday) when he was 8 years old (I was 10).

They didn't look for her because it hadn't been the first time she had disappeared - she did it when he was just a baby, but after a few weeks (not exactly sure how long) she came back and for the next 8 years everything was well.

For one reason or another Kevin is now ready to look for her.

Through connections of my own I've been able to find an address for her (although it's 5 years old) and know she applied for SSI this past December in Lakewood, CA. I know she is still going by her married name (she and Kevin's dad were divorced at some point) and is living in that area (or at least, that we assume).

But I've run out of ideas to look for her. So I'm reaching out to all of you...

If you know of any ways to look for a person, or know of someone who knows how to - if you could contact me - I'd be most appreciative!

E-mail me at: kathy@lacabe.com

I think one reason that Kevin is really beginning to want to look for her is the fact that he has now lived longer without her in his life, than with her. And he just misses his mommy.

Please help me help him.

[Sunfire]

How could they not look for her after she left the second time? A few weeks is a long time!

Try calling your local news, maybe they will do a story on it.

[AlmostFamous]

That's a good idea, Sunny!

Any kind of publicity would be good. TV, Radio, Newspaper. And there is a way to contact the service for Missing Persons (the ones that do fliers that come in the mail). If I find that, I'll let you know.

Have they contacted the police, shelters or local hospitals or anything?

[AJStoleMyHat]

It's hard to explain why not. I remember talking to Kevin's dad about it back then... and I can remember him saying something about letting alone and that she'd come back.

I think for him it was kind of a relief. No more custody battles or anything. He had full custody of Kevin anyway, but with her gone he didn't have to worry about it.

After 2 years or so that she disappeared my family moved and shortly there after they (Kevin and his dad) moved down south (closer to San Diego) and so we didn't talk as much.

After about a year and a half Kevin came back last month and came to see me... and I feel as though in part it is because to him I'm a part of his mom. Since she wasn't around all the time when he was little, and I was, I was kind of like a big sister to him (he's an only child). And I think other than his dad I'm his only connection to her.

And also - Kevin was younger then - even know, he's still only 17, and so what could he do?

So now he has more ability to do something about it, and he is.

I just hope we're successful.

Kathy

[AlmostFamous]

Well, definately keep us posted. That's a tough situation and I wish him the best in finding her. I'll pray that she is okay and can ultimately get help.

If I can get any more information or ideas about how to find a missing person, I'll let you know. But for now, I guess just continue with what you are doing and try to get some more information out to the public about her. That way, if someone has seen her, they can notify you guys.

[AJStoleMyHat]

Originally posted by AlmostFamous
That's a good idea, Sunny!

Any kind of publicity would be good. TV, Radio, Newspaper. And there is a way to contact the service for Missing Persons (the ones that do fliers that come in the mail). If I find that, I'll let you know.

Have they contacted the police, shelters or local hospitals or anything?

Well we know she applied for SSI so she is getting money from the government. So I don't think she's in a shelter. She has stayed in one of those live-in- motel places in the past (an address we have from 1999 in Palmdale) so I think maybe she's in one of those again.

[AlmostFamous]

If she is getting money from the government, it can be traced. I don't know if a Private Investigator can do something like or not. I've never had to try and find someone, but maybe that's an option.........

[KareNsync2000]

Do a search at google.com with 'find a missing person'....there are a bunch of listings.

Good luck. :D

[Sunfire]

So you're not going to try the local news idea? It works really, really well... I should know, I work in news!

[AJStoleMyHat]

Oh I'll try it. I need to call the police too - see about that angle. I don't know what I would say to the news though and which area exactly I would send a messege too.

And the other problem with that... is living in such a big city with so much news and so many missing people I don't know if they'd care much.

But I will look into it.

Thanks.

Kathy