OR OR - Benita Chamberlin, 24, Eugene, 23 Feb 1978

ClaireNC

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This 24 year old woman disappeared on the day she was scheduled to take her new baby girl, (born premature), home from the hospital. She had two other children and had just started the divorce process with her husband.

https://www.findthemissing.org/en/cases/869/33?current_page=photos
"Benita was last seen at approximately 10:00am at Sacred Heart Hospital in the vicinity of 13th Ave. and Hilyard St. in Eugene, OR. Her vehicle was found abandoned in a nearby parking lot. "

http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/c/chamberlin_benita.html
My summary from the Charley Project website:
Benita was last seen at around 10 am on Feb 23 1978 at a hospital in Eugene, Oregon. She had given birth on Feb 13 and was released from the hospital. Her daughter, born pre-mature, remained hospitalized due to low birth weight. Chamberlin went to the hospital that morning to nurse her baby. She was told she could take the child home that day and called a friend to tell her the good news.

Chamberlin’s car was found abandoned in a nearby parking lot. There was no sign of her at the scene. She was in the process of a divorce and had left her husband. Her mother reported her missing. Her case remains unsolved.

1104

Missing Since: February 23, 1978 from Eugene, Oregon
Classification: Endangered Missing
Date of Birth: October 27, 1953
Age: 24 years old
Height and Weight: 5'5, 120 pounds
Distinguishing Characteristics: Blonde hair, blue eyes.
Clothing/Jewelry Description: A black turtleneck sweater, a red and blue ski jacket, white pants and earth shoes.
Medical Conditions: Chamberlin had given birth shortly before she vanished and was nursing at the time of her disappearance.

Investigating Agency
If you have any information concerning this case, please contact:
Lane County Sheriff's Office
541-682-4167
 
Looks like one of Benita's daughters manages a Facebook page for her. There's a lot of extra OT stuff but a post from April 26, '11 looks interesting. References a note found in mom's scrapbook. It would be great if the daughter was able to share a little more info!

http://www.facebook.com/Benita.chamberlin
 
That is an interesting comment on the FB page. I wonder if she submitted the info to LE.

Edit to add:
Investigating Agency
Lane County Sheriff's Office
541-682-4167
 
I would hope so but just don't know. I'd love to get any info/insight/rumor she has (couldn't really find much with a simple Google search) but hesitate to contact her using Fb.
 
Her daughter (initials MC) also has an individual page where she made a post about her mother just a few weeks ago. So she is still actively searching for information on her mother.
 
Benita Gay Chamberlin
  • benita_gay_chamberlin_1.jpg
  • benita_gay_chamberlin_2.jpg
Chamberlin, circa 1978

  • Missing Since02/23/1978
  • Missing FromEugene, Oregon
  • ClassificationEndangered Missing
  • Date of Birth10/27/1953 (65)
  • Age24 years old
  • Height and Weight5'5, 120 pounds
  • Clothing/Jewelry DescriptionA black turtleneck sweater, a red and blue ski jacket, white pants and earth shoes.
  • Medical ConditionsChamberlin had given birth ten days before she vanished and was nursing at the time of her disappearance.
  • Distinguishing CharacteristicsCaucasian female. Blonde hair, blue eyes.
Details of Disappearance
Chamberlin was last seen between 10:00 and 11:00 a.m. on February 23, 1978, leaving Sacred Heart General Hospital in the vicinity of 13th Avenue and Hilyard Street in Eugene, Oregon. She had given birth on February 13 and was released from the hospital, but her baby daughter remained hospitalized due to prematurity and low birth weight.

Chamberlin went to the hospital that day to nurse the baby. She was told she could take her home sometime after 1:30 p.m., and telephoned a female friend to tell her the good news. She has never been heard from again. Her mother reported her missing at 1:00 a.m. on February 24.

At 2:30 a.m. that day, Chamberlin's purse was found lying on the ground in a parking lot on the University of Oregon campus. Shortly after 5:00 a.m., her blue 1966 Mercury Comet was found in the parking lot of a Coca-Cola bottling factory on Franklin Boulevard, near the hospital. There was no sign of her at the scene.

Chamberlin was in the process of a divorce at the time of her disappearance. She was separated from her husband and lived in the 20 block of Howard Avenue; her older two daughters lived with their father. She had worked as a maid at the Holiday Inn on Coberg Road for approximately five months before she went on maternity leave.

Her coworkers said she was well-liked and a reliable employee, and she was also described as a dedicated parent. who would never have left her three children, the oldest of whom was seven years old in 1978. She is a graduate of Churchill High School.

Her case remains unsolved and the circumstances surrounding her disappearance are unclear.
 
I have submitted this Valencia Jane Doe as Benita. She seems quite likely IMO.
Original
Original

The only things wrong with both pictures is the jaw is off by a bit and the whole eye being lower. I will leave you with the links to both cases and the usual table.
Benita Chamberlin
#MP869
Valencia Jane Doe (1980) #UP4388Possible?
SexFemaleUnsure, Likely FemaleLikely
RaceWhite/CaucasianUnsure, Likely CaucasianLikely
Hair ColorBlond/StrawberryBlond/StrawberryMatch
Eye ColorBlueUnknownPossible
Estimated D.O.D/D.L.CFebruary 23, 19781978-1980Match
Estimated Age Range2417-35Match
Height5'5"5'4"-5'7"Match
Weight120lbs120-140lbsMatch
Distinctive FeaturesUnknown/NoneRight eye slightly lower than leftUnknown
CircumstancesWent missing from a hospital. She had recently given birthFound in a wash with #UP4389Possible
DistanceEugene-Oregon824 miles (12hr)Possible
DNA is unavailable in the Doe's case so Benita nor any MP is not an automatic rule out. This match makes much more sense if you look at the Valencia Doe's thread: CA - CA - Valencia, 2 WhtFems UP4388 & 4389, 17-35, in riverbed near I-5, Jan'80
 

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