Found Deceased CA - Elizabeth Ernstein, 14, Redlands, 18 March 1968

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Centerice said:
http://sau.stparchive.com/Archive/SAU/SAU12121968p02.php
Click to expand...

Thank you very much for posting the above link. I hadn't ever seen it before. Reading it made me remember being with her. She loved life so much. I feel badly for her parents because by this time I'm sure they've passed away without knowing what happened to their little girl. The article mentions 5 siblings. Does anyone know if all of them are still living? I would love to find out what they remember of Elizabeth, especially the last few months of her life with them.
 
I have found a Norman E. Ernstein living in the area, he's 95 years old. I wont post any info but it looks like it could possibly be him. I have a rough idea where he lives and if they haven't moved (some parents don't, waiting for their children to return) I'm looking at tracing Elizabeth's walk home from school.

Edited to ask James, would Liz have walked along West Redlands Boulevard to get home ?

Maybe i'm on the wrong track.
 
They just added a different photo of Elizabeth to her NamUs casefile.

2948004580045078242S600x600Q851.jpg
 
Good to see Elizabeth in Namus. and activity on the case. I hope she is found.
 
2948004580045078242S600x600Q851.jpg

Elizabeth Lurene Ernstein

Endangered Missing from Redlands, California since March 18, 1968

Age: 14 -- Height: 5'4" - 5'5" -- Weight: 105 lbs -- Hair Color: Brown -- Eye Color: Brown

Elizabeth's nickname is Liz.


Elizabeth was last seen in Mentone, California on March 18, 1968. At 3:40 pm, after finishing her classes at Moore Junior High School, she began walking home. It was a 2-mile trip through orange groves. She never arrived home and has never been heard from again.

Elizabeth was carrying a blue notebook, a red algebra text book, and 25 cents when she disappeared. None of these items were ever found. Authorities did find a bra in her size that had been washed in the same detergent she used, but they weren't able to conclusively prove it was hers.


NamUs

Charley Project
 
Is there a possibility she was pregnant and was met by a backstreet abortionist? Could that be what she wanted to talk to her boyfriend about?
At that time abortion was illegal and a young girl was often picked up, taken to an "office" and if it didn't go well and the patient died, the body would be buried in an unknown grave.
 
I noticed this young woman (est. between 14 to 20) on NamUs, she was found in San Bernardino County (same county as Redlands) on May 20, 1969. I thought that she might be Elizabeth (except I am not sure if Elizabeth's hair was long enough to be described as "Long-brown hair").

https://identifyus.org/en/cases/2457
 
Ambercat said:
I noticed this young woman (est. between 14 to 20) on NamUs, she was found in San Bernardino County (same county as Redlands) on May 20, 1969. I thought that she might be Elizabeth (except I am not sure if Elizabeth's hair was long enough to be described as "Long-brown hair").

https://identifyus.org/en/cases/2457
Click to expand...

:eek:fftopic: I noticed that this UID (NamUs UP # 2457) has been identified (she isn't Elizabeth, because she is still in NamUs). Does anyone have any information about who she is?
 
Yes, they now have identified some unclaimed remains as my sister using DNA!

It is very nice to finally know and have real closure, though I put her to rest in my mind in the 90's. I did not get the details such as possible cause of death but that may be available later when they finish the examination. Sorry for 5 years of not checking back but I forgot to subscribe to this thread and my email changed. I will update with details when I can.

Our heartfelt thanks to Deputy R. Hunter, Deputy Coroner Investigator, San Bernardino County Sheriff-Coroner and to the THOUSANDS of police, sheriff, and volunteers who helped over the years!!!

Jeff Ernstein
 
Jeff,

Thanks for taking the time to come and give us an update on the case.

I am so sorry for your loss but glad that you and your family will finally have some measure of closure from having located Elizabeth.
 
Ambercat said:
I noticed this young woman (est. between 14 to 20) on NamUs, she was found in San Bernardino County (same county as Redlands) on May 20, 1969. I thought that she might be Elizabeth (except I am not sure if Elizabeth's hair was long enough to be described as "Long-brown hair").

https://identifyus.org/en/cases/2457
Click to expand...

Ambercat said:
:eek:fftopic: I noticed that this UID (NamUs UP # 2457) has been identified (she isn't Elizabeth, because she is still in NamUs). Does anyone have any information about who she is?
Click to expand...

It looks like this is the UID who was matched up to Elizabeth.

However, until recently, the remains were thought to belong to a male. DoeNet still classifies the remains as male.

http://doenetwork.org/hot/hotcase1200.html
 
However, until recently, the remains were thought to belong to a male. DoeNet still classifies the remains as male.

http://doenetwork.org/hot/hotcase1200.html
Click to expand...



The DNA from the bones were submitted by the coroner for testing in 2011 and the results came back as female. I can see how a pathologist in 1969 might think the bones were a young male as she was still very slender and hadn't filled out yet(as you can see in the photo at the top of this page).
 
I know she has been found deceased but there is no info on it. Found this, thought I'd share. I'm sorry for your loss Jeff.


Coroner case #706934257--San Bernardino County Sheriff’s detectives recently revived a 44-year-old cold case after Coroner investigators determined that human remains found in 1969 near Wrightwood were those of a teenage girl who disappeared near her Mentone home the previous year. Elizabeth Ernstein, 14, was last seen March 19, 1968 one block from her home while returning from school in Mentone. For months afterward, Sheriff’s Department personnel and volunteers searched for clues of Elizabeth’s disappearance, but to no avail. The case took on national attention with news media covering the story from across the nation. Her disappearance went unsolved and 44 years passed. In May 2012, investigators with the San Bernardino County Sheriff, Coroner’s Division received additional information that lead to the possibility that Elizabeth’s remains had been previously recovered but not yet identified. Investigators located and obtained DNA samples from Elizabeth’s sister and brother. Those samples were sent to the California Department of Justice for entry into a database which routinely searches possible matches between family members and unidentified individuals. In 2011, some of the remains of an unidentified person, found in 1969 in a shallow grave near Wrightwood, were exhumed from the county cemetery and submitted for DNA testing. Investigators with the Coroner’s Division learned the remains were those of a young adult. Working on the additional leads developed in May, investigators asked the Department of Justice to compare the DNA samples from Elizabeth’s sister and brother to the DNA from the unidentified remains found in the Wrightwood grave. On August 16, 2012, Sheriff’s Coroner Investigator/Unidentified Persons Coordinator Bob Hunter received confirmation from the Department of Justice that the samples obtained from Elizabeth Ernstein’s brother and sister were a match to the remains found in 1969. The San Bernardino Sheriff's Department Homicide Cold Case unit is continuing the investigation in an effort to determine the circumstances surrounding Elizabeth’s disappearance and suspected murder. Anyone with any information regarding this investigation is urged to call Cold Case Detectives Ryan Ford or Scott Cannon of the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department’s Homicide Detail at (909) 387-3589. Callers wishing to remain anonymous should contact the We-Tip Hotline at 1-800-78-CRIME (1-800-782-7463.)[08312012 1520 GB]
 
Nixster13 said:
I know she has been found deceased but there is no info on it. Found this, thought I'd share. I'm sorry for your loss Jeff.


Coroner case #706934257--San Bernardino County Sheriff’s detectives recently revived a 44-year-old cold case after Coroner investigators determined that human remains found in 1969 near Wrightwood were those of a teenage girl who disappeared near her Mentone home the previous year. Elizabeth Ernstein, 14, was last seen March 19, 1968 one block from her home while returning from school in Mentone. For months afterward, Sheriff’s Department personnel and volunteers searched for clues of Elizabeth’s disappearance, but to no avail. The case took on national attention with news media covering the story from across the nation. Her disappearance went unsolved and 44 years passed. In May 2012, investigators with the San Bernardino County Sheriff, Coroner’s Division received additional information that lead to the possibility that Elizabeth’s remains had been previously recovered but not yet identified. Investigators located and obtained DNA samples from Elizabeth’s sister and brother. Those samples were sent to the California Department of Justice for entry into a database which routinely searches possible matches between family members and unidentified individuals. In 2011, some of the remains of an unidentified person, found in 1969 in a shallow grave near Wrightwood, were exhumed from the county cemetery and submitted for DNA testing. Investigators with the Coroner’s Division learned the remains were those of a young adult. Working on the additional leads developed in May, investigators asked the Department of Justice to compare the DNA samples from Elizabeth’s sister and brother to the DNA from the unidentified remains found in the Wrightwood grave. On August 16, 2012, Sheriff’s Coroner Investigator/Unidentified Persons Coordinator Bob Hunter received confirmation from the Department of Justice that the samples obtained from Elizabeth Ernstein’s brother and sister were a match to the remains found in 1969. The San Bernardino Sheriff's Department Homicide Cold Case unit is continuing the investigation in an effort to determine the circumstances surrounding Elizabeth’s disappearance and suspected murder. Anyone with any information regarding this investigation is urged to call Cold Case Detectives Ryan Ford or Scott Cannon of the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department’s Homicide Detail at (909) 387-3589. Callers wishing to remain anonymous should contact the We-Tip Hotline at 1-800-78-CRIME (1-800-782-7463.)[08312012 1520 GB]
Click to expand...


Adding the link to the coroners press release.
http://www.co.san-bernardino.ca.us/sheriff/coroner/PressRelease.asp

Sleep peacefully Elizabeth, you're home now.

I'm always so grateful to see the cold cases solved. It's nice to know that time does not mean people are forgotten.

Prayers said for the Ernstein family's loss.
 
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