Found Safe IN- Holly Womack (Elischer), 30, Gary, 3 Oct 2012 -police drop off at wrong shelter

[nursebeeme]

Holly Womax, also known as Holly Elischer, 30, was afraid of her husband, George Paul Elischer, 48.

Elischer, sentenced in 1993 to six years in prison for felony battery, called Holly’s mother the night of Oct. 2 “and was threatening to kill her. I was so concerned I had the police go check,” Darlene Strickland said. Strickland lives in Georgia.

The couple are divorced, but Elischer brought his ex-wife from Georgia to live with him here last year, Strickland said. Her maiden name is Womax.

another snip

Gary police arranged for Womax to stay at an area women’s shelter for victims of domestic violence. “She had a room,” Wright said.

But an officer instead took Womax to a women’s homeless shelter several blocks away where she was “dropped off.” He did not escort her inside the building.

Strickland said the shelter turned her away, forcing Womax to sleep in a structure near the Adam Benjamin Metro Center.

“The last I talked to her was Oct. 4. She was going to charge her phone. By this time she was scared. She didn’t know where she was,” Strickland said.

Womax is bipolar and needs medication. Elischer is the only person she knows in Northwest Indiana, her mother said.

http://posttrib.suntimes.com/1581248...g-shelter.html

http://posttrib.suntimes.com/csp/cms/sites/dt.common.streams.StreamServer.cls?STREAMOID=Cw9F5 TLj_qk7d2uBaHJeAs$daE2N3K4ZzOUsqbU5sYtvQ1WHZ7FnC56 gIy8746AfWCsjLu883Ygn4B49Lvm9bPe2QeMKQdVeZmXF$9l$4 uCZ8QDXhaHEp3rvzXRJFdy0KqPHLoMevcTLo3h8xh70Y6N_U_C ryOsw6FTOdKL_jpQ-&CONTENTTYPE=image/jpeg

http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/1...418/story.html

Holly Wamack Missing Facebook

[Eileen730]

Originally Posted by nursebeeme

another snip

http://posttrib.suntimes.com/1581248...g-shelter.html

http://posttrib.suntimes.com/csp/cms/sites/dt.common.streams.StreamServer.cls?STREAMOID=Cw9F5 TLj_qk7d2uBaHJeAs$daE2N3K4ZzOUsqbU5sYtvQ1WHZ7FnC56 gIy8746AfWCsjLu883Ygn4B49Lvm9bPe2QeMKQdVeZmXF$9l$4 uCZ8QDXhaHEp3rvzXRJFdy0KqPHLoMevcTLo3h8xh70Y6N_U_C ryOsw6FTOdKL_jpQ-&CONTENTTYPE=image/jpeg

http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/1...418/story.html

OMGoodness!
How Horrible!

This poor woman!

[nursebeeme]

It is absolutely terrible. I wonder if they have tried to ping her phone

[Moxie Vi]

Goodness this is sad. Such a bad time for any balls to be dropped. I hope she is ok.

[dillysmom11]

Seriously?! That shelter should have given her a bed for the night, and had someone TAKE her to the appropriate shelter. Man, people come on!

[Cubby]

The cop should be conducting a full fledged search for this woman and paying for all the costs.

Seriously, this has to be one of the most incompetent LE mistakes I have ever seen. LE better pray this woman is found safely soon and not already dead by the hands of her husband.

[Cubby]

Gary police arranged for Womax to stay at an area women’s shelter for victims of domestic violence. “She had a room,” Wright said.

But an officer instead took Womax to a women’s homeless shelter several blocks away where she was “dropped off.” He did not escort her inside the building.

http://posttrib.suntimes.com/1581248...g-shelter.html

Why didn't this LEO know the difference between a homeless shelter and a shelter for DV victims?

There is no excuse for this. This woman's life was in danger and LE escorted her to the wrong place for her safety. I can't imagine how scared and alone she must feel.

Praying she is simply in hiding because LE has proven their incompetence rather than the worse alternative.

Come home safely soon, Holly!

[Jan]

I hope the woman is OK somewhere. I don't understand why someone from the homeless shelter didn't take her to the correct shelter or call someone to come and get her and escort her there. The police shouldn't have just dropped her off but should have made sure she got checked in OK and was safe. I hope her (ex) husband or someone else didn't hurt or kill her.

[dillysmom11]

Insanity. Praying her husband isn't anywhere near her, nor that she went home because she was scared...

[dillysmom11]

Bumping for new info.

[kiwijayne]

I hope this poor lady has taken off of her own accord and hidden herself;

[darlenes9356]

Holly is my daughter and there are several things that Gary police got wrong. First of all, Holly has blue eyes not brown. she has long brown hair not black. she is 5'4" tall not 5'2" her last name is womack not womax. She only has been in Gary since July 10, 2012. Her ex husband did threathen to kill her. She was George Paul Elischer Jr. birthdate 1/23/1944. His son has been in prison for attempted murder. His son is also named George Paul Elischer. My grandson, J was removed from their care on Sept. 14. I only learned this after Paul had called late at night drunk and told me. I have been trying to get child protetive service to let me get J, but I live in another state and I was told they would have to investigate me. I replied get started because my grandson needs to be with me instead of strangers. My daughter was afraid of Paul, but she was more afraid of what Paul was doing to J. My daughter said to me that she has been a victim of domestic violence and Paul has tried to kill her by choking her and did so while J was watching. Child Protetion Service is planning on returning J to his father despite the circumstance of his mother's disappearance.

The detective in charge has now asked for DNA and dental records for Holly. So now I am thinking she maybe in the morgue. I have left a voice mail for the detective, but have not heard back. My hope is Holly maybe in a shelter and not looking at her with the brown hair and blue eyes. <modsnip>

[nursebeeme]

Hi darlene and welcome to websleuths! I am so sorry to hear about Holly :-( I will correct the spelling of her name.

[ktgirl]

Originally Posted by darlenes9356

Holly is my daughter and there are several things that Gary police got wrong. First of all, Holly has blue eyes not brown. she has long brown hair not black. she is 5'4" tall not 5'2" her last name is womack not womax. She only has been in Gary since July 10, 2012. Her ex husband did threathen to kill her. She was George Paul Elischer Jr. birthdate 1/23/1944. His son has been in prison for attempted murder. His son is also named George Paul Elischer. My grandson, J was removed from their care on Sept. 14. I only learned this after Paul had called late at night drunk and told me. I have been trying to get child protetive service to let me get J, but I live in another state and I was told they would have to investigate me. I replied get started because my grandson needs to be with me instead of strangers. My daughter was afraid of Paul, but she was more afraid of what Paul was doing to J. My daughter said to me that she has been a victim of domestic violence and Paul has tried to kill her by choking her and did so while J was watching. Child Protetion Service is planning on returning J to his father despite the circumstance of his mother's disappearance.

The detective in charge has now asked for DNA and dental records for Holly. So now I am thinking she maybe in the morgue. I have left a voice mail for the detective, but have not heard back. My hope is Holly maybe in a shelter and not looking at her with the brown hair and blue eyes. <modsnip>

I am so sorry, Darlene. I cannot believe everything that went wrong here- dropping her off at the wrong shelter and then giving the wrong description out. My heart aches for you. Sending love and positivity your way.

[summer_breeze]

NamUs Profile

https://www.findthemissing.org/en/cases/show/17818

Case Information
Status
Missing

First name
Holly

Middle name
Amber

Last name
Elischer

Nickname/Alias

Date LKA
October 17, 2012 00:00

Date entered
10/17/2012

Age LKA
30 to 30 years old

Age now
30 years old

Race
White

Ethnicity
Other

Sex
Female

Height (inches)
62.0 to 65.0

Weight (pounds)
300.0 to 325.0

[roxy roller]

The NamUs profile appears to have the information incorrect, as it states she was dropped off at a domestic violence shelter, and never made it inside. This information is misleading compared to what we know.

This situation really gets to me! If I were in her shoes, I would have trusted the cop to get me to the correct location. Then she was turned away! I would be terrified.

[kenya2009]

This is just horrible. I really hope Holly is safe and out of harms way.

[BethInAK]

Darlene, do you think she would have returned to the house?

Folks, should we see if we can call or email a flyer to local shelters?

I am worried because I think Holly would try and call her mom if she was ok.

[TxLady2]

Originally Posted by Cubby

Gary police arranged for Womax to stay at an area women’s shelter for victims of domestic violence. “She had a room,” Wright said.

But an officer instead took Womax to a women’s homeless shelter several blocks away where she was “dropped off.” He did not escort her inside the building.

http://posttrib.suntimes.com/1581248...g-shelter.html

Why didn't this LEO know the difference between a homeless shelter and a shelter for DV victims?

There is no excuse for this. This woman's life was in danger and LE escorted her to the wrong place for her safety. I can't imagine how scared and alone she must feel.

Praying she is simply in hiding because LE has proven their incompetence rather than the worse alternative.

Come home safely soon, Holly!

Maybe he's a rookie? New cop, doesn't know the locations of shelters and was confused. I can't help but think that it was not deliberate, maybe just a misconception of some kind.

I think seasoned cops would know the difference in a shelter and a safe house, because they deal with them all the time. However, I think the shelter holds as much blame as the cop does. They should have let her in, even if she had to sleep on the floor. I can't understand places like that turning ONE person away when she was in distress. It's not like it was a whole crowd of homeless people.

[darlenes9356]

Originally Posted by BethInAK

Darlene, do you think she would have returned to the house?

Folks, should we see if we can call or email a flyer to local shelters?

I am worried because I think Holly would try and call her mom if she was ok.

Holly's last words to me was that she was going to try to find a place and charge her phone.

You are right she would have called me or her sister. Since Paul is there she would have called him.

Correction needs to be made here. She was married to George Paul Elischer jr. who is 68 years old the one you are talking about here is his son (who has been to prison).

Also, Want to mention the information that the police had was wrong and don't even know how they could be so far off with her description.

Thanks to everyone.

I do fear the longer it takes to hear from Holly ....I just afraid of the outcome.

Holly does not know how to drive and don't have a sense of direction, however, I feel like she would stay in an area she would be comfortable in, but no word is not good. The media probably has done all they are going to do. Liet249l@netscape.net if you have any information or 219-881-4736.

[darlenes9356]

It seems to me the more I speak with the detective, the less I feel anything is being done. I know my daughter and for her not contact someone in all this time, well I can't help but think the worst.

I am making a jorney myself to Gary, Indiana and walk the streets where she was last seen to see if I can find her. My hopes is maybe a church might be helping her. But that maybe just wishful thinking. I don't want to think the worst, but it is out there and I know it is a great possibility. Thanks for all your support and if any of you can help repost or send flyers or talk with the media, it would be greatly appreciated. Darlene

[BelieveinUFO]

If she slept outside then changes are that some prep thought she was a streetwalker and took her in and she would have thought he was helping her.

This is so sick. That cop should be fired.

[Cubby]

Originally Posted by TxLady2

Maybe he's a rookie? New cop, doesn't know the locations of shelters and was confused. I can't help but think that it was not deliberate, maybe just a misconception of some kind.

I think seasoned cops would know the difference in a shelter and a safe house, because they deal with them all the time. However, I think the shelter holds as much blame as the cop does. They should have let her in, even if she had to sleep on the floor. I can't understand places like that turning ONE person away when she was in distress. It's not like it was a whole crowd of homeless people.

Shelters have fairly strict rules here. If they were at capacity and there was no bed available, there was no bed available. A cop should know where he or she is going. A call was made to a specific location to ensure a bed/spot was available. We're not talking about a rookie cabbie here who may be unfamiliar with the area, we are talking LE who should know how to read a map and know the difference between a safe house and a shelter.

[Abstar80]

There is a place in Gary IN that is called the Sojourner Truth House and is located on W14th street. It is not terribly far from the Adam Benjamin metro centre. It is run by nuns from what I can ascertain. Perhaps you could give them a call and see if a) they have come across Holly and are helping her or b) are able to give you some assistance, a place to stay, resources etc. They seem very focused on helping women gain power back in their lives. JMO
I am sure that the LE Officer is beating himself up over this, but I would think that LE would want to make sure this gets sorted out purely for their own reputation.
If she slept at or spent time at the Metro centre, surely they would have surveillance cameras in place that may give a time and date of when she was there.
All of this is just thinking out loud, I hope you find your precious daughter soon

[LostOldUserName]

Darlene please be very careful In Gary. This is a very unsafe city! My prayers are with you that Holly is okay.