Jersey City mom says missing daughter sending her text messages

kittykat1 · #1 03-08-2006, 04:25 PM

JERSEY CITY, N.J. -- Since her 13-year-old daughter vanished Monday, Stella Browne says she has been getting text messages from the girl saying that someone followed her and that she woke up in a dark basement

http://tinyurl.com/lyfx3

Very very strange . . .

Marine Mom · #2 03-08-2006, 04:29 PM

If this is true, how smart was it to give this information to the media, effectively giving it to the person(s) responsible for taking her?

michelle · #3 03-08-2006, 04:32 PM

This is crazy!!!!

Jeana (DP) · #4 03-08-2006, 04:37 PM

Mom is not answering her cell phone????? That sounds incredibly wrong to me.

Marine Mom · #5 03-08-2006, 04:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeana (DP)

Mom is not answering her cell phone????? That sounds incredibly wrong to me.

Quote from article:

Her mother said she's only received text messages from her daughter, and that she has not called nor is she answering her cell phone.

My take is that mom is calling daughter, but no answer. Daughter is not calling mom...only text messages.

RainbowsAndGumdrops · #6 03-08-2006, 04:46 PM

I think it means that the daughter is not answering her cell phone.

blueclouds · #7 03-08-2006, 04:47 PM

then someone is screwing with the mother. PULLEAAZE! Why wouldn't the daughter just call. Too suspicious.

Jeana (DP) · #8 03-08-2006, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marine Mom

Quote from article:

Her mother said she's only received text messages from her daughter, and that she has not called nor is she answering her cell phone.

My take is that mom is calling daughter, but no answer. Daughter is not calling mom...only text messages.

You must be right. I read it the opposite for some reason. Thanks.

julianne · #9 03-08-2006, 07:49 PM

Definately strange...

BUT, if it's true, maybe the reason why the daughter isn't just calling her is because whoever has her is close by and would be able to hear the girl talking, therefore she is texting her mom. My son uses the "text" feature on his phone so much that he can do it soooo fast, pretty much without looking--in fact, any teenager I know with a cell phone is a whiz when it comes to texting. On the rare occasions that I use it, it takes me forever to type a three word sentence.

IF someone is playing a practical joke, then they MUST have her cell phone. If Mom's phone says the messages are coming from her daughter's phone, they have to be. You can't circumvent that--meaning, you can't just make it display that the message is coming from any number--only the actual number that it is being texted from can be displayed. So, whoever is doing it is definately in possession of daughter's cell phone.

Jean · #10 03-08-2006, 07:57 PM

I don't understand how tracing cell phone calls works, but would it be different for text messaging? Thanks.

j2mirish · #11 03-08-2006, 08:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RainbowsAndGumdrops

I think it means that the daughter is not answering her cell phone.

i thought the same- but am having trouble believing someone would allow a person to keep their cell phone? if she is uding it while alone, or where the person cant hear her text message.....why not CALL mom? not sure about this one-

lymom3 · #12 03-08-2006, 08:09 PM

You can send text messages from the internet and have anyone's info as the sender, you wouldn't necessarily have to have her phone.

j2mirish · #13 03-08-2006, 08:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lymom3

You can send text messages from the internet and have anyone's info as the sender, you wouldn't necessarily have to have her phone.

so the kidnapper is letting her get on a computer and use the internet while she is at it?

captain exposition · #14 03-08-2006, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by j2mirish

so the kidnapper is letting her get on a computer and use the internet while she is at it?

Anyone can be sending the message who happens to know the daughter's number. You just enter the number you want to text and what your message is. For my provider (Cingular) you don't even have to enter your number into the webpage. The only condition is the message must be going to a Cingular customer.

Here is a link to the Cingular web page for sending messages:
http://www.cingularme.com/do/public?l=en-US&v=cingular

I think it makes more sense when you look at it.

PoorPaulaNNJ · #15 03-08-2006, 11:46 PM

Here is what was text messaged.

http://www.nj.com/news/jjournal/jer...9350.xml&coll=3

Begging for rescue

Wednesday, March 08, 2006

Text-message pleas for help Stella Browne says her daughter, 13-year-old Natasha Browne, sent Monday:

Monday, 11:08 a.m.

"Mom help. I can only make one text message. She is gonna take my cell phone away. Help. I'm scared. I don't know where I am. I known I'm in a house. Someone was following me and I just don't remember what happened. I just woke up in a basement. I'm scared. ... It's pitch black in here. I can't stop crying. I've never seen this place. Please help mom."

Monday, 4:33 p.m.

"I can only text message once, he is making me do disgusting stuff I don't know what to do."

Monday, 4:43 p.m.

"He and he is telling me they will hurt me if I don't listen to them ... I can't see their faces."

Monday, 8:55 p.m.

"They are taking me to New York."

OneLostGrl · #16 03-08-2006, 11:56 PM

After reading the things she is texting, I have to say (and I'm sure I'll be slammed for saying this but..slam away, I suppose) it sounds to me that she ran away (perhaps with some guy she met on-line?) and is now scared about getting into trouble so she is making it look as if someone "took" her.

PoorPaulaNNJ · #17 03-09-2006, 12:06 AM

Interesting. One article I read said LE took the home computer to check the hard drive.

Here's an article with a picture of the young girl. She's such a doll! Hope she is home soon and safe.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/09/nyregion/09girl.html

Becba · #18 03-09-2006, 12:42 AM

I heard earlier on one of the news channels that they are narrowing down the area where the messages were sent from.

julianne · #19 03-09-2006, 01:08 AM

Quote:

Anyone can be sending the message who happens to know the daughter's number. You just enter the number you want to text and what your message is. For my provider (Cingular) you don't even have to enter your number into the webpage. The only condition is the message must be going to a Cingular customer.

I didn't even think of sending text messages thru the internet! I just learned something new! I stand corrected.

blueclouds · #20 03-09-2006, 01:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OneLostGrl

After reading the things she is texting, I have to say (and I'm sure I'll be slammed for saying this but..slam away, I suppose) it sounds to me that she ran away (perhaps with some guy she met on-line?) and is now scared about getting into trouble so she is making it look as if someone "took" her.

That's my first hunch. That her girlfriend from school said she had a doctors appointment and wouldn't be at school Monday first of all. I'm thinking this girl is pregnant and is traveling to get an abortion out of state.

Just my 2cents. I truly hope my suspicions are right.

Mygirlsadie · #21 03-09-2006, 01:28 AM

OMG prengnant at 13 my girl will be 13 soon and I just can't imagine. Also if she went missing at 13 where would she go? I mean they can't take care of theirself yet money wise etc... I hope this little girl isnt playing a joke on her mom because I know if it was me and I got those kinds of text's I would be climbing the walls with fear and anxiety about what was happening to my baby. On the other hand I pray this little girl is safe and brought home soon whatever the case may be.

Quote:

Originally Posted by blueclouds

That's my first hunch. That her girlfriend from school said she had a doctors appointment and wouldn't be at school Monday first of all. I'm thinking this girl is pregnant and is traveling to get an abortion out of state.

Just my 2cents. I truly hope my suspicions are right.

Becba · #22 03-09-2006, 01:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blueclouds

That's my first hunch. That her girlfriend from school said she had a doctors appointment and wouldn't be at school Monday first of all. I'm thinking this girl is pregnant and is traveling to get an abortion out of state.

Just my 2cents. I truly hope my suspicions are right.

That is more likely than the kidnap story. Like you I hope that is what has happened. Poor mom must be going thru hell right now. The text messaging but can't call, the text messaging when she can't see, I am just not getting it.

Tristan · #23 03-09-2006, 03:12 AM

This is SO strange. I live in NYC, so this is quite close to me.

I hope this is not some sick joke, and that the girl will be found soon.

Anyone know if there are updates?

awagner · #24 03-09-2006, 04:03 AM

what I find strange is that the text messages are actually in regular english. Most kids use abbreviations when sending text.

Floh · #25 03-09-2006, 05:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by awagner

what I find strange is that the text messages are actually in regular english. Most kids use abbreviations when sending text.

VERY good point!